The e-pioneer is a discreet juggler.
Have you ever watched a juggler keeping a number of balls in the air – starting with two or three, adding one after another until you’re awestruck?
Why are we so fascinated by jugglers? Some claim that the appeal of the juggling act is not so much in the display of skill, but rather in the suspense of waiting for one of the balls to drop. If you can’t juggle – and the juggler fails – you don’t feel so incompetent!
E-pioneers are like jugglers. It is expected of them to deal with a number of important tasks at the same time – training teachers, keeping hardware and software going and staying abreast with latest technology trends. If the e-pioneer succeeds, others may be shown up – even some in more senior positions – who are secretly waiting for a dropped ball. Stressful indeed!
What is the key to a juggler’s success? It is knowing when to stop. Through experience jugglers know the limit of their abilities – and they dare not exceed this limit, particularly in front of an audience.
E-pioneers must take this lesson to heart. Determine how much you can handle; learn to do it well; and resist the temptation to tackle more. Be particularly careful of the flood of new technologies coming your way at a rapid rate – hardware, application programs, games and whatever else is new.
While you’ll want to keep up to date with new developments, you must accept your capacity limit – if you try to dabble in too many technologies you’re bound to drop a ball or two.
Click here for more food for thought for e-pioneers.