Connected, but alone?

We are connected, but alone, according to Sherry Turkle, cultural analyst, and author of "Alone Together: Why We Expect More From Technology and Less From Each Other."  She says that we are letting technology take us places where we don't want to go - technology is changing not just what we do, but who we are.

Turkle believes that we short change conversation for connectivity. That we don't want to have a conversation in real time because we can't edit what we are saying and we can't present the self we want to share. It is harder to tune out the non-interesting stuff without technology to distract us.

Technology gives us three fantasies:

1. we can put our attention wherever we want

2. we will always be heard

3. we will never have to be alone

My niece jokingly told me that "if it doesn't happen on FaceBook, it didn't really happen."

Turkle calls this "I share, therefore, I am," - that without connectivity we don't feel like ourselves and we feel alone.

She believes that technology requires us to claim places to talk and think. That we need to listen through the boring parts, because this is where we reveal ourselves to others.

As a leader, how can you ensure that real conversations are occurring in your team? How do you break through the technology fantasies and learn about each other and ourselves?

Contact me and we'll talk about real conversations Valerie.MacLeod@HainesCentre.com

You can listen to Sherry's TED talk at: //www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together#t-16794