Senior? Are you afraid of digital jumping?

I've wanted to deal with this topic for a long time on this blog. If you haven't read me before and you don't know me either., I'm included in the two categories of the title: senior and digital.

And for starters, let me break a settled belief: Neither all seniors are digital illiterate or all Millennial they handle well in digital.

I've come to give a talk about personal branding to a group of professional bankers Mediolanum Bank. When my exhibition is over, the head of business planning, selection and training of the company, Francesco D'Italia, has commented something flashy:

Some of you may not be digital, but what if your customers are?

That question is one of those who comes to the marrow. If your client (or boss, or patient…) it's digital, you may speak the same language, but you won't be able to hear it or follow it, because you talk about it across different platforms. If the fear of flying heals, fear of digital has the same remedy: mentalization, Training, testing and analysis of results. All of this seasoned by PATIENCE, a basic ingredient for mission success.

Detallo the four phases of the process, but notice in advance that there is none left, let alone having infinite patience.

Mentalization

It deals with the process by which the senior becomes aware of the need not to be left behind. The digital environment for the senior is a means, not an end in itself.

It's a stage of Benchmarking Intensive, to consult with different sources how it has been able to help a person of analog customs use digital environments. Whether they're the simplest, as networking tools or the more complex ones like big data analytics of a CRM.

At this stage it is good to contact people like us who have gone from being only analogue to a balanced combination of analog/digital.

I suggest perusing this TEDx of Senior Specialist Laura Rosillo “The Mature Revolution” to be inspired and realize the need to adapt to change. I also recommend if you have a little more time (1H) watch this webinar from another senior specialist, Prudencio Lopez Called Satisfactory working life after 40 It's possible? Webinar. Although he is not a specialist in the subject, my colleague and personal brander Neus Arqués published the excellent book “Lives 50“, where he claims the fifties are the new eighteen.

Training

The concept is “it's never too late“. According to Prudencio Lopez, today the seniors of +45 represent a 43% of the population in Spain, For example, And that will come to a 60% In 2030 (27,7 millions of people). Does anyone think that the 60% of the population is not important in a productive economy?

Digital training schools there are many, as there are also hundreds of blogs to follow, webinars on YouTube… If you're serious, I advise you or hire a specialized consultant/mentor, like those mentioned Laura Rosillo And Prudencio Lopez, and if you're a manager I'd advise you to Almudena Gallo, a human capital coach with a long history of management mentoring.

As Prudencio says, the world needs today's seniors. And I add, well-prepared to meet the new challenges.

Secondly,, there are two high-level specialized schools, Isdi E INESDI. Of course, also many generalist business schools include these types of training.

Test

After mentality and training, it's time to implement, the time of the test. I call it “Test” And not “action plan” because I think the senior has the right to create his own test area to know if this is going to be tactical or strategic. I explain myself

• Tactical: I launch my new digital skills when the occasion requires it. I don't buy the habit, I only adopt it temporarily at convenience.
• Strategic: I get a new habit and put the necessary mechanisms to include it in my daily schedule.

Here it is starting with each of the digital skills that will substantially improve our work and our lives. I like the 5 points defined by the specialist Jordi Adell and that it collects Leandro Fridman at Medium:

1) Informational competition: know how to raise an information problem, To find, Access, Manage, Organize, create and spread, Etc.
2) Computer competition: the handling of electronic tools and devices, whether it's a computer, a cell phone, but also a camera, Etc.
3) Multiple literacy: I mean, be proficient in the multiple languages, no longer just the traditional written language, but also in the sound and visual, For example.
4) A generic cognitive competence: and even cross-cutting the rest of the competitions, that allows us to select from all the information we have, relevant and turn it into knowledge.
5) Digital citizenship, I mean, preparation for a world where the dichotomy between the "real" world and the "online" is being overcome.

Analysis of results

Fortunately, and as he repeats Pedro Rojas, everything digital can be measured. An example is the dissemination of digital content. For example a blog: allows us to know the visits that a content has generated, average reading time, profile of people who have read it, the rebound (if you've only read that or have sniffed in other parts of the web), the geographical origin of the visit, the source of the link (social media, Subscription, newsletter…) and much more.

Depending on the budget available, we will be able to have more or less accurate analyses, But in any case, measurement tools often offer a free basic part. Measurement allows us to correct errors or reinforce approaches, something indispensable.

 

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