Let's face it. Everything worth saying was said by Shakespeare. Be it love, anger, fear, honor, or cowardice, the Bard found the perfect words to express every aspect of the human condition. I would call myself a real writer if I came up with anything one tenth as clever or profound. Sadly, I don't expect to ever succeed where better writers have failed.
So, what does this have to do with unified communications? Believe it or not, a lot.
My job regularly puts me in front of IT and communications professionals from all aspects of business. One day I might meet with the telecom manager of a law firm to discuss social media in the contact center while the next has me explaining session border controllers to the CTO of a major chain of hospitals and health clinics.
Over the years, I have learned that despite their various titles and pay ranges, these folks share many of the same concerns. At the same time, each industry has its own unique set of challenges. Emphasis and importance also can be quite different. The men and women in charge of a bank's communications system stay awake at night fretting about security, while the IT director at a sales organization might be more concerned about providing mobility to the company's account executives.
I love my job, but like all jobs, it comes with its own set of frustrations. Outside of the long hours and a grueling travel schedule, I am most frustrated by people unwilling to move out of their comfort zones. I am sure you know of whom I am talking. These are the people who know what they know (and they may know it really well), but are hesitant to embrace new technologies, methodologies, and shifts in expectations.
They are aware of WebRTC, but aren't looking at what it might do for their organizations. They've heard about the benefits of SIP trunks, but are sticking with PRI because it's what they know. They may have read about millennials and how they don't communicate like us old guys do, but they haven't invested a dime in anything other than black plastic desk phones.
In other words, they are what they are and don't allow themselves to be anything else.
Don't get me wrong. I am not for change for the sake of change. I am well aware that the pioneers were often the first to die. They may have blazed the trail, but didn't live long enough to reap the benefits.
However, I am all for expanding one's horizons and being open to the possibility of change. Staying on the cutting edge of knowledge doesn't require you to immediately run out and buy that next big thing before it has had a chance to prove itself.
Still, you can't stay on the sidelines forever. Those that never suit up and step out on the field will never know the joy of winning.
Let's take a look at what all this means. While I can't speak for everyone, I can speak for myself and some of the tricks that I employ to stay current. Better yet, let's take a look at what I believe keeps a communications professional relevant.
1. Set aside some time every week to read what the experts and industry spokespeople are saying. The fact that you are reading an article on No Jitter says that you understand that. You come here for thoughtful explorations on what's new, what's current, and what is nearing its shelf life.
2. Become active on social media. No, that doesn't mean friending grandma and sharing photographs of your every meal. It means finding quality outlets that are relevant to your industry. You may have a LinkedIn account, but do you really use it? Are you aware of the wealth of quality forums that LinkedIn hosts? Do you have a Twitter account? If so, who do your follow -- your bowling buddies or thought leaders like Zeus Kerravala, Sheila McGee-Smith, and Dave Michels? There is a lot of new and exciting information being shared that you don't want to miss.
3. It's important to read, but it's also important to share. What are you doing to better your company and your peers? We all do better when we all do better.
4. What's on your smartphone? Have you installed a SIP client for enterprise communications? Are you a Lync user at work, but not on your iPhone or Android device? These applications are painless ways to stay on the forefront of new forms of communications with little to no monetary investment.
5. What have you done with WebRTC? Are you aware that a number of companies have trial versions of their products that you can use to educate yourself on the power of this revolutionary technology? Your company may be several years away from rolling out its own WebRTC strategy, but nothing is stopping you from kicking the tires today.
6. Are you a member of any industry user groups? I speak at International Avaya Users Group gatherings around the country and have learned as much valuable information from my fellow Avaya users as I feel I've conveyed.
1. Set aside some time every week to read what the experts and industry spokespeople are saying. The fact that you are reading an article on No Jitter says that you understand that. You come here for thoughtful explorations on what's new, what's current, and what is nearing its shelf life.
2. Become active on social media. No, that doesn't mean friending grandma and sharing photographs of your every meal. It means finding quality outlets that are relevant to your industry. You may have a LinkedIn account, but do you really use it? Are you aware of the wealth of quality forums that LinkedIn hosts? Do you have a Twitter account? If so, who do your follow -- your bowling buddies or thought leaders like Zeus Kerravala, Sheila McGee-Smith, and Dave Michels? There is a lot of new and exciting information being shared that you don't want to miss.
3. It's important to read, but it's also important to share. What are you doing to better your company and your peers? We all do better when we all do better.
4. What's on your smartphone? Have you installed a SIP client for enterprise communications? Are you a Lync user at work, but not on your iPhone or Android device? These applications are painless ways to stay on the forefront of new forms of communications with little to no monetary investment.
5. What have you done with WebRTC? Are you aware that a number of companies have trial versions of their products that you can use to educate yourself on the power of this revolutionary technology? Your company may be several years away from rolling out its own WebRTC strategy, but nothing is stopping you from kicking the tires today.
6. Are you a member of any industry user groups? I speak at International Avaya Users Group gatherings around the country and have learned as much valuable information from my fellow Avaya users as I feel I've conveyed.
To Be or Not to Be
Every single day brings a new set of opportunities. You don't have to know it all. Let's be real. You can't know it all. I do all of the above and there is much I still don't know. Thankfully, this isn't a game of winner take all. Your goal should be to become the best that you can be given the amount of time you can devote to staying relevant. Trust me. It will be good for you, your company, the industry, and your career.
Returning to the words of Shakespeare:
Andrew Prokop writes about all things unified communications on his popular blog, SIP Adventures.
Hear more from Andrew at Enterprise Connect Orlando 2015, March 16-19, at the session, Interoperability: Has Anything Actually Worked? Register with code NJSPEAKER to get $300 off Entire Event or Tue – Thu pass.
Follow Andrew Prokop on Twitter and LinkedIn!
