How Do You Manage Change?

Credit: Peggy Gillespie

In 1978 I was standing in line at a drugstore. I had just handed a prescription to the pharmacist. He said, "we'll page you when it's ready Mr. Gillespie."

There were others waiting. A gentleman stepped forward and asked, "are you the Bill Gillespie that is in printing?" I was surprised. I didn't know the guy but responded that I was.

A casual conversation resulted. I learned that he made dye transfers. Young printers today won't know what that was. It's how reflective photographs were altered and retouched before computers and digital images.

This guy was an artist. He had a skill people paid a fortune for access to.

Retouching systems were just starting to emerge. Scitex and Chromacom (not sure I spelled either correctly) were new technology. Color separators (another term younger printers won't recognize) were investing in these tools. It was putting the dye transfer folks out of business.

The guy I was talking with was mad. He blamed technology for wrecking his livelihood. He said, "these fancy gadgets are putting me out of business and mediocre photographers into business." He was not enjoying life.

I've often wondered what became of this guy. I've also wondered why he didn't learn to use these tools. Think of the head start he would have had. He understood images. He understood how to make them better with his bare hands. He understood quality.

There have been lots of technology changes since 1978. Beepers gave way to cell phones. Personal computers entered prepress, estimating and eventually every office in America. Digital printing was invented.

The same thing is happening now. Truthfully, it never stops happening. That’s good for adopters and bad for resisters.

Today’s conversations are about AI, geofencing, location-based marketing and all manner of newer tools. None of these things (nor any of their predecessors) have brought an end to print. They haven’t marked the end of selling either. Don’t be afraid. Dive in and get educated.

Let me say it bluntly. Resisting technology is shoveling sand against the tide. You can't win.
Technology isn't your enemy. It's a tool. Your use of it dictates how it impacts your life.

During my long career I've heard managers say, "estimating will never be successful on a computer. My pencil is the only tool we need." I've also heard reps say, "I'll never sell digital printing. It's for small jobs. Everything I do is big." I've even heard reps say, "I don't need a cell phone. I carry quarters for payphones in my car." These comments are surely funny to today’s reps.

Wanna guess how things turned out for these guys? The pencil dude washed out like the dye transfer guy. The I won't sell digital guys lose work to printers that design programs for clients and move away from transactions. And the quarters guy is looking for payphones.

Now chances are you aren't one of these technology resisters. But I'll bet you know someone that is. Maybe you can even identify a progression you're fighting.

My suggestion of the day is don't fight what is inevitable. Embrace it. Look at the problems innovation solves...not the tool itself. Examine everything from the client problem solving perspective.

At the end of the day, technology is a tool. It does nothing by itself. You have to pick it up and use it just like you would a power tool or rake. Technology won’t wreck your career. Ignoring it might. Be the person that embraces possibilities and takes them to market.