Red Tailed Hawk: Choosing Your Perch

The Story

the "highest perch"

Down the street from my home is a small neighborhood tennis court. One morning I noticed a large red tailed hawk take off from the corner of the fence that surrounds the court. I enjoy watching birds of all types, especially hawks, so I stepped off of the main road and headed down a gravel access path to get a closer look at the bird.

He had flown to a nearby tree, to a limb approximately 40 feet from the ground. As I stood there the hawk flew up to a higher perch and then a few moments later to a limb a bit higher. Over the course of these three upward movements, he increased his vantage point by approximately 20-30 feet.  

The red tail sat on this top limb for a few moments before flying even further back into the wintry woods to the top of an oak that still held its leaves. As I stood and watched, the hawk settled into its highest perch. We stood in silence for many moments before I turned to complete my morning constitution, allowing him to return to his unobserved business of the day.

The Technology

social networking platforms

They are so common today, it may surprise you to know that the most commonly used social media platforms have been around for less than 10 years! Facebook was launched in 2004 (its predecessor MySpace launched in 2003), Twitter in 2006,  LinkedIn in 2002, and Instagram and Pinterest in 2010. In education, and in for-profit and non-profit sectors, many are exploring the potential that each tool has to create connection, promote ideas, and convey meaning to others on a global scale.

As hardware has evolved from larger desktop machines to laptops and hand-held devices, our interface platforms have adapted to fit as well. We have moved from the use of licensed software based applications, to web-based tools and now to mobile apps. Tools which once served a singular purpose are now multifaceted devices.

The pace at which technology has changed is exponential. Keeping up with devices and applications can, even for the most techno-savvy at heart, feel daunting. Mindful investigation and selection of tools and social media platforms, paired with a strategic plan of use (or non-use), can help you to find your way.

Connections

"Mindful Technology" Pinterest board

Seeing the red tailed hawk reminded me of some of the personal processes I've used in exploring and choosing social media.  I have intentionally taken my time to explore each platform, its vantage points, locating appropriate uses before committing to use them. One mechanism I am currently using to help me to gather and evaluate new platforms and their purposes is a Mindful Technology board on Pinterest. It allows me to curate info-graphics, articles, and other resources related to new technologies, their potentials, and uses - sharing them in a web-based, visual manner. The resources there may help your process as well.

I have also identified three potential "vantage points" (from the red tailed hawk metaphor) which can support a balanced understanding of social media. The first is "on the move."  Related to the hawk's movement from the fence to the first tree, it represents our use of social media to communicate with others while we are in transit from one place to another.  All of the social media platforms mentioned above now have applications (apps) which can be used on a tablet or smartphone to share brief updates. Its up to us to decide if we will check our social media while out and about, or wait until we are at a stationary location. The second metaphorical comparison we can make is that of "levels."  Related to the hawk's movement up the same tree to a higher vantage point, we have the ability to choose to utilize social media at low, medium or high levels. I believe it is important to recognize a propensity to be "sucked in" by our technologies and to make a mindful choices about how much time and energy we will devote each day.  Finally, the metaphor of "deep cover" relates to the hawk's choice to retreat to the tree where leaves were still present, providing camouflage.  With the preponderance of technology available to us nearly every place we go, I believe it is critical for us to make choices related to intentional unplugging.

For those interested in the notion of unplugging, you may enjoy visiting the National Day of Unplugging website. Not all agree with the movement towards creating "digital sabbaths." My thoughts are always return to the idea of mindfulness - to the noticing of our use of technology, to deciding where we might like to change, and finally to making informed responses from that place of knowing. Good luck with your own mindful explorations of social media!

Social media image courtesy of Pixabay: http://pixabay.com

The Three Feeders: One Size Does Not Fit All

The Story

"who's who" of the bird community

My personal workspace faces the front of our home, overlooking the driveway and the woods beyond.  This morning I spent some time observing birds coming and going from the various bird feeders we have installed below.  The scene was "convention like" - a veritable "who's who" of the bird community in attendance.

At the long and narrow nyjer seed feeder we had visitors such as the house finch, gold finches, and a bold chickadee who was unafraid to hang upside down by his feet to feast on the tiny seeds.  The larger mixed-seed feeder hosted a tufted titmouse, some nuthatches, and a cardinal or two.  Finally, the suet cake boasted the arrival of two distinct species of woodpecker - the red-headed and hairy varieties.

Even the ground was a gathering spot for consuming scattered seeds.  Many of the aerial visitors, while waiting their turn at the feeders, dropped down below to forage for dropped morsels.  A few even dropped down to crack open the seeds they had collected above.  A chipmunk and a mourning dove, too large to sit on the perches of any of the feeders, took advantage of the busy activity above as well, munching on the leftovers.

The Technology

A common question appears to be coming up in my consulting work lately.  Many clients ask me to advise them about the potential benefits and drawbacks of purchasing and utlizing smartphones, tablets, and laptops.  It seems that many already possess these three categories of technology, without a grounded sense of when they are best utilized - for what purposes.

Dell's interactive infographic

One way I begin to advise clients is by describing the features or liabilities of the particular technology  that can facilitate thinking, allowing them to begin to recognize potential of teach tool. With clients, I also stress the importance of knowing your purpose in any particular endeavor.  That is, what do you hope to accomplish while using a device? By identifying goals, then reviewing each device's potential uses and recognizing its' limitations, you too can begin to identify for yourself the best tool for each situation. Dell has created an interesting interactive info-graphic which may help understanding of the potential of each device.

In general, I believe that relative size does have a lot to do with the tool's capacity and use.  For instance I have found that:

Laptops are: the most full featured, the most powerful, while also being the heaviest of our portable tools.
Tablets are: not as full featured as a laptop, slightly less powerful, while being better when it comes to speed of use, weight, and portablility.
Smartphones are: a bit less robust than the tablet, substantially less powerful the others, but much smaller and the most portable of all devices.

Connections

Just as various birds prefer different kinds of seeds, and the feeders that distribute the seeds come in sizes appropriate to the particular bird's size and habits of feeding - our technologies have parallel sizes and benefits.  Knowing which kind of "bird" you are and which "bird feeder" your situation dictates, will help you to select the appropriate tool to meet your goals.

Big Birds = Suet Feeder = Use a Laptop: 
"Big Bird" uses are the times when you need to create content.  Be it drafting a document, editing a webpage, or responding to a lengthy email, your laptop is the suet feeder in your tool set.  Like suet, it will provide you with a wide range of "mixed seeds" and "fat" to bind your work together.  It will offer you the fullest range of features to support your needs.  The "Big Bird" option will let you do just about everything all of the other tools will - with the exception of making a traditional phone call.

Medium Birds = Medium Feeder = Use a Tablet:  
"Medium Bird" uses are the times when you need speed, lightness, and touchscreen ability.  Like the medium bird feeder, it provides many of the same options that your laptop will, however its not quite as useful in creating content.  Your tablet won't have traditional "Office" tools for creating documents, spreadsheets, or PowerPointss - but it can allow you to create those items up in the cloud.  Your "Medium Feature" option will allow you to quickly display web-based content with others, play games, and access email and calendars in a nearly immediate and portable manner.

Small Birds = Small Feeder = Use a Smartphone: 
"Small Bird" uses are the times when you need to locate quick answers and make responses in an immediate, mobile manner.  Like the small feeder, your Smartphone is very specific in its tasks - and it does tend to attract a particular kind of "bird." Its small screen size requires excellent vision (or the patience to pinch the screen to enlarge text).  Your "Small Bird" option is truly best for those tasks which are brief, on the fly, and don't require in-depth review or response of text based materials.

my laptop, tablet, and smartphone in action

Ground Scavengers = All Feeders May be Needed = Bring All Your Tools:  
There are some days when you just won't know which technology is best.  On those days, you may want to behave like the larger ground-scavenging creatures, bringing along all of your devices.  In these cases, much like the ground scavengers, you'll have the ability to meet any situation with the appropriate response and support.  Your "All Feeders" option will work best when you don't mind carrying all of your tools in order to be able to choose from your arsenal.  "All Feeders" options also allow you to use multiple tools in interesting, overlapping ways - or to share a device with someone who hasn't brought one along.

As you continue to explore the potential and use of your particular devices, I recommend you ask yourself some of the following questions:

• What do I hope to achieve today with my work?
• What types of access to the internet, documents, or programs am I likely to have or need?
• What tool feels like the best solution for my perceived needs?
• Will I be most successful as a "Big Bird," "Medium Bird," "Small Bird," or "Ground Scavenger"?

I'd love to hear about your experiences with these bird metaphors.  I'd also love hear your thoughts about which tools you prefer to take with you in your particular situations.  Please share your ideas and questions in the comments section below.

Thanks to Sean Seningen of 6 Hours Inc. for the photo of my 3 devices!