The “Technology” skill does NOT mean that you should be good at designing electronic circuit boards or anything that even resembles technical design or expertise.

Instead, the “Technology” skill is simply an ability to SELECT the appropriate technology that is most efficient and useful to accomplish a specific task.

For example, if you want to write a book, the appropriate technology to use (if you don’t want to use pencil and paper) would be a word processing program such as Microsoft Word. Similarly, if you want to create a balance sheet that examines your organization’s cash flow over time, your appropriate technology would be a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel. If you want to build a website or blog, you can do it by simply writing all of the HTML code yourself – OR you could use a technological platform such as WordPress (which I use), Dreamweaver, or something else.

If you are applying the critical skill of “Information,” you use the internet (most likely) and, if necessary, go to a library and sift through the books and other written resources.

SELECTION of the appropriate technology is the key – and knowledge about what technologies are available to apply to specific projects or tasks requires the “Technology” skill.

That task is becoming more and more difficult these days since technology is advancing at such a rapid pace. Not too many years ago the internet did not exist and the technology needed to gather information was, in retrospect, rather primitive. Writing reports in those days required a typewriter – later replaced entirely by computers and word processing programs. Engineers and architects needed drawing instruments and T-squares . . . nowadays, specific computer programs make their tasks much easier and the rendering of detailed drawings is left to microchips and software.

Here’s a tip: GET GOOD AT THE TECHNOLOGY SKILL! It will serve you well in your career as well as your life.

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