Presenting New Ideas to an “Old” Audience

Who was it that said "Change is good"?

I know my mother said it to me when I was young, and I say it to my clients from time to time.

While it may be a cliché, change really can be good - the hard part about change is selling it. This can be exceptionally challenging when dealing with a more mature crowd. Many older workers, those baby boomers nearing retirement age, are not interested in learning to use a computer or work with new software packages that benefit their work environment. (This is a generalization, no disrespect is meant.)

It becomes increasingly important for the workplace to sell the idea of acceptance of large scale change within the workplace. One of the largest changes I've seen within the insurance industry is the move from DOS based applications to the Windows platform.

Struggles included learning to use a mouse, new terminology and constant system changes and upgrades. Gone are the days when a computer lasted ten years and the application didn't change. Now we have regular updates, program enhancements and new operating systems emerging even more quickly then some people can learn the current setup!

How do you sell the idea that change is good?

A couple of tips I've picked up along the way include:

• demonstrate how this will help (usually saying that a child or grandchild is learning the same skills is enough to raise more than a few eyebrows and coax older computer users to attempt a new task
  
• demonstrate what's in it for "me" - showing how and why a newly implemented program is necessary is a great way to make the learner feel involved in the anticipated success of the roll-out
  
• speak on their level. Never use techno-babble unless you are speaking with another techno-expert. Simplifying your language and the ideas you are presenting will ease the transition and the learner will feel more comfortable because they can understand what you are saying. Comprehension of the ideas is a important as using the tools.
  
• finally, treat other users the way you would like to be treated. Show respect and the same will be yours in return, show understanding and patience and your users will also be understanding and patient.
  

What adult learners need most is positive reinforcement, feedback and support for the technology changes they face in the workplace and at home.