As I was preparing for a couple of presentations this week I got to thinking about early adopters. These are the people who grab on to new concepts developed by the explorers and innovators and often champion them until the rest can catch up.
First In.
First Out.
Move On.
Too often those who are too cool for the room get bored and move on to the next idea long before they can share their experiences.
How beneficial would it be if some early adopters stuck around a bit longer? It is a fine line because often they are the types who become critical to the very thing they discovered first.
Patience and People.
Early adopters can make terrible managers because there will always be others in the room who aren't as up on the newest and coolest. Early adopters are chance takers but don't necessarily have patience like my buddy Mike who has been teaching school longer than his students have been alive.
I worked in the music industry for years and remember championing my share of new artists who became stars. There were plenty who didn't reach that status but I don't remember saying: "I was the first to support that band, they went no where."
Tired Of Talking About This Stuff?
In the world of digial advancements, while early adopters roll their eyes when talking about tools and gadgets, I happily discuss these things with clients. It's a safe guess if they knew already, they probably wouldn't ask.
We all must be mindful of getting too far ahead of the curve. If you live on the edge, you can't expect a crowd. And when they finally arrive, it may be wise not to poke fun at their lack of vision.
This is not about digital channels.
The guy who sold me my tires a few months ago was happy to spend half an hour to explain my options. No doubt, it's something he does all day long. If he was "tired of talking about this stuff" there is a good chance he'd see a significant decrease to his revenue line.
Should early adopters stick around a little longer?
@knealemann
business. marketing. social media. communications.
image credit: crazyjourneys
