Carpe diem – seizing the day. Successful engagement in a changing society
Stephen B. Johnson, Industry and Investment New South Wales, Locked Bag 21, Orange, New South Wales 2800, Australia.
Summary
Society is constantly changing. The people we seek to engage are no different. Successful engagement in a changing society requires continual assessment of our communication techniques. This will mean examining time worn methods to ensure we continue to be successful.
One way to continue to successfully engage others is to understand their basic values and key drivers. Many of these are influenced by society. Examining current societal values can help us do this, as can critical analysis about how society may change in the future.
This paper describes five key societal changes since at least the 1980s: the increased busyness of people and the world; the workplace gender revolution; the decrease in public investment in education; the demographic shift in the workforce/community; and the information technology revolution. It describes how these changes are impacting in our society and poses ideas about how we can continue to successfully engage people in a changing society.
Plant Protection Quarterly (2011) 26 (3) 103-105.