By Maru Willson, Exponent Philanthropy
Are you the go-to person for technology in your office, but “technology” isn’t in your job description? Then you’re an accidental techie, a common role in small offices.
Exponent Philanthropy member Rachel Ayn Pickens, program officer at the Irene W. and C.B. Pennington Foundation, became an accidental techie because she was young and had prior experience with social media.
“Everyone assumes Millennials will know what to do because we grew up with technology,” says Rachel. “Age may have something to do with finding yourself in an ‘accidental techie’ role, but it’s not everything. It has more to do with wanting to learn and being willing to teach yourself what you need to know.”
Adopt this mantra early and use it often: Technology is a partner in achieving our mission. Technology can be a game changer for small organizations, helping to drive your mission further, faster. Connecting new tech to your mission is vital in gaining buy-in from stakeholders in your organization.
Think about your organization’s needs. Rely on your organization’s needs as a guide. It’ll help you avoid the trap of purchasing the latest technology just because it’s new, or because someone else insisted you should.
