So much information, all the time. We are positively drowning in it.
Sure, information is critical to a farming operation. But the real value isn’t in the news itself, not in the many facts or opinions or speculation flowing your way every second of every day. The real value is in the filter: making the connections between the information that matters, drawing out the insight where possible, and letting the rest go.
If you are getting a news management service, such as Good Morning Prairies or E-Morning Ontario, the necessary filter is in place. Those services filter out the stuff that didn’t matter and provide a concise executive summary of the stuff that does. Nowadays this is even more relevant: helping farmers escape from information overload, without missing what matters.
But this story is not about those services; It is about the filter! Farmers can benefit from applying these three steps when it comes to managing information overload.
1) Cut out the noise when and where you can. Subscribe to trusted sources. Look for the information that helps you make solid decisions rather than just trivial knowledge. Accept the fact that you can’t catch every story – but if you have sources you trust you can still feel connected, informed and up-to-date.
2) Think critically. It’s human to doubt even ourselves, no matter how logical and experienced we are when the masses seem to be going a different way. In reality, mass hysteria is probably a sign something is wrong. Be willing to challenge the status quo – which leads to the final point…
3) Ask questions. Any information is just a starting point. Now more than ever, just because something is published (online or in print) doesn’t mean it’s gospel. It doesn’t mean it’s the end of the story, either. The information you are using as input is only the beginning – just one step in running a complex business and making smart business decisions.
