Yesterday I took a brief look at some websites and applications for organizations in preparation for my talk today with the Lions.  Here is what they had to say about it.

First leason.  The average age in the room was about 63, so the first question I asked the group was how many people use the internet on a daily basis.  About 90% raised their hands, one person shooted out, “I use it every hour.”  Not 100%, but more than expected.  Then I asked how many people use it to communicate with friends, family, and associates? All but 2 raised their hands.  Even better.

Second, based on my own experience with my grandmother and others, we have to give credit to the “greatest generation” they have come up to speed with technology. It isn’t easy.  As one person explained to me after the meeting, she was showing a dear friend how to use the computer for the first time.  She asked him to select the OK, button, and he got close to the computer and started saying “O.K.”  She explained about the mouse, the cursor, the box that contained the message, etc.  He said he’ll stick to his Thermos® and transistor radio for cutting edge technology.  People like him are becoming rarer, most people do get it and we have to recognize that they spent some decent effort getting there.

So what do they want from their online experience for the group?  The main thing is to communicate amongst themselves, to carry the conversation between monthly meetings.  So that committee chairs (they love committees) can post progress, findings, and resources.  Next they want to reach out to the community, share their vision, and values in a short, clear way.  And finally they want to keep track of their calendar of events.

Simple goals, but important ones for a group that has done impressive things in their community and in the world for years with a sense of commitment and purpose we could all learn to emulate.