According to Stephen Covey, well known author and leadership authority, one must continually "sharpen the saw." What he means is that we must be in the habit of continually working to improve in all aspects of our lives. Speaking of self improvement, how long has it been since you've attended some type of telephony class, industry seminar, or related class at a local college or university?

We all have responsibilities that remain somewhat constant. Many believe that as long as they are knowledgeable about their hospital PBX and ancillary systems, there is little benefit in learning about a technology that they don't currently use. If you're like me, there is not enough time in the day to get all of the normal Telecom Manager activities completed, much less take a class or attend a seminar.

The fact is, however, at some point we will all be asked questions about VoIP, remote communications, telecommuting, or some other leading communications technology. Since we are "internal consultants," administrators and other hospital staff look to us for answers. How embarrassing it would be to not know the answer to a question about a new technology supposedly in our area of expertise. As technology changes, so does the need for telecom professionals to keep up with technological advances in their field. Below I've listed four educational resources that you can find in your community to improve your knowledge base.

First, there are most likely local telecom-based organizations, or local chapters of national organizations, active in your area. Three of these organizations in my area are the Volunteer Hospital Association (VHA), the Georgia Hospital Association (GHA), and the Telecommunications Association of Georgia (TAG). All of these organizations provide opportunities for saw sharpening. For instance, within VHA Georgia there are several councils. The Telecommunications Council is one of the most active and productive. We have had meetings with personal improvement as the focus, as well as meetings in which new telecommunications products and services are displayed by select vendors. The vendors are obviously trying to make a sale, but the most important aspect to council members is the knowledge they receive about new solutions through these presentations.

Second, every major PBX vendor has a user group that usually holds a yearly convention. These organizations are independent of the manufacturer and provide a variety of quality educational opportunities for their members. Not only are they a great place to ask questions and exchange ideas with your peers, but they offer mounds of information on new product enhancements as well.

Your third option is a local college or university. These institutions can also serve as valuable educational resources for those of us who work for a living. Most provide at least a few courses or certificate programs that would enhance your ability to do your job more effectively. It would be worth the effort to check out the schools in your area. Take a project management course or a basic accounting class. You might also find a data networking or multimedia course that fits into your schedule.

Finally, take a serious look at vendor seminars. I attended one seminar that included 3Com, Mitel and Aspect Communications. It was mainly a VoIP seminar, but it also included break out sessions focused on contact centers and remote access. Another seminar I attended was presented by a speech recognition vendor in which the sales engineers explained much of the basic technology surrounding their product. I came away from that seminar with about a 200% increase in my knowledge of speech recognition hardware and applications, which helped me to assess the possibility of using SR in my hospital's voice network.

We, as Telecom Managers, strive to support our hospitals to the greatest possible degree. One way to ensure that we are well-equipped to provide that support is to make a conscious effort to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to address a wide variety of issues that fall into, and adjacent to, our area of expertise. Continue to sharpen the saw.

- Mike