The Age of Speed: Learning to Thrive in a More-Faster-Now Worldby Vince PoscenteSource: John C. Maxwell, Leadership Wired Society's addiction to speed has left once-common activities in the dust of history. For instance, when was the last time you rewound a VHS tape, used a typewriter, or had your camera's film developed? As speed has permeated our lives, it has ruthlessly eliminated inefficiencies and ushered in new ways of living. In The Age of Speed, Vince Poscente endeavors to help readers embrace the surging pace of life rather than fighting against it. As a former Olympic speed skier, Poscente has hurtled down mountain slopes at speeds in excess of 135 mph. Uniquely qualified to comment about quickness, he now carries his love of speed into Fortune 500 companies to help them do business faster. An accomplished speaker, Poscente proves his merit as an author with his thoughtful and sanguine appraisal of our accelerated pace of living. As technology has quickened the pace of life, speed has been vilified for bringing clutter, imbalance, and busyness to our lives. However, Poscente claims that speed actually allows us to live less stressfully with greater freedom and control of our lives. Speed enables us to plow through the dull tasks of our day so that we can devote a bulk of our time to doing what we love. In addition, speed gives us unprecedented convenience along with access to information in a matter of seconds. In order to seize the advantages of speed, Poscente advises readers to differentiate "repetitive chores from passionate pursuits." While he would agree that some things in life are best enjoyed slowly, Poscente is an avid proponent of cutting down time spent on tedious tasks and minutiae. Throughout the book, Poscente cites examples of companies that neglected to grasp the implications of The Age of Speed, others that profited by speedily embracing change, and still others that prospered by putting speed at the forefront of their business strategy. For instance, Kodak didn't keep up with industry frontrunners when digital cameras began to supplant traditional film models. As a result, they found themselves lagging behind in a market they had once dominated. Conversely, Pepsi has sped around the learning curves of the beverage industry by pouring money into nutritious drinks. As health-conscious consumers increasingly bypass sugary sodas, Pepsi rapidly has developed and distributed new product lines of juices and energy drinks. Likewise, Geico has tapped into the demand for speed with their advertising slogan, "15 minutes could save you 15% or less on car insurance." By offering time savings in addition to cost savings, Geico has won over a loyal base of customers. Readers mining The Age of Speed for takeaways should focus on Chapters 12 and 13. In them, Poscente examines the work-life tension that comes when we feel constantly connected to our jobs. Rather than building fences to prevent work from encroaching on life, Poscente advises his readers to search for ways to align their leisure time and personal passions with what they do on the job. Intuitively attuned to speed, Vince Poscente has an innate grasp of its benefits. In The Age of Speed he persuasively depicts speed as an ally rather than an adversary. With a clever and succinct style, Poscente will appeal to readers who prefer brevity and simplicity. Overall, The Age of Speed is a smooth read, replete with helpful tidbits for thriving amid the frenetic pace of modern life.
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