We've all heard about old dogs and new tricks. In today's business world, old dogs like me must either keep up with technology or be pushed to the side of the road by up and coming pups who not only understand it, but are thriving in the new environment.

New technologies are more quickly embraced by the young. That's fine if we're talking about video games. It may have been OK for my grandparents to have an aversion to credit cards. It may be all right for my long-retired mother to not be into computers. But if you're a leader in a company you should at least understand the importance of new technologies, as well as how your company can benefit.

Take a virtual stroll through Facebook and you'll find numerous companies - from mom-and-pop shops to Fortune 500 behemoths - using the social site to connect with customers and potential customers. Twitter is rife with small companies connecting with their potential market.

I'm fifty-three years old, and yet I'm currently learning, as quickly as possible, all I can about Twitter, Facebook and other social networking tools as they relate to business. If I can do it, I know you can. Here's how:

Admit the Need - You won't do anything until you admit you need to. If you still don't think you have a need, check out mashable.com and do some research. The site is rife with articles about the benefits of social networking.

Get Educated - Regardless of your position in the your company, you should at least be conversant in the latest technologies so you can discuss them intelligently. I have been learning a lot through my Twitter account. In addition to following Mashable, I follow other sources for up-to-date tech news. I have created a document with which to capture links to good articles so I can refer back to them at need.

Another way I have been educating myself is to read up on the subject. My Twitter education began with Joel Comm's Twitter Power. While I have not used all of his suggestions, I have used many that have been very helpful. I recently ordered WordPress for Dummies, and Facebook Marketing for Dummies to help me better understand how to manage a WordPress site, and how to effectively build a community of followers on Facebook.

I love the ...for Dummies series of books, and have used more than a dozen of them to learn specific skill sets. When I have learned all I can from them, I move on to more in-depth training. However, for many, it can be an excellent place to start.

Ask Questions - Chances are you work with, or at least know, someone who's really up on what you want to learn. Ask a lot of questions and really listen to the answers. One of the best questions you can ask is: Where can I learn more?

Do a Little Every Day - You won't learn it all at once, even if you read the book cover to cover in one sitting. (Most of the info will bleed right out if you try that.) However, just a few minutes each day will get you where you want to go. Take the new information in small chunks. Make a lot of notes, highlights, etc., and review extensively.

That's all there is to it. Admit you have a need. Fill it by learning a little every day. Commit to this course of action and you'll find that even old dogs can teach the young pups a thing or two!

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