How much new technology is too much?

Notes from a recent Retail Wire discussion about new technology and its impact upon management effectiveness. My take:

The question that should be asked about any new technology is, “Will it help me do my job better?” More specifically, will it make me more time-productive in order to spend more of my working hours thinking creatively or providing management development to the people who work for my company? Too often, the answer turns out to be “no.” Think about how we have become slaves to e-mail, both at our desktop and laptop computers and increasingly on mobile devices. E-mail is one of those technological breakthroughs that make the modern business world function, but it has come at a price in terms of overcommunication vs. smart time management.