1. If you don't like change, make your peace with it. It's going to happen. A lot!!

2. Working with a new program or piece of technology? Ask for formal training (a workshop, course, seminar, whatever makes sense). If the answer is "no", go buy the appropriate Dummies book and read it. If you're the boss, invest in formal training. It's pennies on the dollar compared to what can happen without it.

3. Let other businesses be the early adopters of a new technology. You don't need to deal with the bugs or get stuck with an overpriced flash in the pan product. Stick with mature applications and hardware.

4. Don't buy into the hype of the tech industry. Just because PC makers want you to upgrade all your desktops every two to three years, doesn't mean you have to and doesn't necessarily make good business sense.

5. Do buy into solid technologies that will make your business run better. The only way to be aware of new solutions is to keep an eye on the tech trades.

6. Do give your IT department feedback. If you're working with an application, for example, that is buggy or lacks critical features you need, don't suffer in silence. They can't help you if you don't ask.

7. Don't call IT with a problem unless you've tried to solve it yourself first. Have you tried rebooting or exploring the toolbar for what you need? I can't remember the last time that I used a piece of software that didn't have a help feature. I'm guessing your IT department has enough to do without making a special trip to your desk to show you how to change the font color in Microsoft Word.

8. Before you invest in a new solution, talk to another business already using it. Don't just go by the word of the account executive making the sale or, for that matter, people like me who write about this stuff for a living. Nothing beats honest customer feedback and referrals.

9. Try before you buy whenever you can.

10. Do a slow, cautious rollout whenever possible. Try out new technologies with a limited number of staff. If it works, expand it out to other departments.