The playing fields are no longer the same.
It’s a brand new world out there.
A teacher arranged her young students into a circle. She then went around the circle and asked each one a question.
“Davey, what sound does a cow make?”
Davey replied, “It goes ‘moo.’”
“Alice, what sound does a cat make?”
Alice said, “It goes ‘meow.’”
“Jamie, what sound does a lamb make?”
Jamie said, “It goes ‘baaa.’”
“Jennifer, what sound does a mouse make?”
Jennifer paused, and said, “Uhh ... it goes ... ‘click!’”
The more I do training and consultancy work the more I realize that with the passing of every New Year, the magnitude of social and economic change in the world has grown from incremental to exponential.
Former chairman of General Electric Jack Welch says that there is no company in the world that would be crazy enough to offer anyone permanent employment. But time and time again I have been encouraging people to accept the fact that it is highly up to us to offer ourselves permanent employability.
“But I want to be an entrepreneur…..” as someone would invariably say.
Sure. But you are your own company and you need a set of personal strategies for achieving excellence that would make you stay employed even in your own enterprise.
And yet many people still do not understand that you and I today are living in the knowledge-based economy where change is the rule and your personal strategies are not only essential for success but for survival.
There was a time in my life when I was still involved in the manufacturing sector when I lose good people my assets stayed with me. I still have my machines; I still had my factories and properties. Today. When you lose a good person your good person brings all of his or her assets with him. This is why as a leader, as someone who is working right in the thick of the knowledge economy; never again will you be able to go to your place of business on autopilot relying on your company, or your seniority, or your organization and certainly not your government to take care of you and to look after you.
But when you look at the mirror, you will see the image before you as the only one who will be responsible for your success or failure.
Companies are doing their best to grow their people. I realize this.
They get the services of our consultancy company, they send their executives to attend out two-day leadership workshop seminars, they invite me to give talks during their lunch and learn sessions and all these are mere indications that the only way to grow a business is to grow their leaders.
But here is a warning I will have to give you.
Your company can only do so much. You yourself will have to take on the responsibility for your own personal growth.
You must become a lifelong learner. You must continue to read books, listen to tapes, be a bookworm or be a tapeworm but continue to learn and acquire knowledge. You must be willing to take the initiative. Be a leader. Because as a follower you will find yourself helpless behind the pace of change.
Younger people who are more techie-savvy, moves around with great level of energy and carries with them smaller waistlines are curious, impatient, ready to learn and hungry to attain success and they can be paid less compared to the seasoned seniors who have been around for 10, 20 or even more years.
This should not be a cause for insecurity. This should be a ground for challenge.
Leverage on past experiences and wisdom accumulated through the years and learn new ideas and acquire more skills courtesy of the young.
Be inspired to achieve.
Be challenged to excel.
Enthusiasm is the highest paid quality in the work place.
Do not retire on your job.
Do not cruise on your competence.
Do not put yourself in retirement mode.
Enjoy life and make it a great learning adventure.
God has given us a life designed to be lived to the full. Don’t waste it and make this year a most productive year.
(Francis Kong will be the lead trainer for the Dr. John Maxwell’s “Developing the Leader Within You” leadership program this January 28-29 at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel. For further inquiries contact Inspire Leadership Consultancy Inc. 632-6872614 or 09178511115)