THE GREAT REDESIGN

I just ran an article of the same title in my January e-newsletter. 

In a matter of five years,  a dozen of executives I met at the mid-level positions in various on-purpose organizations had moved on, either had taken up their own businesses or  transferred to careers they want to explore. Now that we're close to an emergence from the pandemic scenario, this shifting will be accelerated.

Some call it pivot, some redesign, and some heeding that second calling. If you're like me that went from a full-time employee to self-employed, you know that this is not a hobby or just a gig (as some would call it to downplay its serious requirements).

The great redesign or simply reinvention is a response to challenging economic shifts that are happening even before COVID19, the global fuel crisis, and the worldwide inflation. We are beginning to see a generational shift to the concept of work, not as drudgery but as an extension of personal and professional identity and fulfillment, with more individual choice as main driver than the need for status, wealth accumulation, or security.

In tough times, the opposite happens. People are resigning in jobs they previously would hold on tight until the storm calms down and allows them to figure out their long-term goals. Highly individualized lifestyle choices, the ubiquity of technology and infrastructures and enablement created a wider menu of options available right for a global talent are immense. My friend from Nigeria has chosen to call Edmonton home despite the lure of Silicon Valley, and other innovation hubspots in the world. 

Leaping to another career, job, or lifestyle choice is an act of bravery in a world of ambiguity.

​When times are great, or when you feel like you're thriving despite and inspite of circumstances, that is  the perfect time to sit still and figure out your next pivot.