Back in the 1990’s, Peter Senge, author of The Fifth Discipline, explained that “only by changing how we think can we change deeply embedded policies and practices” and “radical change in how work is done inevitably leads to the definition of new jobs with new skills requirements”.  Fast forward to 2021, and these words still have meaning.

During the 2020 pandemic, many businesses were trying to function under existing policies and practices which no longer served their employees or their customers. Rather than creating a strategy to deal with the changes brought on by the pandemic, many businesses found themselves reacting to the change based on those existing policies and practices – and we know how well that works!

Over the years, we have seen the need for new jobs and new skill requirements. Moving from highly industrialized process-driven work to more technology-based critical thinking work created the need for the up-skilling or retraining of workers. Along with these ongoing changes, colleges and universities find themselves struggling to prepare their students for careers that continue to evolve – or perhaps have not even been envisioned yet. 

In my father’s generation, workers often stayed with the same company until they retired; in my generation the calculation was that we would change careers at least three to five  times. As we move forward, the current and future generations are going to experience far more change in the workplace as businesses adapt to changes in technology, organizational structure, environmental concerns, and  changes yet to be identified.

Change can be challenging, but it also offers new opportunities, so how can we prepare ourselves for the future? In my experience, I find that when people are doing what they love to do, are interested in learning , and are thinking about things that interest them, they will be productive regardless of what is changing around them. Working in what is called a “Zone of Genius” means that you have an innate talent that is focused on your passion, and at the end of the day you feel energized rather than depleted.

We need to decide if we are going to react to change and add skills as we have to, or be proactive and consistently learn new skills that can be used in a variety of industry sectors. For example, understanding and building your emotional intelligence can be used no matter where your work takes you, as well as good communication and problem-solving skills.

Are you stuck in your career? Do you need help in developing a strategy to help you change or grow? Contact me and let’s talk about how I can help you to refocus your energy and find work that you love!

Like many small business owners, I am not working with just one business or one client each day/week. I have to manage where my energy is used to generate the best outcome. Some weeks external factors create stress, and if not managed correctly stress can be the underlying cause to many negative impacts on our lives.

Stress is a feeling people have when they’re overloaded and struggling to cope with demands on work, relationships, finances, or other situations that pose real or perceived challenges or threats to a person’s wellbeing. Stress can be a motivator and it can be essential to survival. However, too much stress can decrease immune activity, slow down digestion, and prevent sleep.

Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances. Stress is the body’s reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. According to the Cleveland Clinic, stress is a normal part of life that people experience – stress from the body, stress from thoughts, or stress from the environment.

Being aware of how you react to stressors can help reduce negative impacts and manage more effective strategies to cope with stress. As leaders, it is important to develop effective stress reducing strategies. Some strategies that help reduce or manage the impact of stress include: exercise, balanced nutrition, time for relaxation, breathing practices, mediation, and prioritizing what is important.