Often attributed to the movie character, Forest Gump the title phrase can be interpreted as an abrupt change in one’s life.
The past few years have brought significant changes to many of us. Illness, job change, moving to a new location, kids out of school and so it goes. Disruption can be intimidating, yet it need not be so.
Life is all about change. We move from infancy to youth, adulthood and so on. In each phase our interests and environment are different. Moreover, we often seek change. The celebration upon one’s 16th birthday and getting a driver’s license. In my case turning 25 when my car insurance cost was lowered.
Society is moving into an era whereby an individual can expand his or her horizon. No longer is a college degree seen as the price of entry. Non graduates now have access to IT positions as well as management and other high paying skills. The focus is moving from having mountains of college debt to having the desire to achieve. Additionally, the Great Resignation movement is taking root too.
So What Happens Now?
In our 2oo9 White Paper, Rapid Response Management: Thriving in the New World Order we coined the term, Velocity of Information which we defined as, “Similar to the economic theory, Velocity of Money, it is the frequency at which information is exchanged.” Who would have dreamed today’s volumes would be so massive. Now we are awash in information and disinformation. Decisions that depend on valid and reliable data are more difficult, not less.
However, life’s disruptive moments can force us to move forward in another direction. The recession in 1974 required that this then young individual to more to Louisiana and enter the oil and gas sector. This was not on my radar at all as late as two months earlier when a recruiter called.
This life changing moment was not based on valid and reliable data as ‘I did not have clue’ what I was getting into. Rather the decision was made with almost no knowledge of the subject. Fifty years later, the rest as they say is history.
When one door closes, another opens.
New Relationships
We have previously discussed the RBC Framework; Relationships, Behaviors, Conditions (aka the situation). This straightforward model was developed in 1993 to study International Negotiations and we have found it convenient for all manner of human interaction assessments.
The military refers to the (true)knowledge of one’s environment as Situational Awareness. In other words if one has a good understanding of what is happening around them, their behaviors should reflect that knowledge. Subsequently, relationships may change including making new one or leaving old ones. In my case, the move to Louisiana and entering a new sector is a good example.
Going Forward
Forest Gump embraced change and excelled at a number of things despite his handicap. Disruption was not a threat but an opportunity. Like Louis Pasteur, one can prepare for change even if the next step is not immediately clear.
Finally, “The economist Joseph Schumpeter was the first to coin the term “creative destruction.” Creative destruction is the destruction of old markets and those active in them through innovation, & inventing of new markets, this can be new technologies, methods, business models, services, or products.” One can argue that the creative destruction cycle time is very short today.
What are you doing to prepare for your next step?
For More Information
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The author’s credentials in this field are available on his LinkedIn page. Moreover, Dr. Shemwell is a coauthor for an in press book (to be released in Spring 2023) titled, “Smart Manufacturing: Integrating Transformational Technologies for Competitiveness and Sustainability.” His focus is on Operational Technologies.
“People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.” (Martin Luther King speech at Cornell College, 1962). For more information on Cross Cultural Engagement, check out our Cross Cultural Serious Game. You can contact this author as well.
For those start-up firms addressing energy (including renewables) challenges, the author is a member of Global Energy Mentors which provide no-cost mentoring services from energy experts. If interested, check it out and give us a shout.
