The Future of Work

We live in uncertain times with facts, figures, rumors, and research all coming at us at a speed that belies our ability to take it in.

AI taking over jobs, massive layoffs in well-established businesses, and the failure of traditional businesses. Kodak, a DOW anchor for almost 75 years and was the fifth most valuable brand in the world in 1996. In 1975 Kodak invented digital imagery. In 2011, Kodak filed for bankruptcy. Traditional business models are vulnerable. What is the answer?

The answer is, really, quite simple. Anything that can be turned into an algorithm will be automated. If that sounds scary, that’s because it is. The World Economic Forum estimates 900,000,000 jobs gone over the next ten years.

It doesn’t need to be scary. There will be more work than ever before. However, there won’t be work for those who do jobs that can be automated. Automation is to inexpensive. The initial outlay is big, but after that, no sick leave, no night times, no weekends, no holidays – just 24/7 peak efficiency.

How can you hope to compete? Simple. Look at what you are doing and begin to plan for automation. If the core of what you do can be automated, it will be automated. How do you get in front of the curve? Figure out what is going to be automated and what will be leftover as the drivers of that automation. There will always be things to do that can’t be automated. There will be massive amounts of money to be made doing what automation can’t.

If you want to be at the forefront of success in the coming cyber-assisted world we are entering, prepare now. The primary skill that will be needed for whatever comes your way will be the ability to think.

Brilliance isn’t born, it is learned. Using the principles underlying The Science of Learning I can help you and your key people figure out what you are lacking and help you prepare yourselves with the most powerful tool on the planet – the potential that lies within your thinking.

I know that most of you know that you can already think. Welcome to the Kodak world. Do you really believe that there weren’t people at Kodak who were brilliant? There were, but there was no strategy to expand and empower that core of people to watch for trends and then position the company to strategically catch the new wind direction to sail out in front of the pack.

Can you afford to not meet with me to see where you stand as far as your abilities as a leader and the abilities of your key people? In addition to expanding the abilities of your key people, we can sit down together and embrace a management structure that will empower those around without threatening your position as the captain of your ship.

I know because I have done it. Taking a struggling academic department slated for closure and building into the 39th most prestigious and influential department in the world (only 15,000 others to compete with) in ten is a herculean task. Unfortunately, I became so involved in making it work and got carried away by what we built that I missed the chance to take the lead. I worked for the common good and was sidelined by a group who wanted control. They imposed a traditional structure and are plummeting through the rankings (180th last I looked) since I left.

Can you afford not to have a talk with me? As one of my colleagues once wrote of me:

Oh My Captain, My Captain

I always wanted to say that about someone.

I came here to make a difference to you and your firm. Request an advisor meeting with me here and let’s begin.

Jesse