The Future of Work Is Change
The dominant question on the minds of many today is, “What does The Future of Work look like?” I think the answer can be found in the History of Work.
The one thing that you see throughout history in business and life is change. Everything changes, and thank goodness for that. Without change, there would be no problems to solve, no heroes needed, no breakthroughs to make.
We need change.
The Future of Work belongs to leaders and organizations that are resilient, compassionate, pliable, and agile. I hear many leaders referring to this “season” in our lifetime as the new normal. It is not a new normal. It is a season. Seasons come, and seasons go; and with any season, there comes the opportunity for growth and transformation–to plant and harvest. To nurture an environment rich with innovation, creativity, and optimism.
During the pandemic, massive change was thrust upon all of us. While our goals didn’t change, the path most certainly did. And with all that change, there was an incredible force unleashed…the human spirit.
People from all walks of life in roles from the front lines to the C-suite began showing up in heroic ways to serve their customers, colleagues, and communities-- inventing, solving, striving, and shifting their minds into overdrive to get things done. They proved there is always another level, always another gear that allows us to expand our capacity and reach higher.
There is more inside of you than you can even begin to understand, and in a crisis, when the winds of change are billowing at hurricane force, we find out how strong we really are.
To understand The Future of Work, we can point to the past and see how we have been and always will be in a state of change. Some things will change for the good, some for the bad. But mostly good.
Trends, technology, terminology, dress codes, systems, schedules, benefits, nomenclature, competition, economy, inventions...the list goes on. We do business differently now than we did five years ago. I believe each generation brings a new vision for getting things done and making life better.
Great organizations, in my opinion, have fostered a culture of change warriors. They understand that heroes and champions eat change for breakfast. They thrive on it because they know change means more opportunities to create, invent, solve and stand out in a sea of sameness.
To create separation in the market, you have to see change through the lens of optimism. You must see what’s happening but process it differently and look for the opportunity hiding in the storm.
There are three things that I think are critical for leaders and achievers to embrace going forward as it relates to change:
1. Look for and leverage change daily.
Make it a discipline to look for changes that you can leverage for growth internally and externally.
Ask the questions:
“What’s not happening that needs to happen?”
“What can we do right now to improve and create a better experience for the people we serve and serve with?”
2. Listen to what others are saying.
Leaders who have all the answers don’t. The smartest person in the room is the one who is asking questions and listening to those who have the answers. Your team knows what needs to be done.
If you truly want to leverage change, listen to the people who are actually doing the work.
3. Discard preconceived notions of what right looks like.
Work won’t look the same in the future. That’s a good thing. Be open to what is possible and focus on the outcomes you desire instead of a system that may be outdated.
A business is a living, breathing organism. Let it grow, evolve and blossom. You may be surprised at what it can become when you allow it to mature beyond your own vision.
In business and in life, we reproduce what we are. We teach those around us our operating system, our values, and what’s important. Modeling is the most powerful of all teachers.
If we want the workplace to be vibrant and full of wonder and possibility, we must lead that charge.
That’s the through-line of life. The ebb and flow, the need to shift, adapt, stretch, and persevere instead of outsourcing outcomes to the obstacles we face.
The Future of Work is change, and that makes it exciting, uncertain, and wonderful. We have the brush in hand and a canvas to create the masterpiece that will become the mark you leave on it.
This article is part of a NEW series called The Hero Effect® At Work: A monthly newsletter to guide organizations in creating a culture of heroes at every level in their workplace.
Unleashing Your Hero
My new book, Unleashing Your Hero (HarperCollins Leadership, October 2021), offers a guide to this future, inspired by The Hero Effect® to help readers find their gifts and superpowers and encourage them to rise above any challenge, expand their impact, and become the Hero the world needs.
Copyright © 2021 Kevin Brown. All rights reserved.