Time for a swim! If you are curious as to what the heck this is about, send me a note.
Archives for April 2004
I’m a panelist for Meetings World 2004
I’ve been added as a panelist for the opening general session for Meeting World 2004 one of the world’s premiere meeting industry events — in July in New York City. I’m honored to participate on a panel with the well-known experts Joan Eisenstodt, Laila Rach and one other panelist to be named, focusing on the theme of “Creating meetings in a changing world.”
The session description: “The way meetings are present is a reflection of a society we live in. In this highly facilitated discussion, we’ll explore how shifting demographic, generational, multicultural and gender trends, as well as an aging population, are influencing the needs and wants of meeting attendees.”
I’ve long been a proponent of the view that a world of changing complexity, rapid innovation and change, new business models, and everything else, is leading to an increase in the need for just-in-time-knowledge, just-in-time-training, and just-in-time-strategy application — and that corporate and association meetings and events are a key cornerstone by which organizations can prepare themselves for the future.
Should be a fun, and fascinating panel!
Check out the conference site and learn more. [ details ]
New article – “The commodization of human capital”
In my latest association column, I note that “With the political storm now raging around outsourcing and “off-shoring,” one fact seems to be rather obscured: it is happening because many individuals, and likewise, many professions, have not managed to make a transition from a role that is tactical to one that is strategic” and go on to note that “It’s a perfect storm – one that is resulting in the ongoing commoditization of human capital.” (PDF)
New article – work / life balance issues
Many studies indicate that those who better manage their time, and learn to divorce their personal time from their work time, reduce their stress, improve their health, and end up living a happier and more enriching life. But are we doing that? In this recent article I wrote for a variety of association publications, I suggest that many organizations need to question their corporate culture when it comes to employee “down time.” (PDF)
Offshoring — if anyone was listening….
I find it kind of fascinating that people seem surprised about the offshoring of many jobs to India and elsewhere. Back in 1996 or 1997, I released a list of 10 important trends to watch for — among them, the fact that the location of work would increasingly become irrelevant over time. It’s kind of fascinating to read the list today, considering what is going on out there.
It’s not like the signs of a looming offshoring trend weren’t evident or anything!
Jim Carroll’s 10 Trends to Watch for (from 1997)
- The number of full time jobs will begin to dramatically shrink – yet, we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg in the change of the relationship between employer and employee.
- Companies will hire the best talent they can, regardless of where that person might be. A new form of career competitiveness is emerging, with extreme competition among highly skilled individuals who are beginning to call the shots.
- Lifestyle choice will come to dominate career decisions as employees begin to reject the accepted “norms” of the corporate environment.
- Where people work won’t matter – a trend that has implications for the future of both rural and urban economies.
- The ability to master the skill of “just in time knowledge” will be the key to a successful career. Knowledge is the currency of the 21st century, and as the information age descends upon us, the ability to deal with the era of the information flood will be crucial to survival.
- A generational battle for economic control and survival will soon be upon us, and business competition will increase dramatically, as a new breed of techno-savvy managers are inheriting the corner offices.
- The shape of tomorrow’s company won’t be defined by the walls in its offices – it will be defined by the reach of its computerized knowledge network, and its ability to tap into the skills and capabilities of its workers.
- Business and government will have undergone a dramatic transactional restructuring… as an era takes hold in which all the rules that we have known are being rendered irrelevant by the tools of the information age.
- The era of “wired competition” will play havoc with old-school business strategies, leading to a number of high profile business failures and dramatic new initiatives.
- Opportunity will come to strategic thinkers who embrace the information age. The continued evolution of the wired world will mean that senior management – not technical staff – will be more involved in steering their organizations through an increasingly complicated networked economy.
My plans – and destiny!
In several keynotes last week, I noted how everyone is now faced with a life of constant and regular career change. Today I’m writing an article about why many people need to ensure they make a transition with their job and career from one that is tactical to one that is strategic — in order to survive the current transformation of the global workforce.
Career change today is a reality — in my case, I’m probably on my 4th or 5th career, and likely have a few more to go!
The funny thing: when I spoke to the BBC in London Friday, I noted that in high school, my plan was to become a DJ! I was the station manager for CKWR, our high school radio station. That plan went no where once the idealism of being a teenager was replaced with the reality of university life and a looming career.
At the opening of my talk, I showed a scan from my high school year book of the radio station team. And that’s me — the long haired fellow above!
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