Fresh and New

Each day we are reminded of old problems, those pesky challenges still begging for attention and a solution. Some days we are greeted with new challenges to manage. But if you look for them, fresh ideas are readily available. New ones begging for a chance to bloom into raging successes.

Sitting at home I rarely see the new ideas. But engaging with projects outside the home delivers ample opportunities to encounter brave new ideas.

In my case, new SCORE clients continually present their new business ideas. These are more than heady brainstorms; rather, they are often brilliant, far-reaching and quite unique. Solutions to national problems are offered. Stunning products and services are presented. Fresh thinking on old problems yielding opportunities to both make money and retire old challenges.

Pitch contests, too, need judging. I’ve done a few of them. They always remind me of the fertile minds among us. Brave new proposals for businesses begging for capital. Products and services which promise even more opportunities for our society to excel. Excel and revolutionize again and again tired old industries, old business models in need of replacement, and certainly entirely new horizons.

The new businesses challenge existing business. The old ones will refresh, reinvent or die. New jobs will be created. Careers will change again and again. Workers will be challenged to rethink their futures again and again, on a time schedule whirling forward faster and faster. Scary business, those thoughts! But necessary if we are to progress into the future and beyond.

Reinventing business requires reinventing employees, too. They are the masters of their new destinies if they are alert to changes. If not, they will be collateral damage progress makes. Over and over again we face these challenges. How will they learn? How will I learn what is needed of me? Back to school? Back to dreaming and inventing my purpose? In the past that work was fun and exciting! Today the challenge is more daunting. But I know more today than I did yesterday. How can this ingredient of experience help find the new career?

If career evolution is not practiced by the employee, the employer will have some trouble finding new employees to handle the new work. Will they train and educate their staff to move into the new career models? Or will they hope that public institutions will jump to that task? How quickly will they take to this new need?

Just yesterday I was exposed to a refreshing approach to adult education at college level and beyond. Startling new idea that seems capable of success. If it is adopted it will be a boon to institutions and students; and workers as well. Employers will reap the advantage in time. perhaps they can speed it up by supporting adoption of the new educational tools and roles?

Maybe. Maybe not. If not, then the employee will need to take charge of his/her own development and future. It is theirs, after all. Best they take on the challenge. The next time will be easier. Surely, a dynamic economy and society will produce many ‘next times’?

April 20, 2018