Is Your Job in Jeopardy?

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I’ve been doing a lot of traveling recently (here’s the map) and it’s given me the opportunity to think about economics and globalization.

It’s also given me cause for concern because I genuinely believe and fear that most of America has no real idea of the dramatic changes that are coming as a result of technology and networks.

We’ve had it so good for so long that, even some hiccups, bumps, and bruises may not dissuade us from the sense that we are entitled to a certain lifestyle (see yesterday’s post re: Michael Moore’s movie, Capitalism: A Love Story for more on that.)

My friend, Dave Sobel, was kind enough to send me a copy of Tom Peters’ book Re-Imagine!: Business Excellence in a Disruptive Age.

It’s one of those books where I started reading it and said, “Idiot! Why didn’t I read this 7 years ago when it was published?!”

What Peters passionately argues and what I’ve been thinking/saying/writing for the past few years is just HOW BIG the impact of all of these events are on every single nook and cranny of the economy.

He’s arguing for a sense of urgency and a recognition that now, each of us, is more responsible than ever for innovation and entrepreneurship around our own careers.

In synagogue the other day, I overheard a conversation between 3 people (none of whom I knew).

One said to the other: “well, they are renegotiating our contract now.”

The other: “So, is your job in jeopardy?”

The first: “Well, of course, I guess it could be.”

“It could be?”

I’m of the mindset that your job, my job, EVERYONE’S job is in jeopardy…every single day.

At a national level, America’s job, as it were, is in jeopardy every single day.

So, if you don’t get up and get started with that mentality, eventually that’s exactly what is going to happen.