3 Long-Term Trends Leaders Know
…that others DON’T!
If you’re going to be a successful leader in the twenty-first century and beyond, you’ll need to be aware of three long-term trends. Awareness, acceptance and integration of them will be a huge help in avoiding the scary S.O.B. (Stress, Overwhelm and Burnout) we’re working to avoid. Our S.O.B. would prefer to keep you in the dark and would rather you weren’t aware of these trends, like a nasty villain that keeps our hero in the dark.
The truth is, times are changing, they’ve already changed. Careers look different than they did 100 years ago, even 50 or 25 years ago. Professionals change jobs more now than ever in human history. True leaders are aware and study modern trends without fear, but with curiosity and the ability to use their knowledge to create the kind of lives they can be proud of. In the words of Bob Dylan, “you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone. For the times, they are a-changin’.”
Let’s dive into our trends:
There is a need for competent professionals who are willing to take on new challenges, in both the healthcare field and beyond. Competency plus creativity and flexibility will create opportunity and upward mobility.
A modern career is not likely to be 40 years with one company then a happy retirement package. It’s been said again and again – some people make things happen, others let things happen, and some wonder “what happened?” Which one are you? Take control of your career – don’t be passive.
People are living longer than ever, which should be a matter of joy and celebration, but it’s not that simple. With a long life you’ll need to have planned financially to not just live long, but live well, with a high quality of life. But if all you’re doing is waiting for your golden years to “start living the life”, you’re setting yourself up for a huge disappointment. Live now, and plan for later.
Now there is absolutely no doubt that saving & investing money early to fund your retirement accelerates your investment’s growth – hooray for the power of compound interest. But early investments also need to be made to learn skills to be a successful leader. Leadership skills can be utilized in ANY career path, even when you switch companies or job titles. The early investment made in the true nature of leadership is equally as important. Learning the soft skills involved, and mastering the political landscape goes a long way to ensure that you will have a long career and a happy life as you are living it.