Continuous Reinvention = Success

Artificial Intelligence is at the forefront of business conversations, driving growth, optimization, and future-proofing strategies for companies. It is also a hot topic in the global financial markets, with companies like Apple and Microsoft reaching all-time high market caps. In career conversations, keeping up with AI is essential for employees to remain relevant, influential, and impactful. The key to survival in the rapidly changing landscape of AI is reinvention. Stay ahead of the curve by adapting and embracing innovative technologies.?

?

The ability to adapt and reinvent oneself in the face of changing circumstances is not always easy. Masters in their craft recognize that a key to survival and continued success is the ability to evolve, to learn from past experiences, and to be open to innovative ideas and approaches. And it’s those who can reinvent themselves and their approach to leadership is one who can inspire and lead their team towards success, even in the most challenging of times. In an interview with Lloyd Shefsky about Invent, Reinvent, Thrive, Mr. Shefsky refers to one of the most well-known CEOs of the modern business era – Howard Schultz of 星巴克 . “Howard Schultz never ran a restaurant, never made coffee for a living. He had lived in Europe and understood what coffee houses in Europe were about. But he had a lot of trouble explaining it. Now, he’s a great salesman, but he could not sell people on investing in Starbucks. He was, as he jokes, “trying to convince the American public—who were used to bad coffee—that they should pay a fortune to get some kind of different coffee that they’d never tasted in a paper cup and be happy.” To create sustainable success, Schultz not only focused on reinventing the coffee experience in America, but he also reinvented the way he focused on bringing a product to market himself as a seller. He didn’t rest on his laurels and fixate on how well he had done as a businessperson before; he looked forward and developed himself (and his company) into what it needed to be to win in the future.?

?

So back to AI. When I speak with heads of talent, or employees within LinkedIn, I hear this sentiment come through more often than ever “AI may take our jobs” or “AI is going to take over those jobs.” These are early signals of the fear of becoming obsolete and great prompts for us to invest in reinvention of what we bring to the table in our careers and companies. These are not new concerns by any stretch. Just as with every technological advancement throughout human history, our ability to adapt, evolve, and embrace the shift is essential to the way we grow with technology, not against it. In a Harvard Business Review called Face Your Fear of Becoming Obsolete, the author breaks down the ways each of us as professionals can replace this fear with action. In summary, it boils down to knowing what skills and talents we already have, focusing on the abilities we hold or can develop that are not able to be replaced by technology, appreciating but moving past our past accomplishments, and taking on the stretch opportunities that help us grow into what we’ll need to become to thrive in the future.?

?

Here is how I am trying to apply these concepts myself and lead those around me to accelerating into the future of career success:?

Take stock of assets and gaps today – Each of us has a menu of assets, abilities, and skills. These come in many different forms and labels, but we are all uniquely skilled and capable as professionals. But who is better suited than our own selves to take stock of those and find, label, and market those attributes? The same goes for our gaps, areas of opportunity, and desired skills we wish to deepen or develop. Working with trusted partners is a fantastic way to do this, along with many other options. Read more in this edition of Get Hired on LinkedIn for more ways to conduct this step.?

?

Decide the impacts we aim to accomplish in the future – We all have dreams. Personal dreams about the life we aim to create and lead and/or professional dreams about what we aim to carry out. Within those dreams lies “the why” the reason we are oh so hungry to accomplish that vision we have in our minds and hearts. Quite often, “the why” is rooted in an impact we aim to make and feel. The change in our lives we yearn for by creating the personal dream we hold so dear. The professional impacts we believe will catapult us to a new level and future potential. A leader once shared with me, “I chase the impacts I aim to create, not the titles or recognition. The beauty of this is that I am much more fulfilled when I see those impacts being created. Recognition, titles, and promotions also tend to follow.” This has changed a lot for me personally and is squarely in the middle of this process of reinventing for the future.?

?

Map out the opportunities that exist or need to be created to help us grow into what’s required to create those impacts – Taking the above 2 concepts and mapping them to action is critical if we’re going to evolve and reinvent ourselves for the future. And what better way to do that than as a part of the work we’re already engaged in? Each of us is served dozens of opportunities every day to evolve and grow, and they rarely come with a blinking red light that names them as such. This is why we must look out into the future and find them (either in specific terms or in categories), so we can see them when they arrive and act accordingly. When combined with the awareness and support of our trusted partners, leaders, and family, we can further develop the skills and abilities needed to future proof ourselves and survive the ever-evolving technology shifts that transform our personal and professional lives.?

?

Share in the comments ways you are continuously working to evolve and reinvent yourself!?