Disrupt Yourself Before Someone Else Does

Michelle Gibbings (pictured below) is a change leadership and career expert and founder of Change Meridian. She is also the author of Step Up: How to Build Your Influence at Work and Career Leap: How to Reinvent and Liberate your Career. In this guest post, Gibbings says career change is inevitable, so best start planning for your own inevitability…
As the world of work changes not just the work people do, but how they do it, it’s time to also challenge the idea of career planning as it was once seen. Those entering the workforce today will have 17 different jobs, and five different careers, but such change isn’t limited to new workforce entrants. The workforce of today and tomorrow demands a different type of career planning to stay competitive.
Know what’s valued
Genpact’s 2017 research found that only a quarter of people are concerned about AI’s impact on the workforce right now; rather they are more concerned about what it means for their children or later generations.
However, research from multiple sources has highlighted the impact that AI and robotics will have on the type of jobs available, and the skills required. For example, the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report found that 35 per cent of core skills will change between 2015 and 2020.
This disconnect between what’s happening and the willingness of people to accept and get ready for it, is the classic human behavioural trait of ignoring the change and thinking (or perhaps hoping) it will go away.
The rapid breadth and pace of technological change is creating totally new working environments and opportunities. At the same time, with borderless teams, co-working spaces, and the increasing rise of the gig economy, careers these days are fluid, flexible, organic and adaptive – taking a degree of reinvention at points throughout a person’s career life-cycle.
New rules of work
Gone is the notion of an organisation for life. Gone is the notion of one role type or function for life. Making the new rules of work, work for a person, rather than against them requires deliberate planning and action.
The old career rules were based on a person having a job for life or working in a few organisations and roles throughout their career. This required one role at a time, with relatively fixed hours, and the person was a ‘job taker’ – taking the job on offer, which typically had no defined end date. In this environment, career success was about linear progression.
In contrast, the new career rules see people working across multiple organisations and functional areas through their career life cycle. Taking a portfolio approach, they’ll have side hustles, moonlighting and freelancing arrangements in place, potentially in tandem with other employment which is more project based. The person becomes a ‘job maker – selecting career choices that align to their lifestyle, skills, competencies and ambitions. In this environment, career success is about staying ahead of the curve and being ready for career reinvention and career leaps.
As Salim Ismail, the author of Exponential Organisations, said: “Today, if you’re not disrupting yourself, someone else is; your fate is to be either the disrupter or the disrupted. There is no middle ground.”
While his comments were referencing organisations, the same can be said for a person’s career.
The work each person provides is a service, and a service, just like products on the supermarket shelves, over time can become obsolete and get replaced by something else. Something that’s bigger, better, brighter and more innovative.
Career scenario planning
Just as organisations undertake scenario planning to help them investigate and plan for potential changes and risks, so too should individuals.
For example, PWC outlined four potential future of work scenarios based on the way people and organisations focus on collective or individual needs and gain, and operate in an integrated or fragmented manner.
Using such scenarios or others, individuals should look ahead and examine where their industry and occupation is heading, and how far they need to pivot and adapt, and whether it’s time to leap into a new direction.
Take a portfolio approach
This will often require a shift in how people see the nature of their work.
In the past, the concept of a portfolio career was seen as something that someone does towards the latter half of their career. However, today, it equally applies to people early on or mid-way through their career. In fact, US figures report that more than half millennials have a side hustle.
Having a portfolio career requires people to have a more active, flexible and engaging approach to their career, where they are ready and equipped to embrace change at any moment, and intent on designing and orchestrating their own career life-cycle.
Please login with linkedin to comment
Michelle GibbingsLatest News

REVEALED: All The Finalists For The 2021 Snapchat Young Lions Competition
There's sure to be some tears with the reveal of the Young Lions competition. Even more so if you actually entered.

Congratulations To All Our 30 Under 30 Winners!
There is more talent in this 30 Under 30 winners list than a Manpower strip show at Panthers World Of Entertainment.

Which 50? Has The Datafication Of Advertising Finally Killed Off Adland’s Favourite Slogan?
Undoubtedly one of the most overused slogans in marketing’s and advertising’s history is John Wanamaker’s iconic “half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half”. And it’s a credit to the quip’s longevity that last year the line celebrated a real milestone – its 100th birthday. But […]

Leadership, Humanity, Technology – The Sweet Spot
The SingularityU Australia Executive Program will take place this may, celebrating leadership at the intersection of the values of humanity and the value of technology. The Elon Musks, Apples and Xeros of the world are taking risks for humanity and creating new technologies that streamline and beautify business operations. They simplify life by providing basic […]

OMD Alumnus Launches Specialist Media Agency For The Franchise Sector; TFM Digital
Brisbane media professional and former OMD Australia Account Director Taylor Fielding (pictured) has officially launched TFM Digital. TFM Digital is a specialist media agency based in Newstead which primarily provides media buying services, and strategy development, to businesses chiefly, but not exclusively, within the franchise sector. Prior to the launch of TFM Digital, Fielding spent […]

“Very Creepy”: ABC Forced To Apologise Over Navy Ship Twerking Video
This twerk video has divided the B&T office this morning. By that we mean "hilarious" to "absolutely f@cking hilarious".

Urth Teams Up With Croud To Drive International Growth
The Australian camera accessory brand, Urth, famed for their focus on sustainability, has appointed Croud as their new digital marketing partner, in order to power global and local growth.

VMG Digital And TreSensa Join Forces To Provide Best-Of-Breed Playable Ads
Leading mobile creative technology companies, VMG Digital and TreSensa Technologies, join forces to fuel best-of-breed playable Facebook Ads to help clients drive app installs.

Furphy Celebrates Tellers Of Tall Tales In New ‘Unearthing Unbelievable’ Brand Experience
Eight in ten Aussies (86%)* believe telling a furphy is a unique part of Australian culture, now Furphy is on a mission to celebrate the art of storytelling and uncover the nation’s best furphies.

Know A Standout Marketing Boss? Nominate Them For B&T’s CMO Power List!
B&T's on the hunt for Australia's top marketers! Sure, not as interesting as Australia's top yodellers or log rollers.

Winners! Frocks! Tears! Your Party Pictorial To Last Night’s 30 Under 30!
Judging by the hangovers in the B&T office today you can count yourself damn lucky we even managed this photo thingy.

Publicis Groupe Beats Q1 Expectations, As Aussie Ops Record “Dynamic Organic Growth”
B&T would've added sacre bleu to this Publicis headline, however, we have no idea what it means or how to spell it.

Canva Brings Instagram Scheduling To Canva Pro
Canva owners set to become even more obscenely billionairey after doing latest thing.

Getty Images Announces $US85,000 In Grants For Photojournalists
In this day & age of tech behemoths & media barons, it's nice to see the humble old photojournalist getting a look in.

How To Harness The Skills Of A Gen Y & Z workforce To Future-Proof Your Business
Look, it's top tips to harnessing your Gen Y and Z employees sans any Spanish Inquisition torture techniques.

FutureFeed Appoints Five By Five For Global Launch
Launch marketing specialists Five by Five Global have been appointed by FutureFeed to develop their brand, international certification trademark and go to market strategy. The innovative livestock feed ingredient developed by CSIRO, Meat and Livestock Australian and James Cook University uses a specific genus of seaweed, Asparagopsis, which significantly reduces methane emissions in ruminant livestock. […]

Clems Melbourne Announces 10 New Starters
Excellent hair clearly part of the recruitment process, as Clems Melbourne announces 10 new hirsute starters.

Thursday TV Wrap: Gogglebox Continues Rise While Seven Wins The Night
B&T hosted the 30 Under 30 awards last night AND is bringing you last night's telly numbers. Live the lies here.

SKMG’s Andrew Knowles Snares B&T’s 30 Under 30 For PR
Andrew Knowles, partner and co-founder of the corporate communications consultancy Shoebridge Knowles Media Group (SKMG), has won the PR category in the 2021 B&T 30 Under 30 Awards. Knowles received the award at a ceremony in Sydney last night, claiming victory in a highly competitive field that included leading executives from some of Australia’s biggest […]

WPP AUNZ Launches NextGen Leaders Program
WPP AUNZ says its nextgen leaders program isn't solely open to the company's crawlers and sycophants.

JCDecaux Launches Programmatic Offering & Announces Partnership With Adobe, Building A New Digital And Data Ecosystem
JCDecaux announces Adobe partnership. Which, admittedly, isn't as interesting as, say, a Dannii Minogue partnership.

VGood Launches ‘Undercover Healthy’ Creative Campaign
VGood is a "nut-free, chickpea based range of snacks". Absolutely perfect for boring everyone with your dietary habits.

Nova Boy Turns Up The Feel Good In A New National Marketing Campaign
To its credit, this NOVA pretty press photo totally debunks the "face for radio" adage.

Purpose-led PR And Digital Marketing Agency Compass Studio Wins New Clients B Lab Australia & New Zealand And Verve Super
Boutique PR and digital marketing agency Compass Studio announces a host of new clients this month including B Lab Australia & New Zealand and Verve Super.

LEGOLAND And Vision Australia Team Up For LEGO Braille Bricks
Vision Australia unveils LEGO Braille Bricks. B&T doubts it'll stop you treading on the painful little buggers, however.

The Trade Desk Kicks Off Beta Testing Of Unified ID 2.0 In Australia
For those not in the know, beta testing is a technological term for "we've got no effing idea if this is gonna work".

Einsteinz Communications Marks 20th Anniversary By Joining Global Tech PR Specialist Network, The With Global Alliance
Einsteinz Communications announced today it has joined the Global tech PR agency network, the With Global Alliance.

Yubo Chooses Ogilvy Social.Lab As Their New Agency
For the record, Yubo is a social platform & not to be mistaken with drunk NRL fans more commonly referred to as 'yobbo'.

Setapp Campaign Dives Into Viral Tech Stories
Super Simple Stories answers all the questions you never knew you had about technology innovations

AFL Names Therabody As Its Official Recovery Partner
The AFL is delighted to welcome Therabody as its Official Recovery Partner of the 2021 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. Therabody’s industry-leading devices and research will be integrated into pre-match training and post-match recovery routines to help prevent injuries and help improve overall athletic performance. Therabody will also become the naming partner for the end-of-season AFL […]