Why Do We Have To Call It Work?

Since most of us don't like the idea of work, then why don't we call it something else?

Stats and reports keep coming to let us know that most people are 'under this...' or 'over that...' - or not quite ready for anything new when it comes to the 21st Century world of work. I'm a stats junkie so I can't help but read and digest the stuff if only to discount lots of it and move on. Many of the details or concerns raised in various areas are quite valid and deserve a second, third, or continuous deep look followed by introspective actions. 

The world of work is one of those areas.

While examining report details over the last few weeks, a question came to mind and it's sticking around. The question is around this idea of work. The question is:

Why does work cause so many of us so much angst? Could it be that we have our definitions or frame of reference all wrong?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Work is defined as the effort applied to produce a deliverable or to accomplish a task in exchange for services or payment

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The definition seems straight forward and simple enough. As far back as the beginning of time, the idea of work has been embedded in our cultures and lives. We crave the opportunity to do work for something that is important to us or with someone who shares our goals or with a company or organization that values us. For some of us work is simply "all about the benjamins" which is alright I suppose.

Before I ramble on too much, here are some stats that made me ponder the definition of work.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stat #1 - 72% of productive life span is spent working

Stat #2 - 70% of U.S. workers are not fully engaged in their work and are not reaching their full potential

Stat #3 - 71% of U.S. workers spend less than 10 years with their employers

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a problem only if...

Stat #1 is a problem only if we don't want to spend our productive time producing results. If we enjoy what we're doing, we'll look forward to spending a majority of our waking hours performing designated tasks and activities in exchange for services or payment.

Stat #2 is a problem only if we're doing something that we don't like or are with someone that we don't like being with for a majority of our working days. If we enjoy what we're doing, then engagement will be automatic and we will crave growth and development.

Stat #3 is a problem only if we believe that everything should stay the same giving us the opportunity to remain stagnant in our careers and in our lives. If we accept that change is inevitable and important to our progress, then we will embrace it as part of the norm.

Defining how we spend our productive time in disempowering ways limits our desire to engage. The definitions that we use may even make a majority of us regret waking up on Monday mornings! 

We can change that.

A New Definition of Applied Effort

We often become masters at reframing unpleasant situations when it suits us. For example, if children don't want to eat spinach and we know that it's good for them, then we may tell them that it will make them stronger and smarter. Remember Popeye the Sailor Man? He made spinach seem cool. I still eat my fair share.

If we can do that for children, then why can't we do the same for ourselves and reframe the definition of work to suit us? When someone asks you where you "work", why not think - then say?

• I add value as a Management Consultant for ...
• I make a daily contribution in Operations for...
• I deliver outstanding service to my customers and stakeholders in ...

Aren't these the kinds of statements that we put on our resumes or include in our work histories? If so, why don't we use these types of statements every day to help us reframe what we really do with our productive time? 

Perhaps Mondays won't seem so bad if we reframe the definition of work.

We add value. We contribute. We deliver.

I realize that simply changing wording won't completely fix certain complex work situations, but it can definitely produce a shift in attitude and perspective around work. If it helps even a little bit, then isn't it worth the applied effort?

I appreciate you taking the time to read my article. Let me know what you think by commenting, liking, or sharing.

A Good Job Versus A Great Life - Is This A Fair Comparison?

A good job versus a great life is a never-ending discussion. Maybe it's not a fair comparison, but it's important to continue to focus on the way we lead our lives as technology, work,  economics, society, world events, and our own expectations continue to encroach on our well-being. We spend the majority of our productive time working and if we're not creating our version of a great life in the process then what are we doing?

Typical 24-Hour Day for Americans

According to the American Time Use Survey (June 2013), a typical day for a working person consists of 8.45 hours of sleep, 0.76 hours for personal care, 1.24 hours to eat and drink, 7.95 hours to work, 3.26 hours to watch TV, and 1.76 unclassified hours (commuting, random activities, etc).  For a total of: 8.45 + 0.76 + 1.24 + 1 + 7.95 + 3.26 + 1.76 = 23.42 hours. We repeat the pattern for 5 days per week totaling approximately 71% of the calendar week. If we’ve managed our time well during the week, then Saturday and Sunday are our leisure days (29%). Oh wait - we work on weekends too!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Glassdoor's Employment Confidence Survey which focuses heavily on 'employee vacation realities' enlightened us further by focusing on our use of vacation time.  Most of us don't even pause long enough to take the vacation time which our good jobs provide. We often just power through. Even if we do take physical vacation time away from the office, we take our work along with us. Again I say - what are we doing?

• On average, employees took 51% of their eligible time off in the past 12 months
• Of employees who have ever taken vacation/paid time off, three in five (61%) report doing some work while on vacation
• Of employees who took vacation in the past 12 months, one in 10 (11%) report they used vacation/paid time off to interview for another job

Definitions of Good Job and Great Life

Driving to and fro daily is my introspection time. For years I contemplated the dilemma of having a good job versus having a great life. I finally concluded that this is a false comparison and it's up to me to create a great life powered by a great income. If you're comfortable with your arrangement, then proceed business as usual. If not, then redefining what a good job versus a great life means to you may be your next step. My definitions have changed slightly over the years, but the basics remain the same.


--> What is a Good Job?

The baseline of a good job typically includes an effective salary and benefits, company stability, interesting work, advancement potential, friendly co-workers, and solid leadership. No mention of working through weekends and vacation!


--> What is a Great Life?

A definition of a great life is a bit tougher to align, but there are some characteristics that virtually everyone can agree on - good health, perpetual income, happy family, great friends, purposeful actions, freedom, and fun times. Still nothing about working through weekends and vacation!

If one works all the time including weekends and vacation, then there might not be much room for health, family, friends, and fun - unless work is structured so that it includes all of these elements. If you're on a path where there is little overlap between a good job and a great life, then perhaps it's time to reevaluate your trajectory.

I get it - we all need an income to take care of ourselves. Our life phases and circumstances often dictate our choices. However, at each step along the way it's up to us to determine how and whether we create a great life or simply settle for a good one.

To kick life up a level from good to great at work and away from work, here's a hint - change and risk are involved.

Are Women the Real Power Behind Social Media Platforms?

Social media platforms are a tremendous phenomenon that even passionate technocrats like myself didn't envision when I entered the tech arena many years ago (I won't say how many years ago). Before I went into the military or went to college I was absolutely smitten by the possibilities that would some day come from the work that I would perform as an Electrical Engineer.

After graduating I relished in the challenges that came my way and immersed myself in the work of testing the earliest versions of ferro-electric thin-film capacitors and wireless data technologies. Wow! - I'm still amazed. I spent countless hours evaluating system designs, testing product releases, building and selling technology solutions, and creating an ever expanding awareness of the economics of leadership and human capital along the way - always digging deeper to create better, stronger, faster, more efficient systems and solutions for the companies where I worked for and more broadly for humanity in general. I still believe in the whole good of technology and what it does for us.

With all of my passion for technology and the good that it does, I'm deeply bothered by the gender gap and its impact over time - even more so after Oxford's research study. Much research has been done and initiatives have re-started to turn up the volume on this topic. I'm still perplexed about the 'how' and 'why' of the gender gap and of course I continue to examine ways that I can use my talents and capabilities to help close the gap just a little more. The urgency is real!

Social media platforms provide us with ways to connect, interact, and innovate at the speed of light. All one needs is an idea and a computer and the world is literally at your fingertips. Technology, education, and barriers to entry have virtually disappeared and market disruptions are everywhere as a result. The great equalizers - internet and education - are free making it possible for the entire globe to participate in reshaping our world. Yet the economic distance between men and women remains galaxies apart.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are two equalizers in life - the internet and education

John Chambers

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Cisco

World Economic Forum (2014)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Social Media Platforms - Owners versus Users

Mashable's article reviewing the Top 10 Highest Rated Tech CEOs prompted me to think about who "owns" social media platforms versus who "uses" these platforms - and whether there is a way to leverage these platforms to dramatically change gender dynamics. To ask the question a different way - can women leverage time spent on social media platforms to help secure stronger leadership roles in companies or as influencers of policies that will drive the desired changes in leadership? There are may ways to answer this question, but the simplest answer is 'yes'. Alone social media platforms aren't the only answer and it would be silly to think so. There also must be 'push', policies, programs, and participation from the target audience - women - to change the trajectory.

 

Will Social Media Become Girl Territory Soon?

That's the question at the bottom of the infographic. If women use social media platforms to build and launch personal brands, to run their own businesses, and to add massive value beyond shares, likes, and comments - then yes - social media will soon become girl territory. If not, then social media will continue to provide even greater ownership and leadership opportunities for platform founders, leaders, and businesses without maximizing the opportunities at women's fingertips.

Technology's Devastating Impact on Women's Jobs

March 8th, tomorrow, is International Women's Day - a day for celebration of women's accomplishments.  The official UN theme for this year is "Equality for Women is Progress for All".

Before diving into the details about the pending challenges regarding women's jobs, take a look at the International Women's Day Doodle video for this year. Celebrate and acknowledge outstanding women. Ah hem - that would be ALL women.

Technology's Devastating Impact on Women's Jobs

 
Topics like are never pleasant to examine, but looking away from them won't change reality. Awareness is the first step towards change, right? Since the changes and challenges are already in progress, it's time to determine next steps.

As I reviewed the recent Oxford study which concludes that 47 percent of US jobs may become computerized in 10 or 20 years, I wondered about impacted demographics like as gender, age, and race - with a sharp focus on women. A close look at data tracked by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2010 (the same year used in the study) shows how devastating the reality may be for women if a fundamental shift in skills doesn't occur.

According to our estimate, 47 percent of the total US employment is in the high risk category, meaning that associated occupations are potentially automatable some unspecified number of years, perhaps a decade or two.

The Future of Employment: How Susceptible are Jobs to Computerization?

 C. Frey, M. Osborne; Oxford University (September 2013

Why my focus on women in particular? Well - because women's productivity is the backbone of the global workforce - clocking 66% of all working hours on the planet. Simply put women's productivity drives global economies.

Women perform 66 percent of the world’s work, and produce 50 percent of the food, yet earn only 10 percent of the income and own 1 percent of the property. Whether the issue is improving education in the developing world, or fighting global climate change, or addressing nearly any other challenge we face, empowering women is a critical part of the equation.

Former President Bill Clinton 

Clinton Global Initiative (September 2009)

...The challenges to gender equality just got a whole lot more complicated.


Disruptive Technologies Are Disrupting Women's Jobs

Disruptive technologies will impact the most susceptible occupations in services, sales, administration, construction, and transportation. Most of these jobs are currently performed by women.

• Services jobs are being replaced by personal and household robots at a pace of 15% to 20% per year.
• Sales and related administration jobs are rapidly succumbing to automation and software advancements.
• Industrial robots may automate 15% to 25% of tasks associated with jobs in construction, maintenance, and manufacturing by 2025.

And on the story goes...


A straight-across look at the percentages by gender and job category show significant challenges for women who hold a majority of roles in sales, office, and services occupations. As if the flags weren't red enough in general, they are particularly red for women.

 

SALES-OFC - Sales and office occupations

SVCS - Services occupations

MGMT-PROF - Management, Professional, Related occupations

PROD-TX-MAT - Production, Transportation, Material Moving occupations

NR-CONST-MNT - Natural Resources, Construction, and Maintenance occupations

Now what? It's time to retool for the knowledge economy.

The Economics of Intelligence and Creativity

Intelligence and creativity are the new economy - the knowledge economy.  Individuals who are able to adapt quickly and make use of technologies to build new solutions to old problems while helping to shape the future through innovation are the clear winners. The differentiators are 'what we know', 'who we know' AND 'how quickly we can adapt'. The combination of know-how, social media, and technology is lethal for individuals who are stuck in the industrial age.

Intelligence and creativity are driving the new economy at hyper-connected speeds where being average is no longer viable. Everyone has to step up and redefine their own 'How-To' in order to interact with this new world. Knowledge is the key.

Strong knowledge economies contain:

• Appropriate economic incentives and institutional regimes
• Skilled, flexible, and creative people
• Dynamic information structure
• Efficient innovation systems

Some tasks for knowledge workers include:

• Information gathering and data mining
• Data analysis and trend identification
• Understanding cause and effect
• Brainstorming or modifying strategies

Reinforcing the knowledge economy requires schools that are able to respond - and many traditional institutions are not even close.

...as Peter Drucker and others have demonstrated forcefully, workers at all levels in the 21st century economy will need to be lifelong learners, adapting continuously to changed opportunities, work practices, business models, and forms of economic and social organization. Education systems will have to adapt accordingly...

Building Knowledge Economies

Final Report of the Knowledge Economy Forum

World Bank and OECD 

Do schools kill creativity? Take a few minutes to listen to Sir Ken Robinson's humorous examination of this very serious topic.




If schools kill creativity, then Destination Imagination (DI) is the type of organization that brings it back to life. DI nurtures teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving which are essential ingredients in the knowledge economy.

Destination Imagination encourages teams of learners to have fun, take risks, focus, and frame challenges while incorporating STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), the arts, and service learning. Our participants learn patience, flexibility, persistence, ethics, respect for others and their ideas, and the collaborative problem solving process. Teams may showcase their solutions at a tournament.

My daughter is in her second year with DI thanks to a tremendous and tireless Team Manager. After watching her team work through various scenarios and serving as a tournament appraiser this year, I'm inspired to ask the question - 'should DI challenge elements be used to help screen job candidates?'

5 Ways To Increase Your InterNET Worth

Intellectual capital and intellectual property are compelling to think about, right?  We typically go about our lives educating ourselves, working hard, building families, and making a difference in the world without generally considering how much we’re truly worth.  Is this OK?  Sure it is - if we’re not interested in maximizing ourselves or our contributions. I challenge myself to ask better questions and to find different answers other than “that’s just the way it is” or “everyone needs to pay the bills”. Is that really just the way it is? There is overwhelming evidence to the contrary. We really can choose our destiny. Take a closer look.

In his essay titled The Nature of the Firm (Coase, R. H., 1937), Nobel prize-winning economist R. H. Coase (1910 – 2013) defined the legal concept of employee and employer as closely related to  the “master and servant” relationship.  He explored “...why a firm emerges at all in a specialized exchange economy.”  In this context the term firm refers to corporation or organized structure that controls and manages production of goods and services.

This is a complex subject made simpler by Coase’s flashes of insight about an individual’s desire to “...accept less in order work under someone instead of dealing with the stress normally laid on the advantage of “being one's own master.”  I suspect that this is the trap that many of us have fallen into and it can be difficult to get out - but hundreds of millions have taken the step.

According to an article by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM, 2012), the number of entrepreneurs in the world approached 400 million across 54 countries in 2011!  That’s right 400 million—or 5.7% of the world’s population!  Keep in mind that these figures are from 3 years ago.  Let’s break it down further.  Of the millions of entrepreneurs, 39% are Women Entrepreneurs, 40% are Young Entrepreneurs (18—25), and 17% are Innovators, and 4% are Global Entrepreneurs.  Undoubtedly these individuals are dealing with the stress of “being their own master” in order to maximize their contributions and their worth in the world.

Not clear yet what this all means?  Take a look at this INFOGRAPHIC.  What can you do to increase your InterNet worth?  Here are 5 steps that you can take.

STEP 1 - Know Your Industry: Is the industry that you’re currently in growing or dying?  When will major shifts occur?  Who is the competition?  Where are they located?  What do you read to stay on top of it?  Who do you know that can help you stay smart?  If you think these types of questions are just for the “bosses” or strategists, you’re wrong!  These are the types of questions that every person should be asking themselves in order to create winning personal outcomes.

Step 2 - Know Your Numbers: How many people are there in your industry?  Where are the majority of workers located?  Has there been a shift in the number of workers in a particular location?  Is there a clear migration pattern emerging?  What is the market rate for your current position?  What is the top role in your industry?  What is the market rate for that industry top spot?  Is that role in the private sector or public sector - could be either?  Explore it!

Step 3 - Know Your Outcomes: Are you where you want to be in your career?  If not, why not?  Are you in the right industry?  What is your ultimate objective - to make a difference, to make more money, to solve a social problem, to support your family?  What alternative paths have you considered?  How much time do you intend to spend where you are before making a shift?  Have you explored higher education as an option?

NOTE: Higher education is a must-have just to remain status quo.  Don’t believe me?  Check out the competition!

Step 4 - Know Your Support System: Who do you have in your corner that can help you get to where you want to go?  Expand your networks and circles of influence. Do you have mentors or coaches?  Are you on your own?  No one gets to where they want to go on their own. Build a substantial and influential support team.  Don’t wait until the last minute to ask someone to “be your mentor”. Actively seek out individuals who have what you need and borrow with pride. This is called modeling and it’s not a crime. It’s what human beings do.  We model others to learn.

Step 5 – Know Your InterNET Worth: Social media profiles are a great way to let everyone know who you are and what you stand for. Watch your traffic! One of the first things potential employers, business partners, or curious bystanders do is to “google” you to see who you are. Are you leaving a data footprint that you’re proud of?  If not, change course and mind your data!  Clean up what you don’t want to be seen and be proud to tell the world who you really are.  My social media preferences are Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn along with my blog and my website.  Social media profiles are the new “business card” and I’m leveraging the advantages offered to increase my InterNET worth.

Do you know your worth - InterNET or otherwise. If not, find out. You're WORTH it!

Social Media Is Not Just "Social", It's Big Business

Social Media is not just "social", it's business - BIG business!  Unless you've been sleeping for the last five years you already know this. The number of technologies, apps, and platforms supporting the engagement, measurement, nurturing, and conversion of contacts into employees, customers, partners, clients, acquaintances, and friends continue to explode. Women and men alike devour content as fast as it gets generated and still want more. The 'free line' has moved. The free line is the boundary between the amount of content products, or services that are given for free versus what customers will pay for. Companies scream louder and louder to get the attention of potential customers - and we've gone deaf. Or have we?


Social Media Intelligence Reports Crazy Growth

RPV (revenue-per-visit) continues to shatter previous records. Whether you're on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, LinkedIn or any other social media platform, you undoubtedly see an increase in the unique types of ad traffic that's designed to get your attention. Reviews of CTR (click-through-rate) or CPC (cost-per-click) provide insight into whether a shift in strategy is warranted. Goldman Sachs recently increased its valuation of Facebook ads due to higher confidence in Facebook's ad ROI (return-on-investment) and mobile strategy.

Social media channels are picking up steam and have their eyes on capturing a greater portion of search dollars. The real race will not be between social media channels, but between marketer's allocation of dollars across search, display, and social.

Social Intelligence Report

Adobe Digital Index Q4 2013 

Internet Ad Revenue Tops $20B at HY 2013

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report on internet ad revenue generated from more than 600 leading media and technology companies that are responsible for selling 86% of online ads in the US and is considered to be the most accurate measurement of revenue in this space. According to the IAB press release, internet ad revenues topped $10.7B USD in Q3 2013, a 15% increase over Q3 2012. Growth into 2014 and beyond is expected to accelerate.

Digital has steadily increased its ability to captivate consumers and then capture the marketing dollars that follow. Mobile advertising's breakneck growth is evidence that marketers are recognizing the tremendous power of smaller screens.

IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report

2013 First Six Months Results October 2013

Battle of the Sexes in Social Media

So what do we do with all of these social media outlets? You might imagine that women and men use them differently and you'd be right. Take a look at how the battle of the sexes plays out on social media platforms.  If you're planning on using the platforms for business or for pleasure, it's helpful to know who is listening.

Your Intellectual Capital Exchange Rate

OK - I'm about to sound like a professor to set the stage for this post. Here we go...

Intellect is of or related to abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning, problem solving, and the application of best practices.  That’s how I’ve defined it as part of I-Core Principles.  I’ve often wondered about the tangible value of intellect so I decided to investigate.  The categories that came to mind immediately were intellectual capital and intellectual property.


Our intellect is inherent currency that we develop through years of education, experience, exploration.  It is a way of converting what we know and can do into hard cash or market value through day-to-day transactions (ex. employee) or by unlimited multipliers (ex. entrepreneur). 

Question - what is your intellectual capital exchange rate?  Are you trading up or down?


Definitions of Intellectual Capital

• The amount by which the market value of a firm exceeds its tangible (physical and financial) assets less liabilities which consists of consists of human capital, structural capital, and relational capital (Stewart, T., 1998).
• Knowledge that can be exploited for some money-making or other useful purpose (WhatIs.com, 2007)
• Collective knowledge (whether or not documented) of the individuals in an organization or society (Business Dictionary, 2013)

Definitions of Intellectual Property

• A legal concept which refers to creations of the mind such as musical, literary, or artistic works, discoveries or inventions, words, phrases, symbols, or designs for which exclusive rights are recognized (Wikipedia, 2013)
• Property (as an idea, invention, or process) that derives from the work of the mind or intellect (Merriam-Webster, 2013)
• A work or invention that is the result of creativity, such as a manuscript or a design, to which one has rights and for which one may apply for a patent, copyright, trademark, etc. (Google, 2013)

Now that definitions have been level set, the next questions that came to mind are:

• Who benefits most from your intellectual output?
• How can you capture more of the capital from your intellectual pursuits?

Converting intellect to tangible capital in dollars and cents can be tricky.  However, consider this—you’re being paid a wage (hopefully a fair wage) based on the market value of your intellect in the position that you hold.  Is that all that your intellect is worth?  Of course not!
You are also bound by non-disclosure agreements and other legal constraints which make it necessary for you to leave behind any intellectual capital or intellectual property that you develop while employed.  This means that if you have an "Apple" or "Facebook" of an idea which gets adopted while you’re employed, it’s not really yours unless you play your cards right.


There's an ROI (return on investment) that the company will reap as a result of your intellectual contributions.  It’s up to you to know what that multiplier is and to make sure that you’re getting what you believe to be your fair share based on your intellectual contributions.


I'll continue to explore these concepts and actions that you need to take in a future post.

Now back to my regular 'voice' ;-)

Humans and Technologies Collide When It Comes to Jobs

 

For years I searched for details that would show the rate of change between technology innovations and the rate of decline or shift in the number of jobs. I had seen information or predictions circulating about IT jobs, but what I was looking for was an in-depth scientific study that would reveal substantive results across industries. At the time I wasn't in a position to do the research myself. Well - I should be careful of what I ask for.

A recent study by Carl Frey and Michael Osborne (September 2013) examined interactions between 702 job types as defined in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2010 data set, Machine Learning (ML), and Mobile Robotics (MR). Their results are shocking, but realistic.

According to our estimates, about 47 percent of total US employment is at risk.  We further provide evidence that wages and educational attainment exhibit a strong negative relationship with an occupation's probability of computerization. 

The Future of Employment: How Susceptible are Jobs to Computerization?

 C. Frey, M. Osborne; Oxford University (September 2013)

Probability of Computerization

Technology innovations such as industrial robots, friendly robots, data analytics, low cost sensors, vehicle automation, and prefabrication will continue to impact jobs in transportation, manufacturing, farming, construction, administration, sales, and services in the near term.  These are the areas of greatest concern - the 47%. One has to simply catch snips from daily news feeds to confirm the facts. The study cites a plethora of examples showing that the world as we know it has already changed - past tense.

How do we navigate this type of significant shift? By rapidly defining and gaining new skills - skills that aren't in the cross-hairs of ML or MR. The 10,000-Hour Rule (Gladwell, M. (2008); Outliers pp. 35-68) is a challenge but we have time if we start now - right now - to figure out what new skills are required to maintain a sufficient standard of living as the world continues its transformation. Areas requiring a high degree of social and creative intelligence have yet to be conquered by technology. However, it may simply be a matter of time - and human ingenuity - before jobs in these areas also become computerized.

There's a bit of humor in the infographic below, but consider it well. The world has changed.

Everyone Will Become an Entrepreneur [INFOGRAPHIC]

A. Vital, A. Unak; Funders and Founders (September 2013)

Women in Leadership - Call to Action

Gender equality and pay equity are front and center as human rights issues (as well they
should be!) thanks to The Clintons and many other powerful voices like Bill and Melinda Gates.  In recent weeks, prominent global leaders and concerned citizens all around the world have spoken out about the inequalities that plague women after centuries of challenges.  As a woman in technology, woman in leadership, woman veteran, woman of color, and any other type of "woman" label that can be attached to me, I'm greatly concerned. 

I'm concerned for my daughter.  The outlook for her reaching the top leadership ranks in traditional work settings is grim though not impossible.  My daughter has tremendous advantages that many others don't (for one she has me).  However, one or two or 50 making it thru the "eye of the corporate needle" on any level is just not good enough.  I've learned over my lifetime that challenges for others who are like me equal challenges for me.  With that in mind I've recently re-awakened to add my time, my talents, and my treasures to the cause.  The bottom line is that we have families to raise - and a world to run.  The question now is "what's our next move?"

Women perform 66 percent of the world’s work, and produce 50 percent of the food, yet earn only 10 percent of the income and own 1 percent of the property. Whether the issue is improving education in the developing world, or fighting global climate change, or addressing nearly any other challenge we face, empowering women is a critical part of the equation.

Former President Bill Clinton addressing the annual meeting of the Clinton

Global Initiative (September 2009)

Of course there's something seriously wrong with this picture.  I pray that the data was and is wrong.  Not much has changed in the areas cited since 2009 - in very small part because of the global economic crisis.  If the data is right, then we're way beyond simple questions and answers.  The United Nations Millennium Development Goals provide concrete steps for navigating our way out of the craze.  I'm looking forward to a new data set from The Clinton's New Women's Global Initiative in partnership with Google and the World Bank.

In the meantime my focus is on Big Data, the integration of technology and humanity, and people at work.  Big Data is getting bigger - leading to deeper insights and faster decision-making, technology innovations are speeding up - converting expensive challenges into cheaper-better-more accessible solutions, and the world of work may become computerized at alarming rates.  Why is this a concern for women?  Because many of the roles that are currently performed by women are in the crosshairs for computerization.

For those of us who have our heads down taking care of our families, there is a "work" tsunami approaching that may knock us off balance, leaving us wondering what our next move should be.  The alarms are sounding so please pause to hear the follow-up announcement and then decide if it's OK to keep doing what you're doing - or if it's worth your time to acquire additional strategic skills to help you get ahead in the new economy.