My book The Gig Mindset Advantage was published in 2021. It was ahead of its time. The subtitle was Why a Bold New Breed of Employee Is Your Organization’s Secret Weapon in Volatile Times.
What follows is an extract from the conclusion “Living the Gig Mindset”. It includes the Gig Mindset Manifesto which is even more meaningful today than back in 2020 when I wrote it.
Today work cultures are primarily based on the traditional mindset, with small doses of the gig mindset.
Tomorrow we will see workplaces that primarily reflect the gig-mindset way of working, with doses of the traditional mindset, but only where it brings value.
Organizations that live the gig mindset advantage will be more relevant and resilient.
Uncertainty is the way of life. We will not move back to an age of stability and certainty in our work lives.
The reality is that our organizations have long been unstable; we just did not see it.
Confusion, sometimes chaos, resulted from repeated efforts to restructure the company, re-engineer work practices and implement change programs, most of which did not work.
The stakes are higher now as we are forced to create new working conditions in response to a host of global factors.
This volatility has been hard, but the good side is that it has both forced and stimulated people to discover new ways of working, of which the gig mindset is one.
From the individual vs. the group to a mutually beneficial balance with a new focus on we rather than me.
From leaders vs. followers to an understanding that leadership is an outcome, not a position. Top-down and bottom-up are phrases we will no longer hear.
From the inside vs. the outside to a new type of operational structure where inside and outside are no longer important distinctions. People are identified by their skills and expertise rather than by their company affiliation.
When organizations become more gig-mindset oriented in the work culture, they will be more relevant and resilient.
What do I say when people ask me what to do?
My book offers a 10-point manifesto, to be personalized as appropriate by each person. The 10th point is the most important....
1. Work openly, sharing and seeking feedback.
2. Seek discussion, not consensus.
3. Accept uncertainty, build on it to create greater resilience.
4. Dare to challenge the status quo and to propose alternative approaches.
5. Take initiatives and involve others.
6. Trust and listen to the people on the edges, far from headquarters.
7. Ignore title and positions; focus instead on skills and knowledge.
8. Follow what’s happening in the external world, even in areas that are apparently unrelated to your work today.
9. Make time for learning and for sharing what you learn.
10. Trust yourself, and believe in your capabilities.
Read more: https://netjmc.com/the-gig-mindset-advantage-home/
I still have a few hardback copies of the book and would be happy to send you one. Drop me an email or message with your full name, postal address, and tell me why you would like a copy – I’m interested in knowing what triggered your request.
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