Categories
Multipotentialites

The Multi-Talented are the Future of Work

From reading articles about the future of work, it is becoming increasingly clear that multi-talented, multi-passionate people (multipotentialites) will be the workers of the future. Most recently, I listened to a radio programme with business & workplace author and futurist Alexandra Levit about the future of work. From a multipotentialite perspective, the points that stood out were

  • Workers will have to be more flexible in terms of how and where they are working: part-time, freelance, remote etc.

  • Work will increasingly be project-based and workers might only be hired for the duration of a project

  • We will see a lot more career customisation:

    • Companies will be looking for broader areas of expertise in their employees

    • Employees will have to become more agile and shift a lot more from position to position within an organisation or between companies

    • Companies will be expecting a variety of skills and the ability to continuously learn and re-skill quickly from their employees.

Some companies like PWC are already taking action on these developments. 

It sounds as if we are moving back to a more generalist workforce. According to Barbara Sher, having several careers or fields of interest was not frowned upon until WWII and the space race led to specialisation in science and technology and from there to other industries. Suddenly, specialists were sought after and multi-talented and multi-passionate people were regarded with suspicion. After all, one of the signs that you are indeed a multipotentialite is the realisation that there is nothing wrong with you after finding out that you belong to this personality type (Find out what negative and positive identifiers of a multipotentialite are here). That shows you how much society still thinks that changing jobs or careers or interests frequently is not a good thing. But this is about to change.

Multipotentialites already have the necessary skills and experience needed to be successful in a changing work environment. We tend to accumulate a broad range of skills and expertise working in different industries and careers. We thrive on variety and change careers or positions frequently, which is why project-based and flexible work is perfect for us. And one of our superpowers is rapid learning – when we get interested in a new field, we spend 100% of our focus on learning as much as we can about it as fast as possible. We love learning and we know how to do it fast.

This Future of Work scenario will give multipotentialites more freedom to be who they are the way that Karl Marx envisioned a society “…where nobody has one exclusive sphere of activity but each can become accomplished in any branch he wishes, society regulates the general production and thus makes it possible for me to do one thing today and another tomorrow, to hunt in the morning, fish in the afternoon, rear cattle in the evening, criticise after dinner, just as I have a mind, without ever becoming hunter, fisherman, herdsman or critic.” (Marx & Engels, The German Ideology. 1845).

Categories
Multipotentialites Pathfinding

Create Space

Create Space

Thanks to Marie Kondo and a general trend for simplifying your life, decluttering has become a buzzword. Working on myself and with my clients over the last few years has confirmed for me that creating space is a vital first step in the process of finding out what you want to do. In order to change your life, you need a “Space2Change” (boom, boom!). 

If you feel stuck because you have been putting the needs of others before your own for so long that you don’t know anymore what you want yourself, you need to create a space in which to find yourself. This can be a whole room if that’s available to you or even a desk that is just for you. You need to create a blank canvas on which you can paint your dreams.

I know that some creatives thrive on clutter, but it is usually their own – little things they have picked up here and there that inspire them. And if your desk or space ends up being cluttered in this way, that is fine! Once the clutter reflects your own interests and dreams. And if you get stuck again – you know what to do first!

Decluttering helps people who are overwhelmed with choice or never had the freedom to decide what they wanted to do. When you declutter, you are getting rid of all the things that are no longer important to you, so the things that are important to you can be noticed. You will get a clearer picture of what it is you want in your life and what you don’t. On an energy level, all the things you surround yourself with take energy from you. When you get rid of things, you also free up more energy, especially creative energy. And decluttering will give you a sense of success – you have achieved something even if it is just tidying up one drawer. In turn, this feeling of achievement will motivate you to take action. So, even if decluttering might sound like a great way of procrastinating, it is actually a way of getting you out of procrastination and into action. Because decluttering is taking action.

Categories
Multipotentialites

What Makes a Multipotentialite?

Categories
Multipotentialites

How do I know if I am a multipotentialite?

How do I know if I am a multipotentialite?

Well, chances are that if you hear about what multipotentialites are and experience a big relief and the feeling that finally you have found what is “wrong” with you, you are one. A lot of us have spent their lives feeling that there is something wrong with us because we cannot settle on just one thing, career, field. And we have dreaded the question of either “What do you want to do?” or “What do you do?” because we don’t have a simple socially acceptable answer to this.

Another sign can be that you get easily bored and that the boredom feels incredibly painful to you. For me, it feels like I want to jump out of my skin. We also love learning. That is our superpower. We know how to learn as we constantly explore new interests and acquire new skills.

There are many different types of multipotentialites. Probably as many as there are names for us like scanners, Renaissance men or women, multipassionate and the list goes on and on. Some of us constantly change businesses or careers, some have a certain set of interests that they come back to in cycles, and again others juggle 3 or more projects at the same time. There are also certain professions that are ideal for multipotentialites like journalist because it gives them the opportunity to delve into ever new subjects.

So, did you find yourself in this brief description of multipotentialites? Then I welcome you to the wonderful world of scanners. To find out more you can delve into the work of Barbara Sher or Emily Wapnick. Or you can contact me if you want one-to-one help in finding out what your version of a multipod life should be. I know what it is like to feel paralysed by too many choices and the pressure and lack of understanding from your environment. Let me help you to discover what works for you and what you want to explore next.

 

 

Categories
Pathfinding

3 Words 2017 Review

I wish you all a very Happy New Year!

January is the month to review the last year and make plans for the new one. So, it is time to see what effect my three words for 2017 have had. My words were Healthy – Clear – Pause.

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Barbara Sher Success Teams

FREE Barbara Sher Success Team starting this Saturday

FREE Barbara Sher Success Team starting this Saturday

I have extended the deadline for the FREE Barbara Sher SUCCESS TEAM till this Friday lunch-time, 13th October. I have 1 more space available. If you are interested to get the support you need to achieve your goal, email maite@space2change.com to join the team.

Categories
Pathfinding

3 Words to Keep You on Track in 2017

3 Words to Keep You on Track in 2017

I am wishing you all a Happy New Year!

The beginning of the year is a good time to think about what you want to achieve this year. I don’t mean the famous New Year’s resolutions but something wider and strategic. What kind of life do you want to live?

 

To kick off proceedings this year, I am trying Chris Brogan’s way of picking 3 words for the year to guide me and keep me on course. I tried it with one last year, but it didn’t go so well. It took me about a week to settle on my three words. I made an initial selection and then mulled over them for a few days till I found the words that felt right. My 3 words for this year and why I picked them:

Categories
Career Change Pathfinding

Finding Work as an Immigrant

Finding work as an Immigrant

Last week I had the pleasure of running a Pathfinding and Career Workshop for Spirasi, an organisation that works with refugees. It was inspiring to see how many want to learn and succeed in their new home. But some are disheartened because they feel it is harder for them to find work in Ireland. Immigrants might have more obstacles to overcome, but they are not insurmountable. No matter where you come from, you always have options. It is just a matter of continuously improving your English and being creative in your job search by meeting as many people as possible and rework your CV to make you stand out. My father did it as a Spanish immigrant coming to Germany and I have done it here in Ireland. And if we can do it, so can you!

If you feel you need help, contact me at maite@space2change.com.

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Barbara Sher Success Teams Career Change Multipotentialites Pathfinding

Registration for Barbara Sher Success Team Dublin Now Open

Categories
Career Change

How to Change Careers