The world is going through some painful changes at breakneck speed. As a result, the word unprecedented has reached number one spot on our ‘words to avoid’ list. What’s the big deal with unprecedented anyway? Our obsession with all things unprecedented taps into our fear of the unknown. But life itself is an unknown: Life is beta. Nothing is permanent. Every single day things happen that are unprecedented. Damn, said it again.
So given that we, as a herd (another word for the shit list) are afraid of change, but we also accept that change is constant, we therefore prescribe to a life in constant fear. And we seriously wonder why anxiety is on the rise? Maybe the current shock factor is the realisation that we cannot actually eliminate all risk and new unforeseen threats can develop, disrupt and destroy whilst we’re all busy watching Netflix.
Consider some of the most successful music artists of the last century, I’m talking MJ, Whitney, Bowie, Madonna. How did they maintain their appeal in a world in constant flux? They changed too. They provided the soundtrack to cultural shifts in society and stayed relevant, giving people what they want. Instead of following, they led cultural change.
Keeping fresh
This leadership pattern applies to all industries and many aspects of life. Sir Alex Ferguson – the most successful manager in football – embraced change, turfing out big names at the height of their careers and rebuilding his teams amidst heckling from media, pundits and fans. Nelson Mandela, Alfred Einstein, Steve Jobs, Christian Dior, Elon Musk and Bill Gates are all protagonists of change.
Whether you’re change averse or a sucker for the next big thing, our societies and economies are being unwillingly transformed by the ongoing pandemic, erasing jobs and destroying whole sectors in the process. But we are seeing growth areas too and companies are rushing to respond. The question is whether our economies change quickly enough to rebuild and reposition themselves? Writing for the Evening Standard, Rohan Silva points out that whilst furloughing has provided much needed financial support, many jobs will still inevitably be lost and will not be replaced. This happened in UK mining towns in the 80’s and left many permanently unemployed as their skills were suddenly no longer relevant.