A New Home for Talent

This exchange on the future of employment is worth reposting because the idea of talent-driven institutions - that exist beyond this current crash - runs contrary to what’s been happening for many years:

Tommy Landry commented:

What most business people don’t get is that the market has accelerated faster than big corporations can keep up. In the end, the internet is the great equalizer, rewarding only the smartest and most nimble of competitors. One of those two factors is not enough, and big companies will always struggle to be nimble enough.

Hence the current trend of self-employment and virtual workforces. It’s gone past the idea of telecommuting, and this new economy will force our hands. Brace yourself, because I see over half the US population self-employed, contracting, or similar within three short years. With all the economic upheaval and layoffs, we’re already working toward it.

John Hagel, John Seely Brown, and Lang Davison replied:

The one point with which we disagree, Tommy, has to do with self-employment. Rather than heading towards an economy of the self-employed, we think the big shift means individuals and institutions will need each other more than ever. As it continues to become more important to monetize intangible assets, companies will re-imagine themselves as places where talented individuals thrive. There will be wrenching institutional changes required to create truly talent driven firms. In the meantime, the growing gap between the aspirations of talented individuals and the needs of institutions designed for scalable efficiency will drive many of these talented individuals to strike out on their own. But we view this growth of independent contractors as largely a transitional phenomenon, reflecting the misalignment, rather than a permanent condition. Individuals over time will eagerly seek out institutional homes that can help them to accelerate the development of their talent and amplify their impact on the world around them.