|
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2DSD4ECEZBYTR Austin Brockmeier's review was made as part of a critical review assignment for the Spring 2009 Economics of Technology seminar at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, taught by Art Diamond. (The course syllabus stated that part of the critical review assignment consisted of the making of a video recording of the review, and the posting of the review to Amazon).
Daniel had examined the process of more and more people leaving the employ of large corporations and going out on their own. The Long Tail). For example, they create their work schedule so they can take their kids to school and pick them up in the afternoon. balancing is very powerful and gives me a great way to talk to my clients about how to manage their time when they are working on their own. 3. It involves a revolving set of business relationships that coalesce over individual projects.
2. The network creates opportunities for referral business, but more importantly it creates connections to the "partners" that can help the free agent complete a project.Daniel makes me feel good about my career choice by pointing out the importance of coaches in a work/life structure that's very fluid and exposes individuals to a lot more risk (no more hiding behind a veil of corporate security). Prosperity allowed people to work for meaning, not just money. Many of these individuals fall into my description of the new entrepreneur.Daniel points out 4 factors that have helped shift many people into free agency during the end of the twentieth and the beginning of the twenty-first century: 1. It's something that I've been seeing in my business and my clients' businesses over the past few years.
The social contract of work (security for loyalty) crumbled. Some of them might not even have a choice, as corporations downsize and contract out much of their work.Upon hearing about my idea, my friend Betsy recommended that I pick up Daniel Pink's Free Agent Nation. Another reason for health care reform.The idea of blending vs. This is someone who starts their own business, not because they have the entrepreneurial drive to start businesses, but rather because they provide a service and they prefer to work in an independent capacity. It reinforces that one of the most important components to success as a free agent is the strength of a person's network. The means of production were democratized (cf. The idea of creating balance seems to stress people out more because they think they have to work at it (and their afraid they'll fall out of balance).I think this is a fun read for someone who is a free agent, or for someone in corporate HR who is wondering how to work with the ever-increasing population of free agents. The half-life of organizations shrunk.
Over the past few months I have been developing the idea of what I call the "new entrepreneur". As he says: "In a sense, coaches are shrinks without the couches, management consultants without the flow charts, and sympathetic bartenders without the shot glasses" (pg 181).Did you know that the American system of tying health insurance to your job is an historical accident, and doesn't have logical precedent (the US is the only Western country that does this). It keeps a lot of people tied to jobs they're not happy with and are unproductive in. I've seen it a lot already, where a person will work in spurts throughout the day to include family responsibilities. What this has really done is changed many work relationships from vertical (working in a hierarchical corporation) to horizontal (working with equal partners to accomplish specific objectives). Daniel does a bit of predicting, which even in the 5 years since Free Agent Nation was written has been pretty off. He calls these individuals "free agents" because they are free to work on their own terms, and their experiences can vary from a temp working as a secretary to a graphic designer running their own media company. Besides that, though, he provides a great snapshot of the dynamic process of economic evolution in the U.S.
4. And with the continuing changes in the American economy, I think that this pattern will become more prevalent in the near future.One thing that stood out strongly was the free agent org chart. I think that looking at the process as blending is a lot less stressful than trying to create balance. in the last twenty years.
At a macro level Dan Pinks view of the "free agent nation" is interesting. A peek into a few more examples of how individuals were making sustainable transitions away from the main stream. The information is well presented and opens a vault of thought and consideration for taking a closer look at micro business. I was looking for more case studies. I looked to this title for inspiration and it didn't deliver to my expectations. A good read, but not compelling enough to re-visit.
As Dan Pink presents the stories and lessons in Free Agent Nation which he gleaned from interviews with numerous "free agents" I felt my pace quicken in the self-employed race I run daily. I found this book inspirational in the sense that before the four-minute mile barrier for running was broken, people felt it couldn't be achieved. However, once the record was broken, others were inspired to strive for their own sub-four-minute records. It is motivational to run with the knowledge that I'm not running solo but part of a growing number of free agents striving for our own four-minute miles. And the summary of free agent guidelines at the end of the book gave me the confidence that I'm on the right track.
This is why I claim that: "No people on earth (referring to the Jews) are better prepared by virtue of education, temperament and historical adaptability to embrace the challenges of the 21st century". This will have revolutionary impact on politics, tax and social policy and the economic balance of power.
Most of these work from home. By varying accounts there are 25-30 million free agents at present in the United States.
If present trends continue - and there is every reason to believe they will - then by the middle of the 21st century most working people will be self-employed in one form or another. Add millions of micro-businesses and one comes to the conclusion that the 20th century will be known as the first and last century in which most working people were salaried.
Up until the 20th century most working people were small farmers, merchants and independent professionals. Cultural attitudes that encourage innovation and risk-taking will have tremendous advantages in this emerging reality.
This book provided me with much of the information that enabled me to open my own book "The Optimistic Jew" with the above lines.
|
