We plan to do a series of blog entries discussing the new “eWorkforce”.  It is by far one of the most important trends impacting workforce and career development today.  And it very well could prove to be the most effective response to the many economic issues we have been hearing so much about lately.  Anyway, let’s start with a basic introduction of what the new eWorkforce is — and is not.

• It is NOT about starting a new business.
• Is IS about becoming the business you are in.
• It is NOT about FINDING a job.
• It IS about owning your own job through well-developed knowledge, skills, and abilities that you possess and bring to the marketplace.
• It is NOT about having a boss.
• It IS about having a Primary Customer who has been traditionally called “the employer” or “boss”.
• It’s not about SELLING YOURSELF.
• It IS about using your knowledge, skills, and abilities as a benefit to your Primary Customer.
• It’s not about BECOMING a success.
• It IS about BEING successful.

Wow!  That’s a lot to put your hands around in a very limited amount of space and time.  We will elaborate more on some of these topics in subsequent blogs.  For now, however, let’s look at the key skills that the new eWorkforce needs to develop.  There are three Primary Skills that all members of the new eWorkforce should have.  Again, we will have additional blogs later to develop each of these skills in more depth for you.  For now, here they are …

• Problem-Solving … members of the new eWorkforce understand that all work is a process (that’s right out of the world of Deming and quality management, folks).  Everything is built on a series of steps.  Problem-solving is all about finding the step(s) where the process breaks down and fixing the breakdown.
• Customer Service … members of the new workforce also recognize that they are in charge of their careers.  They own their jobs by default since they own their knowledge, skills, and abilities.  And the people and organizations that we have traditionally called “employer” or “boss”, they now know as their Primary Customer.  They understand the eight essential elements of customer service, and they apply them daily as they interact with their Primary Customer.
• Success … finally, members of the new eWorkforce enjoy success everyday.  They learn that success is always “in the now”.  If it does not happen today, it never happens because tomorrow never arrives as tomorrow (it is always “today” when it gets here).  They understand that in order to enjoy success, they must first know it when they see it.  So they define it daily and then, they experience it for that day.  Enough successful days put together one after the other eventually becomes a successful life, but they recognize they cannot live a successful life — just experience successful days.

Of course, members of the new eWorkforce are part of a lifelong learning process that enables them to continue to develop soft skills and hard skills they can use in their customer service agenda for their Primary Customer.  They understand the importance of marketing both to serve their current customers and to find new customers later.  But most of all, they know that they ARE THE BUSINESS … and success depends upon their ability to solve problems and serve customers.

We believe that this approach to workforce and career development has the greatest potential to help America climb out of the malaise we are currently in, and retain our leadership role in the global economy.  It is practical.  It is flexible.  And it is built on the best precepts of entrepreneurial activity known to mankind.  Give ti a thought!