Today, nearly 60% of the workforce is comprised of knowledge workers.
By the end of 2023, Gartner predicted 39% would be working hybrid.
The pandemic brought on the Great Recession.
Followed by Quiet Quitting.
And, more recently, Coffee Badging – you swipe into the office, have coffee, and head home to work.
These are all signs of the same thing:
Individuals are striving to regain control of their careers – and define what they want.
Gone are the days of a single career track at a single company.
Pensions and retirement health care plans are a thing of the past.
Contingent work is on the rise.
From freelance, to contract, to “fractional” – the names are different, but the concept is the same.
We are in a transition from CEO to MeEO.
What is a MeEO?
This is the moment when we takes the reins of our own career.
We stop being defined by our title and the company we work for.
We start defining ourselves by our skills.
The unique mix of qualities we bring to the table.
We discover we are a Venn diagram with multiple talents and not in a career track box.
We diversify our career “portfolio” – reducing risk if one of the income streams goes away.
We begin to realize we can integrate all facets of our life.
We start to define success on our terms, not the expectations of “traditional” career tracks.
We work hard and produce great work for their portfolio of clients.
Companies benefit as they can diversify the skills of a fractional team.
Business costs go down while quality and productivity of output go up.
The transition from a CEO to MeEO mindset will require new processes and approaches.
Yet, on the other side, the framework is a win-win for both companies and knowledge workers.
To explore the topic deeper, you can listen to my interview on the Together Digital Podcast.
Your Turn
Do you see a transition happening?
Are you looking at your own career and figuring out how to be your own MeEO?
How could these frameworks create wins for both employees and companies?