Here’s an important question for sovereign professionals. Are you doing the important part or the hard part?
It may not be what you think:
Continue reading “Important versus hard – @ThisIsSeth”
Tag: Gig Economy
Harvard Business Review has charted research data from the ADP Research Institute on employee engagement around the world. It’s quite comprehensive and throws up a couple of interesting data points for fans (or sceptics) of non-traditional working models.
The overall finding is that around the world only 16% of workers are “fully engaged”, which seems surprisingly low.
However, those who work remotely are more engaged than their office-bound colleagues.
And, gig workers (i.e. sovereign professionals) on full-time projects are more engaged than traditional “permanent employees”.
The full analysis (with country and sector analyses) is on HBR.org, here.
Photo by Clark Young on Unsplash
The Sunday Times has a profile and short interview with social philosopher Charles Handy. At 87, he has a new book out.
Handy foresaw and defined the concept of a portfolio career. His Shamrock Organisation predicted the world of outsourcing, the gig economy and B2B freelancing in the manner of the sovereign professional.
Continue reading “Charles Handy – sage of sovereign professionals”
Creative services show the biggest growth in two reports on the freelance and independent sector in the US and UK.
In the UK, Simply Business reports a 31% year-on-year growth in the number of freelancers. They note that:
Continue reading “Creatives lead the way in freelance growth”the real growth in this space is being driven by a wave of emerging lifestyle and creative businesses. This suggests that more people are attempting to turn their hobbies and passions into businesses.
Losing your job can be hard. For some, though, it’s the spur they need to start out on their own.
Here’s some interesting research from Harvard Business Review (Eliana Crosina of Babson College and Michael G. Pratt of the Carroll School of Management, Boston College). The researchers find that such job-seekers fall into two categories: Recreators and Repurposers:
Continue reading “Getting laid off. Starting again. @HarvardBiz”
Nicholas Bate is always worth a visit. His posts are pithy, grounding and insightful.
Here’s a selection from his recent Basics 7 series:
Get out of your Head, Saturday
Continue reading “Leave your shelter with Nicholas Bate”1. Cook: chop, slice, kneed
2. Clear: garage, study, garden
…
6. Sit outside: fresh coffee, a view, un-focused thoughts.
People often say they want to give up their day-job and follow their passion. They’re going to be a writer, photographer, whatever.
I just don’t have the time or energy to concentrate, the logic goes.
Continue reading “Build a new career while still paying the bills”
Freelancers and independents rely on their connections for their next project. After all, you stand or fall by your reputation. But how do you build your network of connections if you’re not naturally gregarious?
Here are some tips and links for making the most of your least favourite activity.
Continue reading “Connecting for quiet people”
The Modern Stoicism site has just posted an expanded version of Freelancing, Stoicism and Stress. I am both grateful and humbled.
Hopefully, fellow independent professionals will find it informative and perhaps useful, too.
Many thanks to Modern Stoicism’s editor Greg Sadler for his support.
The Modern Stoicism article is here.
The shorter original, elsewhere on this site, is here.
Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash
At first pass, the hedonistic, glam world of rock music seems an unlikely place for a practising Stoic.
But, then you reflect on the impossible highs and lows of life on the road; the shapeless, twilight, drudgery of tour-bus life and it begins to make sense.
Continue reading “Rock ‘n’ roll ‘n’ stoicism – @HurricaneNita”