"Never again" is the watchword that is emerging from conversations with geoscientists.
"Never again will I let someone else control my destiny." "Never again will I be in a position where my future is a matter of corporate whim." "Never again will I be forced to ride the emotional roller-coaster of the last few months and years." "Never again."
Speakers at the career transition workshops conducted this spring, in talking about their own personal transitions, echoed this sentiment. The driving force for many of them has become the desire to be responsible for their own career outcomes.
Not all of these people have been as financially successful as they wish to be; some have been more successful than they ever imagined.
But the common motive that triggered their decision to embark on an independent course of action was to be free from arbitrary decisions that affected their lives -- over which they had no influence.
This same commitment is being heard among the survivors of the last cuts as well as the people who have been let go. It is clear that the survivors of the late 1980s are candidates for termination today -- and the survivors of the 1990s face an uncertain future.
Yet there are geoscientists dedicated to their profession who thrive on the work of the industry and want to be a part of it.
The question now is, "On what terms?"
Many geoscientists will be self-employed as consultants, on contracts and as independents. For those who work for companies of any size and complexity, it is time to define a new relationship between employers and employees in which "never again" is an essential part of the equation.
What defines this new relationship?
There has been a very one-sided imbalance of power as long as people were considered modular entities, replaceable at any time.
The new balance of power hinges on knowledge -- who has it, who needs it and who is willing to pay for it.
For the geoscientist the challenge is to develop his/her intellectual capacity along with the "street smarts" that come from knowing the value of knowledge and expertise.
In the new relationship geoscientists must drop the facade of dependency. They must understand the business and the role that technology plays in the business -- both the great potential and the limitations.
Technical expertise is the union card to continue to work. Without cutting edge expertise there is no reason to be employed.
Knowing how a particular corporate culture works is no longer sufficient grounds for a long-term contract.
At one time, knowledge of a company's quirks was a plus, a badge of distinction, a set of useful skills. Many people had careers based on their ability to get things done within a particular culture.
That is dropping away as companies merge and reorganize. Now, without the trappings of a corporate veneer, much of what had made people valuable is gone.
Today, the roles have been stripped back to bare essentials:
- The employees bring creative, commercial ideas rooted in technical excellence.
- The employee has the responsibility to maintain a high level of technical expertise and creative instinct.
- The employer brings the financial and managerial resources to test and develop those ideas for profit.
- The more the company supports that idea with time, money and mentoring, the more creative people will be attracted to them. In the long run the companies that learn how to manage creative brainpower will prevail.
- The employer has the responsibility to build a climate that supports the creative process. Those that don't will not be competitive for technical talent. Those that do will prevail simply because creativity based on brainpower is the key driving force for competitive success.
The better companies become at managing creative talent, the longer they will be able to hold talented teams together.
Everyone shares in the risk and everyone shares in the rewards. Problems are solved and money is saved and made through clever applications of technology. Seems simple enough.
The primary goal should be to build an image and reputation that makes top people clamor to get in and stay as long as they can.
The balance of power between employers and employees must level out based on the need for knowledge. Knowledge is power -- and never has that cliche had deeper and longer lasting meaning than from now into the future. It will become consolidated through mutual trust and respect.
As one of the vice presidents I worked with often said, "This company is not a democracy." Absolutely true. That is why leaders must do everything in their power not to abuse the power that they have. They must instead work to earn the respect of the work force on which they depend.
The challenge to management is to defend the creative climate against all forces that would destroy it including the short-term thinking of the investment community.