Metaphorically speaking, although there are many 'Changing of the Guards' happening around the world as we know it. One of the most famous, being that of Buckingham Palace in London England, UK.
The 'Changing of the Guard' at Buckingham has literally been turned into a tourist attraction. Along with the schedules, they have made it be a presentation that is apparently a must to be a part of, to see, to feel, and experience.
Now, let's look at another 'Changing of the Guard.' and ask ourselves as we read through this story, why this is one of the most important things that you will ever see, feel, or experience.
Once upon a time (I like to start my stories like that), there was a farm that grew cotton, that grew corn, and grew tobacco. It was hand-picked, sent to market, processed and the farm (business) owner was paid and in turn paid the hired field hands and workers that harvested the crops. When the work was finished, the workers generally moved on to another place to harvest other crops. When the season was over they returned home to wait for the next harvest season.
The Cotton Gin was invented and more harvesting machines eventually took the places of the Migrant Harvest workers, displacing thousands of people (the Great Depression). This was the end of the Agrarian Age, the 'Changing of the Guard.'
Fortunately, for many of those displaced thousands, the very same mechanical beasts that replaced the harvest workers needed to be designed, assembled, and maintained. Soon after, mass production of trucks and cars were added into economies, enter the Industrial Age, the 'Changing of the Guard.'
That was a good run, it made loads of great leaders, business owners, millionaires, and unstoppable large, bulky, hard to change, slow to move corporations like Unions, Colleges, and Government Agencies; that were needed to "protect, direct, and teach" people.
There were promises of a 40 year plan to work for a company, that proved your loyalty to them and the defined benefit retirement plan proved theirs to you. Things were really good. We hoped things would never change.
But what we forget, as most of us do when things are really good, is that change is inevitable (what goes up must come down), whether we want it be or not. Progress is a part of every societal evolution and if we are to co-exist, we should be able to roll with the changes.
The companies and corporations who were paying those high wages and defined benefit plans, decided to replace those wages by downsizing, rightsizing, and outsourcing to cheaper labor forces. Our defined benefit plans were replaced with the 401K, a defined contribution plan, which translates to a 'savings account in disguise' that both you and the employer contribute to in an attempt to help you save for your retirement.
Don't get me wrong, a corporation based on the foundation of capitalism has every obligation to create jobs for people in it's communities. That's one of the responsibilities of owning a business. Many of them do and have for a long time.
What most of us didn't realize, recognize, or prepare for was that the 'Changing of the Guard' was and is happening again.
The introduction of computers into home settings, 1997 brought the internet - the information super highway - into living rooms, giving us the ability to do business online, at the speed of thought (typing/talking/texting), to order and sell products to and from other countries and continents (Ebay & Amazon), to share our knowledge with the world in the form of blogs, email, and videos.
The Industrial Age has left the building, the 'Changing of the Guard' began a while ago, and you are sitting on the threshold of a future that can be either tremendously successful or tremendously devastating.
Remember, Change generally comes in the form of things we DON'T want to do, accept, or readily recognize, so it is imperative that the first thing you do is realize change is happening and be open to being a step ahead in the game. What will you do today to insure your success in this New Age, The Information Age?
Copyright 2014-2016 - Noelle Sangster/Sangster Entertainment LLC - All rights reserved
