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The Recession may be a “Darwinian unleashing of talent into the entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
When I join a conversation about the Recession (and most conversations seem to be about “It” these days), I risk coming off as obnoxiously upbeat. Why? I’m a silver lining kinda gal, and especially now. This is not to discredit the great financial loss and personal rough and tumble that so many are experiencing. Not at all. It is simply to send out some positive vibrations about where “It” may lead us. With massive corporations falling to their knees, we may be at the perfect juncture to re-think the way in which corporate America, and careers within that multi-faceted beast, works. People often like to tell me it’s time to shove all of my flexible work pontifications somewhere unpleasant. I think quite the opposite: it’s time to shout them out loud! Companies that want to make it out of this deep valley and thrive in the future are going to have to be innovative. They are most likely going to have to re-structure, and that doesn’t always mean simply laying people off. It means re-thinking the way in which business is done, the way in which employees grow within a company etc. Did you ever think of the fact that having workers work from home can decrease overhead cost in terms of office space? Or that rigid vertical hierarchies may be stifling creative energy that inter-level dialogue and horizontal hierarchies may unleash?
 The Recession also means that individuals are going to need to become more innovative and entrepreneurial. And they already are. The New York Times recently wrote a piece about the growing wave of entrepreneurs, entitled “Weary of Looking for Work, Some Create Their Own.” Matt Richtel and Jenna Wortham write:
“Plenty of other laid-off workers across the country, burned out by a merciless job market, are building business plans instead of sending out résumés. For these people, recession has become the mother of invention.” This is especially relevant to you Gen Yers out there who have been laid off, or who still haven’t been able to land that first out-of-college job. You are often in a privileged position, actually, even though it may not feel that way at the moment. Think about it: if you’re a young Gen Yers, odds are you have no strings attached! No greater responsibilities beyond yourself. This is the time to experiment and take risks. Granted, the start-up capital may be harder to get now than previously, but I refuse to believe it’s impossible. If you have a great idea, odds are you’ll find a way to develop it. And now’s the time! When you have a baby, a mortgage and a slew of furniture to tout around, being impulsive and entrepreneurial will be a whole lot trickier.
For inspiration, read the NYTimes article here!
- Astri Photo on Flickr by mrkathika under Creative Commons License.
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