Jeffrey Simmons
President, Elanco Animal Health; Sr. Vice President, Eli Lilly & Company
3 Reasons to Reinvent Yourself
Are you the oldest person in the room? I’m not talking about age. Some of youngest thinkers I know are also the most tenured. I’m talking about a mindset. You’ve been there. Think about the last large group you spent time in. There’s always one person that stands out. The one that was edgy, well read, curious and brought energy. There were also likely a number of others that where simply boring, behind and lacked current perspective.
Our world is more complex than ever. The speed of life is increasing exponentially. Just last week a single issue of the Wall Street Journal highlighted these trends: less brick and mortar – from movies, to eating out to shopping. About every 4 years, our learning slows. Our stamina deteriorates. We become weary and have a crisis of confidence. We are in danger of moving slower than our environment – and when we do, we quickly become “that person in the room.” The irrelevant, boring, out-of-touch person. And even worse, we may not even know it.
How do we stay relevant?
“ It’s essential we reinvent ourselves every 4 years.”
The concept of reinvention has never been more important than now. But, it’s harder than ever! We all know why. Speed. Everything moves faster. Change. We have new issues, new technologies, greater complexity. Margin. Life happens. It’s hard to find time to step out of the day-to-day demands. And, with the proliferation of social media, the depth and perspective of our reading has diminished.
“We live in a world with less depth and perspective than ever before.”
The Need for Reinvention
- Competitiveness. Early in life, we continuously reinvent ourselves. From youth to college graduates to early career exploration. The competition is greater. The direct comparison is stronger. We’re side by side with a huge cast of peers – from sports teams, to college, securing the first job, the early promotions. But, as we reach the center of our careers, we have less direct competition and fewer milestones to push toward. The reinvention process slows. The sheer need for survival dwindles, and it breeds natural stagnation.
- Expertise. Our world today demands expertise. Experience is good, but without expertise, we are vulnerable. Experts have a competitive advantage, and generalists are increasingly at risk. Without reinvention, we lose relevance and expertise.
- Purpose. Fear is one of the greatest anxiety creators and dream inhibitors for mid-career professionals. A red hot “why” or purpose helps keep our dreams big and our vision clear. It curbs the natural fears and risk aversion that creeps in during the center of our careers. Reinvention re-fires our purpose.
If we do not act, we change slower than our environment. We become the oldest in the room. Join me in the coming weeks as I look at reinvention. I’ll share perspectives from mentors, reading and experiences on how to diagnosis the need for change, overcoming complacency and keeping the edge.