A big wave is about to break and if you paddle you can surf it for years to come. If you don’t, you’ll be swept out to sea.

There’s a phenomenon called “convergent disruption”. It happens when lots of new technology is all hitting the market at once and suddenly people discover how it all fits together.

For the last ten years we’ve been talking about this “digital age” and how technology has changed everything BUT now it’s about to get very real.

Right now the world of business is having breakthroughs in speech recognition, automation, robotics, logistics and collaborative sharing of resources.

A tipping point has hit when it comes to outsourcing, social media marketing and systemisation.

What it all means is that the value of “functional people” is sliding off a cliff! I’m no longer talking about the kids at the supermarket checkout or the call center worker.

People with respectable jobs in IT, consulting, design, senior management, healthcare and other professional services are about to see the value of their time diminish substantially.

At the same time the “vital people” who organise things, who are industry spokespeople, who are well connected and well known will increase in their value. Here’s the issue; a LOT if very smart people have now figured this out. The writing is on the wall and we’re all now working towards this goal.

So here’s the key point: every day you spend in your office doing functional things is a day you slip behind in terms of your real value.

On the flip side: every day you are out building your network, connecting with thought leaders, positioning yourself as a key person of influence in your industry is a day that your value is on the rise.

Do your best to stay on the “surfing” side of the big wave of change. I look forward to paddling hard along side you.