Between 1908 and 1927 Henry Ford’s motor company produced 15 million Model T Fords. He was the first automobile manufacturer that produced replaceable parts for motor vehicles. Before that, parts were either repaired or manufactured. To be able to walk into a shop to buy replacement parts for your vehicle was a revolutionary newbie. That was one of the major developments of the Industrial Era. Nowadays it is commonplace and businesses that specialise in selling automotive parts can be found in almost every city and town.
Replaceable people
On the other hand, what most people do not realise, is that
the Industrial Era was also responsible for the notion of replaceable people in the job market.
When you look at a company’s organogram, you’ll find that for a certain position, certain qualifications are required. Therefore, when a certain employee should leave an organisation, you just advertise for somebody with the required qualifications to replace the person who vacated that position.
For this reason, academic institutions train people to gain certain qualifications with which they will be able to fit into certain positions in companies. So, when you apply for an advertised job, you need the right qualifications to be able to fit into that specific slot, almost like the specific replaceable part on a specific motor vehicle.
A leadership position ≠ influence
The more you study the better your chances may be to acquire a leadership position higher up in the hierarchy. But do qualifications make somebody a better leader? Not necessarily. A higher position may give you more authority, but it does not necessarily give you influence.
Real influence is rather determined by who you are,
your personality and the way you deal with people.
# Lady Diana (Princess of Wales)
This week we remember the death of Lady Diana who tragically died in a motor vehicle accident on 31 August 1997. Although she was married to Prince Charles, she held no position of authority. Although her husband had the position of being heir to the throne,
it was her charisma and outreach to underprivileged people that made her the beloved of millions.
During her marriage to Prince Charles, the Princess was president or patron of over 100 charities. The Princess did much to publicise work on behalf of homeless and also disabled people, children and people with HIV/Aids.
In the year before her death, the she was an active campaigner for a ban on the manufacture and use of land mines. In January 1997, she visited Angola as part of her campaign. In June, the Princess spoke at the landmines conference at the Royal Geographical Society in London, and this was followed by a visit to Washington DC in the United States to promote the American Red Cross landmines campaign. She even met Mother Teresa in the Bronx, New York). The Princess’s last public engagements were during her visit to Bosnia when she visited landmine projects in Travnic, Sarajevo and Zenezica.
The Greatest Influencer
The same was true for Jesus. He was the son of a carpenter and not a trained Rabbi or Scribe or part of the elite of His day,
yet His influence is still evident all over the world
more than 2000 years later.
So where will your aspirations lead you, to a position or will you be a real influencer of people?
Choosing the right career is a major decision in life. Being in a career that does not match who you really are, is bad, even at its best. If that’s you, contact me for a Career Direct Assessment (available online) which will help you know and understand yourself? It will not only show who you are, but will also point you in the right direction.
