The fear of being obsolete
The millennials coined a term called FOMO, or fear of missing out.
Millennials introduced the concept of FOMO, or fear of missing out. Nowadays, mid- and senior-level managers, as well as more experienced business owners, are experiencing FOBO: Fear of being obsolete. Contrary to popular belief, becoming irrelevant is not a sudden event, but rather a gradual process that goes unnoticed until something breaks.
Fast Company published an article by Featured.com, titled "12 Signs You’re Becoming Irrelevant at Work." Each expert mentioned a warning sign, which ultimately leads to one disheartening conclusion: Irrelevance rarely occurs without warning. It slowly fades away when one stops learning.
The people who become obsolete are typically not lazy. They work hard, meet deadlines, and maintain productivity; however, they often fail to recognize their own decline. Competing for attention, they become invisible to themselves first. While working diligently, these professionals might unknowingly fall behind. Justin Key, an executive coach, shared his own experience of believing he was needed but not effective. Confusing his indispensability with efficiency, he stopped questioning the business's growth.
Key argued that curiosity is not merely a personality trait but a professional discipline that can be cultivated or neglected. Another warning sign is focusing on past achievements, such as meetings held, reports produced, and assets launched, rather than discussing tangible results like revenue, savings, or risk reduction. Professionals who become obsolete tend to protect their routines while the market evolves.
The article offers practical advice to avoid irrelevance. Firstly, dedicate a week to ask more questions than you answer, both in meetings and internally. Seek genuine curiosity by questioning assumptions and considering alternative approaches. Key emphasized that leaders who become curious again before becoming desperate, succeed in regaining relevance.
Secondly, take on one stretch project every quarter, stepping out of your comfort zone. This could involve working on cross-functional initiatives, emerging tools, or skills beyond your current role. Adaptation rather than tenure is essential for remaining relevant. Ken Marshall from Meet Sona suggested subscribing to top five industry newsletters, dedicating 10-15 minutes each morning to read them, and choosing one innovative idea per month to explore further.
When one no longer recognizes the headlines their peers discuss, this lack of familiarity indicates a growing disconnect.
The author finds this advice both disheartening and encouraging. Disheartening, because seasoned professionals often struggle to keep up with changing times, leading to complacency. However, the author remains hopeful, as relevance returns when learning resumes. Irrelevance fades when learning stops, and it returns when learning resumes.
This is not an inevitable fate but a situation that can be rectified. The old world rewarded expertise based on knowledge, titles, and years of experience. However, these factors no longer guarantee current competence. The true test of relevance lies in curiosity – asking questions, learning new things, and recognizing personal growth.
If one can identify recent learning experiences or innovative ideas, relevance is not a concern. If not, do not panic, but do not ignore the issue either, as it may signal high blood pressure and the need for immediate action.
Written by urgent.news from Philippine Star Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
