"We have purposes larger than ourselves." ~ Atul Gawande
Photo Credit: Kevin Jordan, High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA, April 2025.
Greetings -
I hope you, your families and friends are well!
For the first half + of April, I was traveling for work (mostly) and time with friends. My adventures started in Silicon Valley and then pivoted to the Peach State, supporting, in both locations, professional and community teams as they navigate their evolving leadership journeys. From Atlanta, I made my way to Austin for both work and fun time with great friends. I did not make my usual trip to Austin last year, so it was especially nice to have a long visit and enjoy some downtime and beautiful weather (don't move to Austin in April! :)). My deep thanks for all of you that made the trip so memorable.
As we hurtle toward the early days of May - which for me, have been characterized by the never ending fun of steroidal Spring allergies - change continues to be top of mind. In particular, this time of year is normally characterized by a fair amount of voluntary job/career changes and professional transitions. While some are making planned and structured changes, many are not (in both the private and (especially) government sectors.) The waves of disruption and instability continue to pound, bringing ever more unpredictability crashing down on already tense labor markets. For many that have the choice to make a change, the risks of moving often outweigh the potential benefits of staying in their current roles. In those situations, job/career crafting can be a viable and productive alternative that clients and I use to navigate their current situations and positions themselves for a better future.
For those able and wanting to make a career change - be it a significantly new or different strategic approach or a smaller, tactical move - the desire to do so thoughtfully and deliberately is key. Yet, with an often overwhelming set of professional and personal choices that need to be considered, it can be difficult to define and implement a meaningfully tailored plan.
As I work with clients in this space, we focus extensively on understanding their values, strengths and the professional identity attributes. This process is grounding, as it offers them the opportunity to construct a framework to direct what they value the most to organizations aligned to their purpose and ambitions. The rigor in this work is fundamental, as it also allows them to determine how they can best move forward to realize their career consonance and achieve their career aspirations. Ultimately, the goal is to be able to answer the question: is this role, organization, etc. truly worthy of my greatest gifts?
This edition starts by framing up macro trends and concepts affecting the workforce of the future. It then delves deeper into the current state of career transitions with points of view re: strategic and tactical considerations.
With respect and deep admiration for you all, happy reading and listening!
Be well, take good care of yourselves, families and community.
-kj
PS - (Missed a newsletter? Past editions can be found here: https://www.kevinjordan.coach/blog. And if you hit paywall on an article(s), feel free to send me a note and let me know what you need. I have subscriptions to many of the sources that I cite.)
Featured: McKinsey and Company: The Critical Role of Strategic Workforce Planning in the Age of AI
Organizations find themselves at significant inflection points. Current mental models and methods of working no longer suffice. Behaviors and leadership attributes that previously defined success will most likely not guarantee future results. Questions as to what defines work, what constitutes value and the nature and expression of expertise are fundamentally and profoundly altering the meaning of work and its role in our lives.
To effectively transform to meet both near and longer term business and technological shifts, organizations need to strategically shift their talent development practices - including up-levelling and/or re-skilling and cultivating new perspectives and varying sources of knowledge - if they are to attract (and retain) talented professionals. The 21st century workforce is predicated on agility, agency and curiosity. Fostering the 'passion of the explorer' - a dedicated commitment to achieve long-term impact, meet and rise above unexpected challenges and foster new connections to increase our impact - allows us to inhabit a world of abundant possibility and strategic growth.
For an excellent companion piece (though not with a focus on AI), see the Harvard Business Review's article: Highly Skilled Professionals Want Your Work But Not Your Job. "Companies today are facing a big talent-management challenge. They simply do not have the capabilities they need in-house to transform their offerings, processes, and infrastructures—and they’re increasingly unable to persuade highly skilled professionals to come on board full-time, despite making attractive offers. In many fields—particularly technology, data sciences, and machine learning—the people with the most sought-after skills are freelancers. Integrating and managing a new “blended workforce” will be one of the main managerial challenges in the years ahead. Force-fitting the model used for temporary staff onto highly skilled freelancers won’t work, however. Firms must fully integrate these professionals into a highly cohesive internal team."
Articles
Forbes: 7 Tips From Recruiters And HR Experts To Spring Clean Your Career. "Here are seven tips from recruiters and HR experts to spring clean your career [and facilitate] long-term career maintenance."
Gallup: The Top Four Reasons for Taking a New Job. "Employees are watching for or actively seeking new job opportunities at the highest rate since 2015, with 51% exploring their options. At the same time, employee satisfaction has hit a record low, contributing to what Gallup calls the “Great Detachment” -- an era in which people feel increasingly disconnected from their employers. What exactly are employees looking for in their next job? Gallup’s nationally representative study of more than 10,000 U.S. employees identifies the four most important factors in choosing a new job: 1) work-life balance and personal wellbeing; 2) pay or benefits; 3) stability and job security; and a job that allows me to do what I do best."
Yale Insights: When Is It OK to Use Connections to Land a Job? "These findings have important ramifications for inequality, especially when it comes to accessing scarce labor market opportunities...Nearly every young person the researchers interviewed, regardless of their social class, used a similar justification process to navigate the tension between a wish for meritocracy and the reality of needing to use their social capital, but to very different effects."
The Wall Street Journal: Landing a Job Is All About Who You Know (Again). "Networking is making a comeback as employers drown in computer-generated job applications." [KJ - I don't buy that networking ever went away; it is integral to success in the modern workplace.]
Forbes: The #1 Skill That Pays More Than Gen AI In 2025. "The number one skill you need in 2025 is communication...But not just any kind of communication. You need creative communication. To put it simply, you can’t use gen AI as a crutch for your lack of communication skills or creative thinking. AI skills are there to act as assistants, to augment your work. You can use it for brainstorming assistance, content ideas, even content structuring and to help you draft an outline or sample draft."
The Wall Street Journal: Fake Job Postings Are Becoming a Real Problem. "One in five jobs advertised is fake or not filled, according to a new analysis; ‘more soul-crushing than ever.'"
Blog Posts & Opinions
Michael Watkins: Seven Strategies for Building Your Career in a Connected World. "The advice I received years ago – 'It’s not who you know, but who knows you' – remains a cornerstone of my career success, even today...By developing your skills, contributing meaningfully, and cultivating visibility, relationships, and collaboration, you can ensure the right people are eager to help you succeed."
Freethink: Kevin Kelly points a new way forward into the Age of AI. "One of the most original and optimistic thinkers in America helps build out some big through lines on what's possible with AI in the next 25 years."
Lenny's Newsletter: Why no productivity hack will solve your overwhelm. "How the Internal Family Systems model can help you listen to your inner wisdom and get unstuck."
Podcasts + TED Talks
Hidden Brain: When To Pivot. "When should you stay the course in life, and when should you shift with changing tides? This [episode explores] case studies from the world of business to explore the science of inflection points — changes that dramatically transform the course of events. Researcher Rita McGrath of Columbia University explains why we fail to see impending moments of upheaval, and what we can do to be more adept at spotting them."
HBS Managing The Future of Work: IBM CHRO Nickle LaMoreaux on AI and the culture of skills building. "As the digital economy pushes companies to prioritize continuous learning, HR strategies need to emphasize customization, flexibility, and support for diverse work-life needs."
The TED Radio Hour: Soundtracks of our lives. "From our favorite songs to our own voices, we're surrounded by sound all day. But how does all this noise affect our emotions and behavior?"
Arts, Music, Culture & Literature Corner
Matterport Discover: The Dalí Theatre-Museum. This is, in my humble POV, a very cool, 3D tour of Dali's Museum. Enjoy!
The New York Times: Tracy Chapman Wants to Speak for Herself. "For years, the singer and songwriter has avoided the spotlight. But she is breaking her silence to look back on her self-titled debut and its powerful hit 'Fast Car.'"
The New Yorker: The Insidious Charms of the Entrepreneurial Work Ethic. "You’re passionate. Purpose-driven. Dreaming big, working hard, making it happen. And now they’ve got you where they want you."
The Atlantic Fiction: The Moron Factory. George Saunders on work, relationships and the often fragile ecosystem that exists with our co-workers (whether we know it or not).
Reflections
"The professional loves her work. She is invested in it wholeheartedly. But she does not forget that the work is not her." ~ Steven Pressfield
"It generally feels better to run toward something than to run away from something. Focus on what is pulling you in, not what you're trying to avoid." ~ James Clear
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.” ~ Victor Hugo