By Ian Sampson

“The good news is: I plan to live until I am 110,” I informed my GP recently.

Before he could bluster a response I charged on with:  “The really good news is: I want you to be around when I die!”

He responded with an evil glint in his eye:  “Great! That means another 50 years of prostate exams and colonoscopies for you, young man!”

It is more likely than merely possible that many of us will live to this sort of age.

What do you intend to be doing in the meantime?

Will it be more budgets, monthly reports, pointless meetings, presentations, petty arguments, gut wrenching dilemmas?

What will your work life be filled with?

Will you be experiencing all the great and noble intentions you started out with in your Cause-based organisation?

Will the work of your people be characterised by joy and fulfilment in serving your great Cause?

The world of work is being redefined; jobs in future will not be made up of a range of tasks done by people and teams. Work will be done in small segments by specialists in each field. For example a website today will not be developed by an individual as it was yesterday, but will be put together by virtual resources each completing their piece of the project. The results will be better websites produced faster and cheaper. And most importantly, they will be done by people who love their specialty jobs.

Your task as a leader in 2014 might be to look at the design and structure of work in your organisation and enable it to transform to meet the new models that are developing. Organisations that survive and thrive will be those that meet the aspirations and desires of their people who might want to do interesting work until they are 110.

Will that be what your work and the work of your people will be like? There are huge financial and non-financial rewards for those leaders who take on this transformation task in their organisations.

The future can only be championed by leaders.

We at Cause & Effective use an approach called Powerful Leadership in Action when working with organisational leaders on issues such as this.

If you would like some help in positioning your organisation for the next decades please contact us.

About Ian:  Ian Sampson (B.Comm., LLB., FAICD, FAIM)  is a Cause & Effective Associate. He is a Strategic Advisor to Boards, an Executive Coach and a Facilitator of our Powerful Leadership in Action Program. He can be contacted here.