PAUL LUKERT
AUTHOR
As a Certified Maxwell Leadership Team Member and DISC Consultant with 30+ years of executive experience, I help individuals and organizations enhance their leadership skills and establish a winning team and culture.
Why 90% of Today’s Jobs Won’t Exist in 10 Years – Are You Ready for the Future?
Remember Kodak? Once the king of photography, now a forgotten name. The world is changing faster than ever, and if you're not evolving, you're already falling behind. Discover why today's hottest careers may soon vanish—and learn the secrets to staying ahead in the age of automation. Don’t get left behind like Kodak—adapt or disappear.
Change is the only constant in the world today. No industry, company, or individual is immune to the sweeping tides of innovation, automation, and evolving consumer preferences. The companies and employees who survive and thrive are those who recognize the critical importance of continuous growth, evolution, and adaptability. To illustrate this point, we only need to look at history and the rise and fall of once-dominant companies such as Kodak.
The Kodak Story: A Lesson in Stagnation
In 1997, Kodak was an industry giant, boasting over 160,000 employees and producing 85% of the world's photography equipment. Their dominance was undisputed, and their name was synonymous with cameras and photography. Yet, fast forward to today, Kodak is a shadow of its former self, having declared bankruptcy and watched its workforce vanish.
What happened? Kodak failed to evolve with the rise of digital and mobile camera technology. The company clung to its traditional film-based business model, while competitors seized the opportunity in digital photography. Instead of innovating, Kodak resisted change, and the market passed them by.
Kodak's story isn’t unique. Other well-known brands—HMT (watches), Bajaj (scooters), Dyanora (TV), Murphy (radios), Nokia (mobile phones), Rajdoot (bikes), and Ambassador (cars)—all met a similar fate. Their product quality wasn’t necessarily inferior; instead, they became irrelevant by failing to adapt to the rapidly changing market demands. These companies serve as stark reminders of the importance of adaptability in business.
Understanding the Present: The Fourth Industrial Revolution
The pace of change today is faster than ever before. We are entering the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, driven by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT). As automation and AI reshape industries, the nature of work itself is undergoing a profound transformation.
Some estimates suggest that 70%-90% of today’s jobs could disappear in the next 10 years. While this may sound daunting, it presents an opportunity for those willing to learn, grow, and evolve. The jobs that will vanish are those that can be automated, but the jobs that will remain—and new jobs that will emerge—will require human creativity, critical thinking, and expertise in fields that AI cannot fully replicate.
UBER and Airbnb offer striking examples of how technology is transforming industries. Uber, the world’s largest taxi company, doesn’t own a single car. Airbnb, the largest accommodation provider, owns no hotels. They have revolutionized their respective sectors through software and innovation, showing that adaptation is not just about products—it’s about recognizing and capitalizing on shifts in consumer behavior and technology.
Why Personal Development is More Important Than Ever
In this rapidly changing landscape, personal development is crucial. The old model of learning a single skill or trade and relying on it for a lifetime career is obsolete. Instead, workers must focus on lifelong learning and skills acquisition to stay relevant. Those who fail to grow their skill set risk becoming obsolete, much like Kodak and Nokia.
1. Embracing New Skills and Technologies
Personal development begins with a mindset of curiosity and openness. This means staying informed about industry trends, learning new technologies, and acquiring skills that will be relevant in the future. The days of relying solely on technical skills or formal education are over. In today’s job market, soft skills such as emotional intelligence, adaptability, and problem-solving are equally important. As technology automates many tasks, uniquely human skills will become increasingly valuable.
2. The Importance of Professional Development
On the professional front, development is about more than just learning new skills. It’s about gaining experience, building networks, and continuously improving. Taking on new challenges at work, attending workshops, obtaining certifications, or pursuing further education can keep you ahead of the curve.
Many industries today demand professionals who can pivot quickly, adapt to new tools, and work seamlessly with AI and machine learning technologies. For example, legal software like IBM Watson is now able to advocate more efficiently than new lawyers. In healthcare, AI systems can diagnose diseases like cancer more accurately than human doctors. The takeaway is simple: professionals who don’t reskill may soon find themselves without a job.
3. Avoiding the “Kodak Moment” in Your Career
We often talk about "Kodak moments" as something to be captured and remembered. But in the context of personal and professional growth, a "Kodak moment" is something to avoid. It symbolizes the danger of complacency. Just like Kodak, professionals who refuse to innovate and adapt can easily fall behind.
To avoid this, one must be proactive in seeking out opportunities for growth. This means regularly assessing your skill set, identifying gaps, and filling them through learning and training. In many industries, roles that exist today may be gone tomorrow. By focusing on upskilling and reskilling, individuals can ensure that they remain competitive and adaptable to whatever the future holds.
Examples of Companies that Adapted and Thrived
While companies like Kodak fell victim to stagnation, other businesses recognized the need to evolve and reaped the rewards. Microsoft, for instance, shifted from a software-first company to a cloud-focused powerhouse. Similarly, Netflix transitioned from a DVD rental service to a streaming platform, disrupting the entertainment industry in the process. Amazon transformed from an online bookstore into one of the most versatile and dominant e-commerce platforms in the world, expanding into cloud computing, entertainment, and even AI.
The common thread among these companies is their commitment to innovation. They understood that growth wasn’t just about expanding market share; it was about being willing to pivot, embrace new technologies, and disrupt their own business models before someone else did.
What Does the Future Hold?
Predicting the future is impossible, but one thing is certain: change is inevitable. In the next 20 years, 90% of today’s cars will be replaced by electric or autonomous vehicles. Driverless cars will reduce accidents, eliminate the need for traffic police, and eventually make car insurance companies obsolete. Even parking attendants and mechanics may find their roles redundant as automation and AI take over.
The key to thriving in this future is resilience. Being willing to adapt, learn new skills, and embrace change will make the difference between success and failure. Workers who focus on specializing in areas where machines cannot replace them will be the ones who survive the coming waves of automation. These could be fields requiring human judgment, emotional intelligence, or creative problem-solving—traits that are difficult, if not impossible, to automate.
Conclusion: Keep Changing With the Times
The ultimate takeaway from the examples of Kodak and Uber, legal software, and AI-powered diagnostics is simple: those who cannot change with the times will be left behind. Whether in your personal or professional life, growth, evolution, and adaptability are essential.
As industries shift and technology continues to develop at breakneck speed, the only way to thrive is by embracing personal and professional development. Focus on upskilling, stay informed, and never settle into a state of complacency. By constantly evolving, you ensure that you are not only keeping up with the times but staying ahead of them.
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