I am reading the novel Parrot and Olivier in America, by Peter Carey. It is based on the travels of a young French nobleman, Alexis de Tocqueville, who visited the United States in the early 1800s and wrote about the young country.  His observations about the American “character” and society were captured in his work, Democracy in America. I am not madly enjoying the book, but I am sufficiently intrigued by the human characterization of a developing nation to press on.

What strikes me is, at that time, everyone was in some form or other an “artist” or an “entrepreneur”.  In the absence of rules and a strict blueprint for acceptable behavior, the human spirit seemed inventive, daring, courageous, self-reliant and devious.  When employment was unstable and social structures in flux, people were forced to live off their wits and to make things happen for themselves.

It could be argued that, outside of certain well-established institutions, conditions two hundred years ago bear some resemblance to those today. Everywhere we look today, the rules are changing.  The old codes and expectations of employers and employees are outdated.  The way we work and the way we think about work is splintered and fragmented.  In a 24/7, wired (or wireless?) world, work is everywhere and nowhere.  The job we have today is not necessarily the job we will have tomorrow because funding or positions can dry up overnight, industries and priorities can change, whole organizations and jobs can implode.

In short, we would do well to be able to use some of the skills that the early settlers in this country had to develop, skills not dissimilar to those of the artist and of the entrepreneur. Here are some of them:

• Foster a belief that you have the capacity to make something from nothing.  View your efforts to write a resume and to fashion a career out of disparate experiences as your opportunity to shape something of substance out of unprocessed or even unpromising materials.
• Develop an ability to make sense out of chaos and confusion.  Build your sense-making capabilities, and tell yourself and others a more compelling story about who you are, what you have done and, more importantly, what you can and will do once you have seized the opportunity.
• Become an expert or a thought leader.  In a world of specialization and fragmentation, you can identify a little corner that you make your own.  Feed it, nurture it, fence it, own it and help others understand its value.
• Become an explorer.  Don’t expect a nice, well paved road ahead of you at all times.  The adventurous traveler is willing to go into new territories, to explore unmade paths and to take some risks.  There is some danger to this, but there is also the possibility of unexpected rewards.
• Reach out to others who share your experience.  It could help to see you are not alone. And, if you seek connection with other fellow travelers, you never know where your adventure may lead.  Two hundred years ago, people had the advantage of high density human interaction; we will have to make do with social media, the internet and old fashioned, face-to-face communication. 

Times were tough in America two hundred years ago, and, for many, they are tough today.  But, with an artistic, creative eye for an opportunity, and with an entrepreneurial, can-do spirit, you can ride the waves of change and fashion a career path for yourself that others will come to admire.

Fredia Woolf, founder of Woolf Consulting, blogs to help people improve their workplace effectiveness and optimize their careers.  As an organizational consultant and leadership coach, she works with clients to increase insight, inspiration and impact. She can be reached at fwoolf@woolfconsulting.com.

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Last updated on November 10th, 2010 at 03:21 pm