Circumference of career stability
When it comes to physical health, human beings have a built-in safeguards that keeps us within a circumference of physical safety. We may wander far, but when we wander too far, we will feel the threat of danger and we turn back. Within our careers, we also have built-in safeguards that keep us within a circumference of career stability. Our position requires specific results and we have to stay within the circle of activity that provides these results. If we are unable to provide results over a period of time, our career could very well be in danger. Repeatable work habits are very predictable, so they will usually provide results with little risk. If we keep our foot on the gas, we will usually arrive at our destination.

Skilled work within traditional institution-guided positions have a circumference of career stability; some written, some unwritten. There are governmental, company, industry and traditional ways of doing things. Keeping up with all aspects of a profession or skilled trade is more mandatory than voluntary, but keeping up means career longevity.

Organized unions impose a circumference of career stability within a written contract, to protect their members. When a union contract comes up for renewal, the circumference sees heavy pressure from each side. If a contractual circumference does not sufficiently follow market conditions; the company, the union or both can become unstable.

For Unconventional Experts, career protection means results. There is no circumference of career stability. This is tricky, since the individual work-process includes failure. How can an Unconventional Expert produce results and failure at the same time? It is important to understand that the foundation of every position is in the requirements. First and foremost, all employees have to provide results consistent with the agreements they make with their employer. Although, being on an expert-trek can be beneficial to one’s company, it is a personal journey that needs to be traveled above and beyond the requirements of the position. If the individual work-process causes risk for the employer, the employer has the right to accept or deny the risk. Work with risk should always commence as a partnership, between the employee and employer, with expectations in plain view.

Companies take the risk
Certainly, there are jobs that require workers to take risks, from a health perspective. Financially and legally, companies take the brunt of risk. Outside of an employee’s circumference of career stability stands the employer; the foundation of the stability. In the free market, it is the survival of the fittest and companies that fall tend to fall quite hard. People who leave their jobs to start their own company learn this very quickly. Although, employment can end at any time, the umbrella that a company provides its employees should be appreciated. Companies are in existence to provide a good and/or service, but they can’t sell a single widget without compliance with laws, regulations, taxes and insurance policies. Operating expenses range from company to company, but they are never small. In the marketplace, goods and services battle each other and companies risk everything. Winning market share is necessary, but market share means nothing without adequate profitability. At a moment’s notice, the rules of the game can change. Trying to stay ahead of the game is nearly impossible. Not trying could be detrimental.

Most employees are sheltered from this storm. If an employee has a bad day, they can take a personal day. Companies don’t get personal days, they have to be structurally sound all of the time. Of risk and reward, the employee gets the much better deal. If a company compensates an employee, supports expert-level growth and takes the brunt of the risks, that company is providing a top opportunity. In comparison, colleges supportive expert-level growth, however, they take no risk and they charge people money rather than pay people money.

Avoidance of failure
When a career functions comfortably within the parameters of a circumference of career stability, the concept of failure is removed. The company takes care of risk and failure takes place outside of the circumference. The employee needs to produce activity within the circle and achieve results. Failure outside of the circumference is someone else’s failure, so risk needs to stay outside of the circumference as well.

In many ways, the difference between an expert and a non-expert is the understanding of risk and failure.

Experts accept risk and can handle failure.