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Which is what (channeling Madonna) I have been telling myself over the last couple of weeks.
No, not gonna go all Castro here, not my thing.
But still, Madonna is famous for reinventing herself, and reinvention is a skill worth learning.
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Website In A Weekend is pivoting. That is, finding the next stepping stone on the business path to smashing success, by reinventing the site. Long time readers have been watching this reinvention, this pivoting process, over the last few months. It’s more evolution than revolution, and it’s nowhere near done.
Statistically, 90% of you readers should be doing this (pivoting, reinventing) as well. Unless you’re succeeding beyond your wildest dreams already.
Now, I’m not a big fan of the word “pivoting” applied to starting a small business, but it’s the word all the Cool Kids are using, so we’ll use it here.
And that’s what Madonna has done her whole career: pivoted her brand – her image – to stay relevant with the changing taste and needs of her audience.
I’ve done it too, pivoted my technical skill set to stay current with what’s driving the market. Back in the early 80s, I worked in the oilfield. In the mid-80s, worked construction. In the 90s, I tried to trump the whole process with formal education, which lead to more pivoting (at a much higher level) in wireless sensor technology and model simulation.
About 3 years ago, I started over, from ground zero, a total reinvention. Marketing is now part of everything I do, instead of being this more-than-slightly distasteful task unworthy of attention.
The curious, and game-changing, piece of this reinvention puzzle, is NOT that technology is becoming obsolete faster than it can be mastered. That sucks, but it’s a known problem.
Now, entire markets come and go within the span of a few years.
So, what?
So, this: mastery still matters.1
In fact, it matters more than ever. Recall I just stated that technology and markets are coming and going too fast to master. While this is true, why are companies finding it so hard to find the people to fill jobs?
Because companies need people with mastery-level skills, who can instantly reinvent themselves to meet their market.
“But how,” I can hear you ask, “am I to develop mastery when markets and technology change so fast?”
Simple: focus on the hard, boring and market-independent skills that so few people do well.
“And what might those market-independent skill be?”
That’s an excellent question, allow me to restate it:
What are the market- and technology-independent skills you must master to allow channeling your inner Madonna?
I’m genuinely curious. Let’s discuss in the comment section below.
Before we get started…
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Lady Gaga appears to be on the same road as Madonna, continually reinventing herself to serve the needs of her audience. Check this out: the tramp can pivot!
Ok, now let’s talk reinvention
1. I was highly tempted to go all PC on this mastery thing, in honor of my friend Kelly Diels. As a credentialed feminist (she has a degree!), mastery smacks of master-y. Clearly, in poor taste. But what’s the alternative? Mistress-y? We’re not that kind of blog, thankyouverymuch.
