Two Things On A Tuesday - 11/02/2025
What I've been thinking about
Hi. Hello. Hey.
It’s Tuesday. And here are two quick notes on things I’ve found intriguing or worth sharing.
Thing #1 - Play and work
My nephew and I play a game where all the trains, buses, and trams in his imaginary town have broken down. He’s a terrible mayor, but eventually, he gets things running again so that Bunny from Barcelona and Teddles from Dublin can make it to the pub. Watching him troubleshoot his tiny transport crisis makes me wonder; could this be his future job?
Futurist Morris Miselowski predicts that by 2040, one of the most in-demand jobs will be in driverless transport and logistics. Metro has been testing autonomous trains near my house, but when all transport is driverless, who steps in when things go wrong? The future will need chaos experts—people who can think on their feet when the system glitches or the perfect algorithm collides with an imperfect world.
The skills needed for the future are care, computing, cognitive ability, and communication. AI can only do one. Maybe my nephew’s game isn’t just play; it’s training for what’s coming.
Thing #2 - Career Relevance
Over the past year, I’ve been thinking a lot about career relevance because, as a woman in advertising, there’s this stuff called ageism and sexism that create an expiry date. Three key lessons have shaped my perspective.
First, Rishad Tobaccowala’s advice: “Do not outsource your future to your company.” Your career is your responsibility. By actively managing it through developing skills, networks, and opportunities, you gain more control over your income and longevity in any role.
Second, Zoe Scaman’s Growth² framework, originally for brands, applies to careers too. Instead of seeing careers as linear, think of them as exponential systems that can grow in value through networks, disciplines, and adaptability. Expand your skills not just to climb the next rung but to build a unique ecosystem that makes you indispensable.
Finally, Kara Swisher’s insight: Monetise your value. Your expertise is a product so you should own it, market it, and find ways to capitalise on it beyond a salary. Thought leadership, licensing ideas, and positioning your perspective as an asset can reshape how we think about strategy careers.
We need to reframe relevance so it’s less about just keeping up and more about building something too valuable to ignore.
Until next week, happy trails.
Cat