“Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?”

        It feels like, as Americans, we collectively have this picture in our head of other countries such as India and China, lurking in the shadows.  Sneaking and creeping stealthily, like a stalking predator, just waiting to pounce and steal work from the honest, decent, hard-working people that inhabit these great United States.  A statement that really resonated with me, and feeds into this somewhat unfounded fear, is “When you lose YOUR job, the unemployment rate is not 5.2 percent; its 100 percent.”  In some ways it seems almost silly to be so worried about someone halfway around the world slipping in under the radar and swiping our job right out from under our nose.  In light of the ever flattening world we live in, however, I believe I better start watching where I sneeze!

                Friedman’s novel has been an extremely eye opening experience for me thus far.  As an example, I had recently made the decision to upgrade my cell phone.  Now, because I was at work, and not able to just get up and go to the closest authorized dealer for my particular service, I called up customer service to discuss my options.  Normally, a man with a very thick, Indian sounding accent, telling me his name is “Joseph”, and how can I help you, would have elicited an eye roll from me.   I now just chuckled to myself and thought, “HOLY CRAP!! THE WORLD REALLY IS FLAT!!!” 

Free trade is an integral part of our world as a whole.  There are innumerable instances of countries shutting themselves off to this policy and the disaster that follows.  Yes, they may very well be what we could refer to as “self-sufficient”, but they do not thrive.  There is very little, if any, innovation or progress.  Free trade opens up the world to increased demand.  Increasing need for supplies will in turn increase employment.  Increased employment will feed the desire to stay ahead, which in turn increases breakthroughs and invention.  It seems like a fairly simple win-win scenario overall, although I realize that nothing is ever as simple as it seems.  Especially when it feels as though the “wolf” is pacing the perimeter!

                To survive in this cut-throat type of world, we need to learn new skills to make ourselves so valuable that it would be insane to even consider digitizing what we do, even if it might save a little on cost in the long run.  This adaptable class of people is referred to as the “new middlers”.  This group has to possess specialized skills in order to prove the merit in sticking with them rather than going automated.  Primary in these skills is the ability to effectively collaborate and orchestrate to get the job done.  Team work has always been an important skill to have, but it becomes even more so now.  The flat world is looking for those that can find a way to achieve the desired end result.  Along with this, the new middlers are synthesizers, great explainers, they can leverage their assets, are incredibly adaptable and literally ready to do anything.  They adhere to regulation, and care about renewable resources, have the ability to personalize and localize to add value, and last but definitely not least, they love math!  Whew! That’s quite an extensive list just to make yourself an “untouchable”.

The formula given, CQ + PQ > IQ refers to yet more great tools to navigate through the new flat world.  Passion and curiosity must be nurtured and encouraged.  They are even greater assets today than simple knowledge.  There is literally no limit to what you can learn with the available technology.  Finding subjects that you are deeply passionate about and feeding your curiosity through harnessing the new frontier, now conveniently located at the click of a button, will only serve to add value to what you have to offer.  In other words, just being smart is not necessarily enough to keep the wolves at bay.  You also need the drive and interest to find the quickest, smartest, easiest way to drive them off and keep them from prowling at your doorstep.