Meet my brothers – Accountability and Responsibility…

The writing is on the wall, has been for years – employers are fast approaching an extended period of more jobs than available resources – and the forecast is totally uncertain, not to mention the impacts on the United States as a leading power…

There are many solutions, some of them are hot topics as they involve outsourcing to other countries like India, China, and elsewhere. But almost everywhere you turn there is a disposition to leave it up to the coming generations to address this issue or to leave it up to the government to deal with it. There are also others that are playing the blame game to one degree or another – blaming anything that is logical or convenient to their plight, letting fear and loathing run their game.

Then there those that are grabbing the bull by the horns – doing the best they can with what is available to them now… and setting up their strategies to account for the coming labor shortage and be responsible for how everything is going to turn out.

Several companies have already taken action, calling on the White House and congress to take action on this issue. They are a group named the Technology CEO Council which is comprosed of the CEO’s of Applied Materials, Dell, EMC2, Hewlitt-Packard, IBM, Intel, Motorola, NCR and Unisys. Recently, they have requested the following…

• Increased funding for science and math education and research and development. Investments in math and science education and R&D directly determine the strength of our future high tech industries and economic strength. Congress must lead today if America is to lead tomorrow.
  


• Ongoing progress to open markets. For the past 50 years, America has led the world in breaking down barriers to trade and economic integration. These efforts have led to a safer, stronger nation and global leadership for American innovators. Congress should continue efforts to break down barriers to trade and expand open markets.
  


• Health Care IT adoption. A health care system transformed through greater use of information technology will save lives and save money. Through changes in laws and regulations and as a market participant, the federal government must work to establish an interoperable health care system. Congress can start by passing the Wired for Health Care Quality Act and sending it to the President.
  


• Radio spectrum reform. We have the technologies and techniques to make more efficient and productive use of our radio spectrum. But current laws, regulation and practices are outdated and limit our ability to deploy innovative services and technologies. We must modernize our wireless laws and regulations to make more spectrum available for new commercial services.

It is reassuring that there are some leaders taking the lead, being responsible and providing an accountability for future generations. Granted this posting is focusing only on technology, hopefully there are other councils that have evolved in other areas of business that perform the same service.

Employees need to do the same by reinventing themselves. Few are working in the field that they studied for during their college years – and it is said that as many as 80% are unhappy but content with their current jobs. What better time to search for the job of your dreams than now?

The future is definitely uncertain – but it will definitely be up to ourselves to make something of it.

“If you want to be happy, take a pill. If you want to make something of it, face the truth.” – Anthony Hopkins in ‘The Edge’.