Not many years ago most people spent their entire working lives with a single firm. Anyone who held more than one or two jobs over his or her career seemed just a bit odd. Companies, businesses and products appeared immortal. If you made machine tools, furniture, fabric, fasteners or most anything else, you always would. The world was a pretty static place and you could depend on markets, companies and careers to be around for a long time.
But it only seemed that way because people saw the world in the short term. Businesses, markets, and people’s lives and careers were, are, and always will be extremely dynamic. That which is solid and dependable today could be very different in the future, and that future may be only days away!