The Rise of "Free Agent Nation"

What is "Free Agent Nation"?

As the US and world economies continue to endure one of the most challenging economic periods in recent history, there's a quiet revolution taking place in how we balance our careers with our family life. The term "Free Agent Nation" was most recently brought to life by Dan Pink, author of "Free Agent Nation", where he describes the current trends surrounding an increasing desire of individuals to become independent consultants.

New Trends - New Economy - and a Return to Traditional Values

There are a number of changes happening in our economy and our society that are fueling the rise of the Free Agents, such as:

1. Corporate Downsizing - as many of our larger corporations continue to cut costs by reducing personnel, many individuals are finding it necessary to strike out on their own to develop a new income stream.

2. Employee Burnout - some of the employees who "survived" the downsizing are finding the demands of their corporate positions to be too much. Burnout is driving some to consider options that would put them back in control of their lives.

3. Traditional Family Values - since the tragedy of 9/11, more people have been evaluating priorities and values in their lives. Trading one's life over to a corporation that no longer provides any measure of "job security" is slowly losing its' appeal in favor of spending more time with friends and family.

4. Outsourcing - the number two activity for reducing costs in the corporate structure provides a lot of opportunity for Free Agents to position themselves as a place to be "outsourced to".

Benefits to the Free Agent Consultant

Most independents agree that the benefits of being a Free Agent far outweigh the challenges. The most noted benefits include:

1. Flexibility - there's nothing like being able to develop your own schedule, decide which clients you want to work with and which ones you don't, being there for a child's ball game or performance, and not having to "play in the traffic" early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The ultimate ability to balance one's personal life with their career is a major driving influence in a Free Agent's life.

2. Creativity - as I've interviewed people who have left the corporate structure after many faithful years of service, I've been amazed to see how much the art of being creative has been lost. Most Free Agents get really excited about being able to unleash their creative abilities in a consulting assignment. It is miles away from hearing someone tell you "go sit in the corner - that's not the way we do things here".

3. The Ability to "Make a Difference" - solving a problem and producing a valuable result for someone is at the heart of what motivates and excites many of us.

Benefits to a Company that Hires Free Agents

The benefits of utilizing Free Agent Consultants are as varied as the problems they solve. Some of the more common benefits:

1. Acquire Short-Term Capacity or Skills - a company can increase their capacity or fill in a missing skill without all the overhead of hiring employees.

2. Ability to Dedicate Focused Effort to Resolve a Situation - with employees being consistently stretched to the max, many companies don't even have the ability or time in-house to analyze a situation, much less resolve it.

3. New Perspectives and Solutions - sometimes the answer to problems sits right in front of our face, but if we can't see it, we can't implement it. Outside assistance can often help us acquire a new perspective on an old problem.

4. Enthusiasm and Dedication to Complete the Project - a Free Agent knows it is easier to let them go than it is an employee. Their dedication to pleasing a company is very high. Their pay is tied to their performance, which creates continuous motivation to get things done right the first time.

The Challenge

There are unlimited opportunities in our global economy for companies to become more profitable through the use of Free Agent consultants, and for Free Agents to develop a career that works for them, not against them. There are, however, two major challenges to be overcome.

First, consultants must learn how to effectively sell and market their services - focusing on being an investment to a company, rather than an expense. Return on investment (ROI) is something all Free Agents must come to understand, and be able to show a prospective client how they will produce a return.

On the other side of the table, companies must be willing to invest wisely to improve their situation. Many companies have "locked up" their budgets and refused to spend on anything but bare necessities during this economic downturn. It would be a mistake to wait until things were "like they were" a few years back to start spending again. We have no guarantee that things will ever be "like it was". We only have to look to nature to see that everything is either growing or dying - there is no "standing still". Refusing to invest in the future may look like "standing still", but if there is no growth, there is only one alternative.

It's time to get the world's economy rolling again, for the sake of all of our families, and hiring local Free Agents is certainly one way to do it.

Since June of 2001, Sheyenne has combined her past experiences in project management, recruiting and consulting with her passion for helping local economies grow through small business. Triangle Solutions Alliance, a leading-edge business model, is designed to assist individuals, entrepreneurs, non-profits and small businesses to expand their enterprise, increase their productivity and promote wellness of their organizations, employees and selves.for more information please visit in link www.thepartnerconnector.com/test/