Three things about good jobs in a new economy
The reason that Uber drivers will always struggle
They don't have a relationship with the customer. It turns out that finding a customer and knowing where he wants to go is almost as valuable as having a car and knowing how to drive it. Because Uber and other middlemen are earning permission to connect with their customers, the driver will always get the short end of the stick.
They can easily replace the driver, but the driver can't easily replace Uber.
It's clearly difficult to gain the trust and attention of customers. Which is precisely why it's the best way to build an asset.
The world is here, knocking at our door
The Almond range extender is a pretty cool wifi device. Mine had a hiccup, so I called tech support. In just a few minutes on a toll free line, Maan Thapa graciously identified and fixed my problem, throwing in a few suggestions as well. Maan is from Nepal and he works in India. The Almond is manufactured in Taipei and their marketing is done in Dubai.
Proximity is overrated.
If the boss can write it down, she can find someone cheaper than you to do the work
Probably a robot. The best jobs are jobs where we don't await instructions, where using good judgment and taking initiative are far more important than obedience.
The economy is now powered by connection, not industry. Connection and innovation and the instant movement of data means that the rules most of us grew up with are quickly becoming obsolete.
In Linchpin and Icarus, I laid out the math of our future at work. All the demagoguery doesn't matter, because those old-fashioned, well-paid common factory jobs, powered by a steam engine or an assembly line—they're not coming back.
Instead, we have a chance to invent something extraordinary in their place.