A
Niche is More Than a Little Hole
The concepts of field of
endeavor and livelihood are useful, but dated; they're rooted in
the work environment of the past, which was permanent and stable, and
which no longer exists for most people. Like the concepts of job and
career, they stem from a world of work in which the employer defines
exactly how the job will be done. In the old world of work, a job was
a box, sized and shaped by the employer, and carefully defined by the
job description. The worker had to be — or become — the same
size and shape as the box, and his or her individual capabilities, skills
and preferences were useful only if and when they fit within the confines
of that box.
A niche, in contrast to
the job box, is a custom-fit solution to an employer's need. It
benefits the employer because the worker brings added value to the task
by contributing his or her own experience, creativity and unique perspective.
It benefits the worker, who is no longer stuffed into a one-size-fits-all
box. Instead, the worker helps adapt the position to his or her own
personal shape; a shape which, like an amoeba, continues to change and
grow all the time, as new circumstances develop and creative ways are
found to improve the match between the person and the task.
The concept of a niche
fits right in with seeing the workplace as a marketplace. Picture a
busy public market, where buyers and sellers of goods and services are
all crowded together in a space that's alive with negotiations and
transactions. Most sellers have a booth or space from which they operate;
your niche is like your booth in the molecular marketplace. It displays
the quality and features of the product or service you're selling.
It's also a platform from which to tell buyers about the advantages
of your product, answer questions and negotiate deals. If you were selling
baked goods in a public market, you'd probably locate your booth
near other bakers, but you'd try to differentiate it to make it
look more attractive. If the marketplace changed and you found the foot
traffic around your booth had diminished, you'd be flexible enough
to pack up and relocate to a place that was more lively. As MMI,
Inc, your booth (niche) expresses your workplace identity in
the current environment, functions as your home base, and differentiates
you from the rest of the crowd.
To be successful, every
worker today will need to develop a niche. Whether you're a long-term
shop-floor employee, a temporary office worker, an executive, a professional
or an entrepreneur, your niche will put you in charge of your own destiny
— self-reliant, self-managing, and able to act at your own discretion.
Creating a niche requires that you first understand and meet your employer's
needs, and then exceed those needs by bringing added value through contributions
only you can offer. Your niche will create a unique place for MMI,
Inc, and your uniqueness will make you indispensable, too valuable
to let go in a crunch. . . .
