Deployment vs. Employment
For hundreds of years employment has been the main avenue through which many people have earned a living. The majority of human beings make ends meet by working as employees in their various fields of service. According to wikipedia, an employee is “A person in the service of another under any contract of hire, express or implied, oral or written, where the employer has the power or right to control and direct the employee in the material details of how the work is to be performed.” From this definition, employment is characterised by two key things: being hired and being directed. As an employee, you have to do exactly as you are asked to do. This limits your ability to make a significant mark in society.
If we are going to make a solid mark we have to go beyond employment to deploying ourselves in society. I define deployment simply as strategically developing and positioning yourself in your field of service so as to utilize your talents in a way that makes the greatest difference. Deployment means understanding that your career and legacy are in your hands. Speaker Brian Tracy says, “The biggest mistake we could ever make in our lives is to think we work for anybody but ourselves.” Granted, we may be employed but we must understand that our ultimate goal should be to deploy ourselves.
Making a mark begins with finding your unique talents and your special role and purpose in the world. The key to deployment is self-knowledge. It is essential to know yourself before you decide what work you want to do. Most people blindly seek employment without first taking the time to know themselves. The Greek philosophy, “Know yourself, control yourself, give yourself” perfectly captures the essence of deployment. Your talents are the foundation for the mark that you will make in society.
