In the days when many baby boomers were emerging from university, a now well known scholar, Edgar Schein, published research that explored executive self-perceived talents, values, and motives in relation to career choices. He developed a model of “career anchors” and proposed that once formed these anchors become a stabilizing force in one’s career. His original study identified 5 anchors and the model was later expanded to 8 including: Autonomy/Independence; Security/ Stability; Technical-Functional Competence; General Managerial Competence; Entrepreneurial Creativity; Service/ Dedication to a Cause; Pure Challenge; and Life Style.

For years about half of the executives surveyed using Schein’s model self assessed across General Management and Technical-Functional anchors. More recent survey data suggests that Life Style is the dominant career anchor among young executives. Service/ Dedication to a Cause and Entrepreneurial Creativity are also anchors on the rise.

The model seems to have merit but what do these shifts observed by Schein say about society and what should organizations and individuals do about it? Here are a few thoughts: Smaller is getting better and better.   Larger organizations will decompose into more and smaller business units. New business models akin to cooperative movements will increase. The role of academic institutions will evolve more to become mash ups of people and businesses. Some would say this is happening now evidenced by the many incubators popping up across campuses and communities.

Then again Schein’s model takes the perspective of the individual. Maybe these individual shifts towards life style, service to a cause, and entrepreneurial creativity will be met by organizational shifts in the opposite direction. We might see more centralization and acquisition resulting in more, larger organizations where individuals carve out their careers.

In any event, the changing tide in these career anchor waters will likely require organizations and individuals to work differently and focus efforts on matching the right person(s) to the right job(s).  As you weigh anchor you’ll need to steady your career ship before you chart course.