Adam Gonnerman

More than a decade ago, sitting across from a Brazilian consultant who was reviewing my resume for a potential project management opportunity, I received a verdict I was not expecting. He looked up from the page and said, matter-of-factly: "You're a theologian." He was not wrong about my degree. I hold a Bachelor of Ministry, earned through an accelerated program at Harding University that covered nearly four years of biblical, counseling, and ministry education in two. But in the standard Brazilian professional framework, you are what your degree says you are. My PMP certification, my years of project management experience, my track record of delivering complex initiatives meant very little in that moment. I had graduated into theology. Therefore I was a theologian. I thought about that conversation years later when I enrolled in a Master of Arts program in management with a concentration in project management, made possible through Viacom's employee education bene...

In the ever-evolving landscape of employment, certain professions that once played crucial roles in society have quietly faded into obscurity. Draftsmen, switchboard operators, elevator operators, typists, stenographers, and countless others have become relics of a bygone era, casualties of the relentless march of progress. Today, we don't long for their return, but it's worth contemplating the challenges that these transitions posed to individuals and communities alike. Imagine a time when being a draftsman meant meticulously handcrafting intricate technical drawings or when switchboard operators deftly connected calls through a labyrinth of wires. Elevator operators guided passengers safely to their desired floors, typists transcribed volumes of documents, and stenographers skillfully captured spoken words in shorthand. These professions were once vital, providing livelihoods and contributing to the functioning of society. As these jobs gradually faded away, it must have been...