Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations)
getty
Earlier in my career, I found myself struggling to decide what I wanted to accomplish after working in a position that I didn't find fulfilling. I was stuck in a rut and didn’t know how to get out.
That's when I happened upon an article that talked about the necessity of acquiring new skills and addressed how jobs were changing rapidly with the emergence of new technologies. But it also made clear that some characteristics, like creativity, emotional intelligence and problem-solving skills, could never be replaced by technology.
This concept piqued my interest, and I began to consider how I could develop these skills. I came to the conclusion that while I had always been curious and passionate about learning, I had never truly made an effort to hone these abilities. So I began looking at various pre-skilling strategies.
I began by taking some online courses on topics that interested me, and I also began reading books and articles on subjects about which I knew very little (or nothing) beforehand. I even signed up for a few online networks and forums to learn from experts in other areas.
It was tough at first. I felt completely out of my depth and had trouble understanding many of the concepts. But I eventually began to get the hang of it. I started to make connections between various concepts and industries, and I also started to gain a better knowledge of how everything interacted with each other.
I started to see changes in myself as I pre-skilled more. I gained more self-assurance in my capacity to pick up new skills, and I felt more at ease taking on new challenges. Additionally, I began to recognize connections and new opportunities that I had never seen before.
It didn’t take long before I managed to get a job interview for a position for which I had never before been qualified. Unexpectedly, the interview went well, and I was offered the position. It gave me a lot more confidence and made me understand how beneficial pre-skilling had been.
Since then, I've tried to keep up my pre-skilling and knowledge expansion in a variety of subjects. It's not always simple, and it takes a lot of commitment and effort, but the benefits are great.
Developing Skills For The Future Of Work
As a result of technological advancements and increasing societal needs, the landscape of work and in-demand skills is constantly changing, creating uncertainty about the nature of labor in the future. Despite the difficulty in predicting the particular skills that will be required in the future, there are some qualities and abilities that people will unquestionably benefit from having.
Below I provide suggestions on how to help individuals get ready for an uncertain future and provide particular examples of how companies might help their staff members develop these crucial abilities.
Curiosity
Prioritizing and encouraging curiosity are essential if you want to properly train your team for an unpredictable future. Organizations that nurture a culture of curiosity in their workers ultimately create a setting where people are more able to learn new things, adapt to novel circumstances and solve tough challenges.
For instance, Google's well-known "20% time" policy permits staff members to devote 20% of their workweek to side initiatives and pursuits unrelated to their primary duties. Gmail and Google Maps are two technologies made possible by this strategy.
Emotional Intelligence
Another essential trait for a future filled with uncertainty is emotional intelligence. Employees who have strong emotional intelligence are better able to communicate clearly, negotiate the intricacies of interpersonal interactions and control their own emotions. Employers can support the growth of emotional intelligence by offering training programs and promoting self-analysis.
For instance, the Cleveland Clinic's empathy project taught healthcare professionals how to recognize and respond to patients' emotional needs, improving patient satisfaction and health results.
Resilience
To handle the pressures and setbacks that come with facing an uncertain future, resilience is crucial. Employers can support employee resilience through fostering well-being and a growth mentality and offering support networks.
For instance, IBM's well-being initiative gives staff members access to stress-reduction courses, fitness classes and mental health resources. Employee productivity and health have improved as a result of the program.
Drive
Another essential quality for success in an uncertain future is drive. Driven employees are self-motivated, disciplined and risk-takers. Organizations may encourage drive by establishing clear objectives and giving workers chances to take responsibility for their work.
In the "FedEx Day" program, for instance, employees of the software business Atlassian are given 24 hours to work on any project of their choice. Innovative ideas and greater staff involvement have resulted from this initiative.
Intelligence
The ability to think critically is also essential in today's uncertain world. Being book smart is important, but so is the ability to pick things up quickly, change course when necessary and overcome challenges. By fostering an environment of intellectual curiosity and offering chances for lifelong learning, organizations can aid employees in growing as intelligent individuals.
For instance, the consulting company Accenture provides a variety of training courses and other materials to assist staff in honing their analytical and problem-solving abilities. This kind of training can raise employee retention and improve client satisfaction.
Conclusion
Focusing on acquiring knowledge and abilities that are difficult for technology to replace is essential for preparing your employees for an uncertain future. Organizations may future-proof their talent by encouraging curiosity, emotional intelligence, resilience, drive and intelligence in order to make sure that their staff members are capable of handling any difficulties that may arise. It's about developing people's talents and reinventing their careers before we even know what tomorrow's occupations and in-demand skills will be, not about placing bets on particular specialists or forcing people into predetermined niches. By taking this approach, organizations may develop a workforce that is flexible, creative and equipped to deal with future uncertainties.
Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
