Fast-paced technological innovations mean that most of us will soon share our workplaces with artificial intelligences and bots. How will you stay ahead of the curve? Start by adopting a commitment to lifelong learning. This mindset will help you develop the 10 skills you need to succeed in the workplace of tomorrow:
1. Creativity
Workers in the future will need to be creative to fully realise the benefits of all the new products, ways of working and technologies. Robots can’t compete with humans on creativity. The future workplace is going to demand new ways of thinking, and human creativity is the key to it.
2. Emotional intelligence (EQ)
Your ability to be aware of, control and express your own emotions as well as be cognizant of the emotions of others describes your emotional intelligence. You exhibit high emotional intelligence if you have empathy, integrity and work well with others. A machine can’t easily replace a human’s ability to connect with another human being, so those with high EQ will be in demand.
3. Analytical thinking
A worker with critical thinking skills can suggest innovative solutions and ideas, solve complex problems using reasoning and logic, and evaluate arguments. The first step in critical thinking is to analyse the flow of information from various resources. After observing a situation, a strong analytical thinker can rely on logical reasoning rather than emotion to assess the pros and cons of a situation and be open-minded to the best possible solution. People with strong analytic thinking will be needed to navigate the human/machine division of labour.
4. Active learning with a growth mindset
To stay competitive, every worker needs to actively learn and grow. If you foster a growth mindset, you’ll understand that your abilities and intelligence can be developed, and your efforts to build skills will result in higher achievement. You must take on challenges, learn from mistakes and actively seek new knowledge.
5. Judgement and decision-making
Your decision-making will become more complex in the future workplace. Although machines and data can process information and provide insights that would be impossible for humans to gather, someone will still need to recognise the broader implications before committing to a decision.
As technology takes away more menial and mundane tasks, it will leave humans to do more higher-level decision-making.
6. Interpersonal communication skills
The ability to exchange information amongst individuals and teams will be a vital skill during the Fourth Industrial Revolution. You should hone your ability to communicate effectively with other people so that you’re able to say the right things — and use the right tone of voice and body language — to bring your message across.
7. Leadership skills
You want to cultivate traits commonly associated with leadership, such as being inspiring and helping others become the best versions of themselves. Although today’s typical organisational chart might look a bit different from what’s to come, leaders are always needed. Learn to take the lead on project teams and work with other employees to tackle issues and develop solutions.
8. Diversity and cultural intelligence
As our world and workplaces become more diverse and open, it’s vital that you develop the skills to understand, respect and work with others despite differences in race, culture, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, and political or religious beliefs, among others. The ability to understand and adapt to others who might have different ways of perceiving the world will not only improve how people interact within an organisation or team but can also make a company’s products and services more inclusive and successful.
9. Technology skills
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is fuelled by technological innovations such as artificial intelligence, big data, virtual reality, blockchain and more. This means that everyone must acquire a certain level of comfort around technology. Employees in most roles will be required to access data and determine how to act on it, which requires some technical skills. You must be able to understand the potential impact of new technologies on your industry, business and job.
10. Embracing change
The workplace is quickly evolving, and you must be agile enough to embrace and celebrate change. Not only will your brain need to be flexible, but you’ll also need to be adaptable to shifting workplaces, expectations and skill sets. The ability to see change not as a burden but as an opportunity to grow and innovate is one of the most important skills you’ll need to thrive.
Since the half-life of a skill has dropped from 30 years to an average of 6, it’s time for all of us to begin acquiring skills that will make us valuable resources in the future workplace. What’s the first new skill you plan to tackle?
