World Economic Forum published The Future of Jobs Report 2023 on skills and behaviours that we all need in the coming 5 years at working life. Out of the 25, I chose three most relevant for good communicaters.
How to develop your creative thinking, curiosity & lifelong learning and motivation & self-awareness?
Creative thinking
So often we think wrong on creativity. It is not about playing the piano. At work it means the ability to see further, to come up with fresh ideas, to think differently and to inspire others. It also means being inspired by others and building a culture that embraces creativity. Negativity and hurry kill all creative thinking.
Make time for inspiration. Do you already have meetings solely dedicated to fresh ideas?. Before meetings pause for a moment and charge yourself positively to human interaction, to meeting other peopl. Keep a diary of Joy and Inspiration, to recognise these feelings in yourself.
Think: What inspires you, what are your interests? Where do you get your best ideas? Whom could you learn from?
Curiosity and lifelong learning
Our brain is elastic which makes us capable of learning new all the time, at any age. We have the same ability at older age than toddlers have when they learn new skills daily at the speed of light. Resilience, cognitive flexibility and agility which are also on the list of the top 25 skills, underline the art of lifelong learning and curiosity.
Keep rolling. Don’t get stuck on autopilot. Stay open to new perspectives in life, talk to people of different generations or industries, get excited about new phenomena. Take a new route to work, run your daily run the other way, accept to read something that was recommended to you, try something for the first time or start a new hobby. In meetings, choose a different seat.
Getting stuck is not age-related. It is what our brain suggests, as it is programmed to save our energy by eliminating worry and keeping us safe from harm.
Motivation and self-awareness
Good self-awareness helps in succeeding with other people at work. Make an effort to increase your self-awareness at all times: ask for feedback from you co-workers and the ones near to you. Your own self-image might not be the same the others have.
Ask how others see you, how your behavior and communication style makes them feel. Reflect the feedback and change your behavior in different work life situations and when meeting people with different communication styles than yours. Plan how to act in pressured situations to avoid simply reacting to it. Keep conscious on what you bring into the situation.
Understand what motivates you in working life. Is it helping others, learning new or making decisions and having power? Think why you like you work and what has made you “tick” before. Motivation cannot be given – it’s yours to figure it out.
The culture of each workplace is formed by the very people there. We all contribute to trust and empathy, that are the corner stones of a productive and psychologically safe culture.
Ahjo is happy to help you to build future skills.
10 skills that we all need are:
Creative thinking
Analytical thinking
Technological literacy
Curiosity and lifelong learning
Resilience, flexibility and agility
System thinking
AI and big data
Motivation and self-awareness
Talent management
Service orientation and customer service
