It’s time to adopt a growth mindset for future skills
In the midst of great global change, can we afford not to consider our personal development?
Today's newspapers, business journals and online content are all gripped by the pace of technological change, and rightly so. This change looks set to continue, driven by so-called 'frontier technologies' such as Big Data, the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence1.
Much of the reporting has dwelled on the negative impact of digital disruption. Recent headlines from media outlets include: "Will AI And Robots Force You Into Retirement?"2, "How Big Data Feeds a Growing 'Online Mafia'"3... not even our crafts are safe – "A Show of AI-Inspired Art Offers an Unsettling Vision of How Tech Will Affect Us”4.
However it needn't be all doom and gloom. The growth of technology and its uses has long served as a platform for opportunity and advancement, and the 'Fourth Industrial Revolution' is no different. We just need to view these frontier technologies with the right mindset.
In the world of work, the savvy professional is staying a step ahead of the game. They view this advancement as an opportunity. They are recognising that whilst job roles are disappearing, there is growing recruitment for skillsets. Employers in 2019 are not questioning "What is the role you'll fill?", instead asking "What skills can you provide?"
Recognising this shift, and acting upon it is key.
It is time to adopt a growth mindset. To succeed, growing numbers of people are using their existing skills, obtained through education and their careers, and harnessing their growth mindset to further themselves through new skills. It is driving personal development and continuous improvement. It is a hunger and belief that education, and absorbing information is key for the future.
Increasingly, organisations from small, agile start-ups to the world's biggest brands are investing in future skills. 80% of CEOs see the demand for new skills as their greatest business challenge5.
Businesses are now looking to seamless learning experiences to upskill their workforce. "Learning-in-the-flow-of-work" as one senior leader at Banco Santander puts it6. It is a shift across industries which is making centralised organisational training appear outdated in the face of new, personalised approaches. So, these leaders are not only investing in technology, but they are investing in their biggest asset – the mindset of their people.
The opportunities are presenting themselves, so it is time to take education into your own hands. The old adage, "act like a sponge, absorb everything" still holds true as we find ourselves in arguably the greatest global technological change. Adopt your own growth mindset, learn about what interests you, and hone this knowledge into a set of skills.
At Sysdoc, we are certain that future skills is key for our people. This year, we are encouraging all the team to get to grips with their own personal development. To start thinking about the areas which are going to prove key in the coming years. The following blogs in this series will explain further how we're harnessing the power of future skills. From inspiring future leadership to driving a culture change and keeping the tempo high for personal development we will be guiding you through our own story. Let us know your thoughts – on Twitter and LinkedIn.
References:
- UNCTAD Technology and Innovation report - https://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/tir2018_en.pdf
- Forbes - https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephenchen/2019/04/04/will-ai-and-robots-force-you-into-retirement/#463e60ca133d
- The Crime Report - https://thecrimereport.org/2019/04/22/how-big-data-feeds-a-growing-online-mafia/
- The Observer - https://observer.com/2019/04/artificial-intelligence-inspired-art-transfer-gallery-tech-dystopia/
- PwC 22nd Annual Global CEO Survey - https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/ceo-agenda/ceosurvey/2019/gb
- Harvard Business Review - https://hbr.org/2019/02/making-learning-a-part-of-everyday-work
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