In 2018, a Forbes article said that in 2020 the Top 10 Skills required to thrive in what they termed the Fourth Industrial Revolution would be as follows:
- Complex problem solving
- Critical thinking
- Creativity
- People management
- Coordinating with others
- Emotional intelligence
- Judgment and decision making
- Service orientation
- Negotiation
- Cognitive flexibility
A couple of months into 2020, however, before we even had a chance to add these skills to our resumes or LinkedIn profiles, our world changed. We moved our offices home and wrestled with our laptops and lighting and interesting backgrounds to prepare for the multitude of virtual meetings to come. We replaced our commutes with everyday-casual and struggled to find the line between work life and home life. We dealt with frequently changing information, technology glitches, shutdowns, open-ups, isolation, and a whole lotta Zoom fatigue.
So, it’s no wonder that when we look at the Top 10 Skills for 2021 identified in a recent Forbes article, they look a tad bit different.
- Growth mindset
- Continuous learning
- Critical thinking
- Survival skills (adaptability, grit)
- Resilience, curiosity
- Flexibility
- Dedication
- Coaching mindset
- Comfort with ambiguity
- Thriving in a virtual environment
What have you learned about yourself over the past year as you adapted to our new way of working and the impact of a global pandemic? Which of these skills did you use and strengthen? Which ones do you need to further develop to be prepared for our often-ambiguous world going forward?
Think about it.
Till next time, keep it real.
Karen
