Human in the Age of Machine

I had the pleasure of sharing my perspectives on #TheFuture recently at a leadership forum, as the team shapes their strategy and investment choices in the coming years, entitled “The Future”. While I don't pretend to be a futurist predicting how the future will look like, we can’t ignore the pace of multiple innovations working in tandem and moving rapidly on an accelerated trajectory.

For enterprises there is a “clear and present danger“ of losing out and getting caught flat footed by the velocity of changes in science, technology and fabric of society. So how do we navigate these changes?

Navigating these changes might sound a bit like paddling downstream on a long and powerful rapid on a canoe, to do this successfully we need powerful and precise maneuvering, the craft and the crew to be properly equipped to withstand the forces of nature.

Not long time ago, @JackWelch said: “Strategy is not edge in stones”, and this is especially so in this age of dynamic and exponential rate of change. The concept that strategy means you position an anchor in the core idea and gives great capacity to be flexible around the core idea is ever more relevant in today's times.

In fact, predicting the future now is more of a spray and pray really, hence the strategy concerning “The Future” is NOT predicting but INVENTING, the future. We need to take small bets and move at a faster pace, That’s why I really love the tagline from our MAS Fintech Chief for this era, we need to “THINK BIG, START SMALL, MOVE FAST". 

 Think BiG

To succeed in inventing #TheFuture, we need to “#THINKBIG”, in fact the concept of “#DesignThinking” is super apt to ideate and design the future. A very good friend of mine once told me “remove all constraints and limitations, focus on the opportunities and if the opportunities is big enough, you will find the resources to overcome any roadblock”. This is so true, unfortunately majority of the people in the organizations are only interested in laying out the roadblocks and the “WhyNots” instead of putting every ounce of energy on “How to make it Happen”. But that is also why success and prosperity is reserved for the few bold, wise and courageous! 

Men of wisdom and courage who sees beyond, because his/her core intentions is creation for the greater good of man. @MarkZuckerberg says, his mission is to “bring the world closer”.

@ErnestCu, wants to enable financial inclusion for the un-served in Philippines.

"We are confident that having a strategic partner for Mynt will help fulfill our mission of providing financial services in a non-traditional manner that will benefit the majority of our population who are unbanked. With this partnership, we are set to democratize financial services in the Philippines,” said Ernest Cu, Globe President and Chief Executive Officer.

Start small

From the powerful concept by @RickQuek "Small but not Insignificant".

The ability to test and experiment and allow space for creativity, freedom for people and unknowns in process to deliver NEW! Small but impactful engagements can deliver lasting results "similar concept of how a tiny seed on the fertile soil can grow into a big tree delivering fruits, logs, shelter, seeds for further multiplication”.      

Move Fast

As Cisco CEO, John Chambers said in Economic Times may, 2017

“We are competing against market transitions, not competitors.” – In this age and times, you don’t just need foresight, you also need courage and boldness to move with lighting speed. So the organizations that will have a hand print in inventing #TheFuture needs agility and speed. 

I recently shared with the China Media, “How China is Leading The Digital Revolution – at forefront of Industry 4.0”, we had the privileged to work may leading players who are who are #InventingTheFuture when implementing our technologies in Robotics, Biometrics, Big Data and Analytics.

While technology is a big part of the story of “TheFuture”; most in the room agreed that “Technology” is not the big issue.  Most of the discussion turns toward, the role of human in the age of machines.  

Technological Unemployment

The rise of machines is causing un-employment by is taking on labor-saving, “mechanical-muscle” machines or producing more efficiency with “mechanical-minds” (termed-process automation) and moving on to cognitive automation or improved effectiveness with robots-assistance. 

A common assumptions was that new jobs in new industries would allow displaced workers to be utilized. Unfortunately, the reality is not quite so unless someone ACT on it! We all have a social responsibility here. Technological unemployment will be a sooner reality unless organizations start acting, a new wave of up-skilling and re-purposing needs to happen sooner than later. 

In most organizations, we conduct regular audit of our technology & systems for upgrade requirements. While most organizations have planned cycle for technology or system upgrades, we don't pay as much attention to upgrading human capital.  

Fit For Purpose Evaluation 

Design thinking means constantly re-evaluating if the organization is still “Fit for Purpose” and shifting away from metrics-based cultures and seniority-driven promotion programs and hierarchies . Evaluating if systems and technologies is “Fit for Purpose” is something we do regularly with tech refresh cycle, interestingly, this is something organizations don’t do very well with their Capital Asset – Human. 

Human Moving Up The Value Chain

 In our discussion on “Talent for the Future and the pyramid of human contributions”, all agreed that Machines will supply us with the insight and the perspective we need to solve real world problem but they won’t supply the judgement, wisdom or the ingenuity. People will. 

To think BIG we need a new cadre of innovators who are agile, creative and think out of the box, our responsibly as executives is to a create space where they can smart fail and create reward mechanisms to drive innovation and risk taking.

Most executives would agree that “The biggest Challenge for tomorrow is finding and retaining the right talent.” 

Hence, I put out this statement in my presentation: “Industry 4.0; Fourth Industrial Revolution is not about machines, but empowering people with machines”! I used the scene from “Iron-man” as illustrations, you don’t watch iron man for the iron man suit; the focus is always on how “Tony Stark” becomes iron man with the iron man suit. In the same way, “TheFuture” is about technology empowering human, the Human Edge with the rise of the machines. 

With that, let’s shift our lens to “The Future Talent” the competencies, i call this the (3Cs, 1F, 1D, 1L) and 5Es traits for talent of the futre needed to “InventTheFuture”. 

Continuous Learning – someone who keeps challenging the status quo…. Always believe there is a better way to get things done. In fact my son always says “Mum, you find a lesson in everything” – a movie that we just watched, a game we just played, an article you read, an experience you had, a new dish we just whipped up” I call this #agileLearning, having the ability to continuously learn in every situation, from everyone, from everything all the time. 

Co-create – truly epitomize democratizing innovation, it’s still very true that necessity is the mother of invention, here is one whom believes that you can work with problem and jointly creates solutions. 

Fail-Safe Innovation – ones’ creative juices flows when you provide a “fail-safe environment”. Without the 99 failed-attempts, you will not get the invention of light-bulbs. For anyone whom have read “Start-Up Nations” you would have heard of Israel Army Unit 8200. The famous Israel’s vaunted 8200 military unit, produces more startups per capita than Stanford. I have a good friend from the unit who told me, all they do with people like us, is to give us a computer and a room– no rules defined, no expectations, no limitations, we all know that out of this room, it produces some of the world’s greatest innovation in intelligence and digital technologies. The message here is simple – if you empower smart people – they deliver way above your expectations.

Design Thinking – Art meets science, outcome-based decision making, never be trapped by the constraints of your own hypothesis. 

Customer Led – Greater Good; Serving People; the focus and priority is never the business case or the ROI but how it can help or serve the greater good. In my interview with CAN I mentioned, focus on helping to solve a problem, serve the greater good and the money will come. 

Not just EQ, IQ but also LQ?

Jack Ma says: If you don’t want to fail, you need IQ; if you want to succeed, you need EQ; but for the future world, this is the most important “If you want to be respected, you need LQ” – Love Quotient”. You need a well-spring of love for humanity, that is the source of energy to design a better world for you & I. 

5Es Traits in Talent of the Future

At a dinner meeting with top management of a global bank; i asked, what do you look for in selecting leaders for your bank? He said 3Es (1) energy, (2) ability to engersize and (3) talent to execute; inspired by this, I came up with 5Es Traits for Talent of the future. 

Energy 

The capacity to go-go-go with healthy vigor and an upbeat attitude no matter good and bad times.

Enthusiasm 

Ability to enthuse others, releasing their positive energy, mobilizing others with excitement to take any hill.

Execute 

Talent (boils from ones’ character) to execute - very simply, get things done with speed and excellence. 

Cutting Edge – like a good sushi knife

A vessel of growing wisdom and intelligence, always have something unique, coupled with the ability to make tough calls, to say yes or no, not maybe – swiftly, sharply, speedily.

Empathy 

It boils from the well of care, they care deeply, caring for greater good, going beyond self-interest, The person has a large capacity to believe in others and generosity that allow space for experimenting. 

As I pen this article, I am bubbling with vigor and excitement of the world to come, while there is so much unknowns, like our Chinese saying 有危有机；we are all faced with unprecedented opportunities as this digital age unfolds! 

Have fun......remember "Think Big, Start Small, Move Fast"! You and I are co-creators of the FUTURE world!