Leaders - Start 2023 like this!

"Once upon a time, there was a rooster with golden feathers. He carried his colors with pride and bravado and was treated like a king by the chickens. One day, a traveling swallow landed in the coop. The rooster was shocked and asked if the swallow was trying to undermine the peace in the coop. The swallow politely responded that they did not have any ill intentions and offered to teach the chickens how to fly. The rooster scornfully rejected the offer, stating that he did not want to fly and wanted to keep the chickens at his disposal. The swallow wished the rooster luck and cautioned that the rooster was living in danger until he learned to fly. The next day, the farmer came and the rooster fought bravely, but the battle was vicious and some said it was unfair. It was rumored that the chicken pie was extremely delicious."

The future of work is very similar. We need W.I.N.G.S to fly.

We need to know how technology will transform many jobs in the near future and why it is important for people to be proactive in learning new skills to prepare for these changes. Yes, this is NOT a discussion about Chat GPT, but rather about, who we need to become as human-centric leaders of the future.

The professional of the future will need both specific, in-depth knowledge and skills related to their industry or job (called "hard skills" or "work and industry-specific skills") and more generally, adaptable skills that are not related to their industry or job. This would be necessary in order for the professional to be successful (called "soft skills," "behavioral skills," or "work and industry neutral skills"). "Work and industry neutral skills," also called "growth skills," are especially valuable because they are less affected by changing conditions and can be used for a longer time.

The Work Industry Neutral Growth Skills, or W.I.N.G.S., are a group of core skills that future leaders need. These talents are referred to by the acronym "WINGS." The following are the five primary skills required of future professionals: critical thinking, creativity, self-management, social intelligence, and attention management.

Critical thinking:

1. Critical thinking encourages people to study information thoroughly and make well-informed judgments, rather than reacting or depending on intuition. This improves business results.
2. Critical thinking improves problem-solving by examining diverse views and facts objectively.
3. Thinking critically helps people understand problems' core causes and implement effective solutions, increasing efficiency and productivity.

Creativity:

1. Creativity helps people approach challenges from new angles and find creative solutions. This helps companies confront difficulties and uncover opportunities.
2. Creativity promotes fresh and original ideas, which help firms stand out and stay ahead of the competition.
3. Creativity boosts team performance by encouraging collaboration and idea exchange. This can boost corporate performance.

Self Management:

1. Increased productivity: Self-management helps individuals to prioritize tasks, set and work towards goals, and use their time effectively. This can lead to increased productivity and efficiency.
2. Improved teamwork: By managing their own workload and behavior, individuals can be more reliable and dependable team members, contributing to a positive and productive team dynamic.
3. Enhanced leadership potential: Self-management skills are essential for effective leadership. By being able to manage their own time and actions, individuals can more effectively lead and manage others.

Social Intelligence:

1. Improved communication and collaboration: Social intelligence allows individuals to effectively communicate and interact with others, leading to improved collaboration and teamwork.
2. Enhanced leadership: Social intelligence enables individuals to understand and work with others, which is important for effective leadership and management.
3. Stronger professional relationships: Social intelligence helps individuals to build and maintain strong relationships with colleagues, clients, and other stakeholders. This can lead to increased trust and cooperation, which can be beneficial for the business.

Attention Management:

Time management is the process of planning and organizing how you spend your time so that you can reach your goals and get things done as quickly as possible.

Attention management, on the other hand, is the ability to control your focus and concentrate on what is important. It involves being able to filter out distractions and stay focused on a particular task or goal.

While time management and attention management are related, they serve slightly different purposes. Time management helps you plan your day and allocate your time effectively, while attention management helps you stay focused and avoid distractions so you can use your time effectively. Both skills are important for productivity and achieving your goals.

1. Increased output is possible as a result of better attention control, which allows you to zero in on the most crucial tasks while ignoring less crucial ones. Without interruptions, concentrated work time allows you to get more done in less time.
2. The ability to focus intently on an issue or choice at hand can improve your ability to make sound choices, therefore practicing attention management is a good idea. Your ability to think clearly and weigh all of your choices before making a decision improves when you can devote your whole attention to a challenge.
3. Because it allows you to concentrate on a single activity or difficulty without being sidetracked by other thoughts, attention management can also assist encourage original thought. Being able to zero in on a problem and give it your undivided attention increases the likelihood that you will find an original solution.

Effective attention management can help a company be more successful in many ways, like making people more productive, helping them make better decisions, and making them more creative.

My question now is, do you have structures and strategies in place for this to serve as the foundation of your business? Do you have these core critical skills as foundational values embedded into every area of business?

The future of AI is wonderful. But the future of work is human. Who we become is very important. NOW is the time to change this.

Based on Prof. Walter Van Der Welde's work on the future of work.