The power of human creativity and imagination

As we all know, the only constant in life is change and there is no doubt that we are living in a very dynamic time. Although the 4th Industrial Revolution is not a new topic, it is very much still relevant and ever growing in its advancements and impact on the life we know. The way we live, the way we work and the way we think are all changing as the new technologies set up base into our homes and places of work. It is an exciting time, through a scientific lens, but there is also fear – fear of the unknown, of jobs being lost, and of being misplaced in the new digital economy. Let’s just say the distinction between humankind and machine is becoming less and less obvious.

4IR is making the unimaginable possible, but the most important consideration here is IMAGINATION. The biggest advantage that humankind has is CREATIVITY and the ability to drive INNOVATION. The World Economic Forum (WEF) suggests that in this era, creative thinking will be one of the most important skills needed to survive and thrive during the 4IR (World Economic Forum, 2019). Our intelligence is not artificial, it is very much natural and inherent, and we need to be harnessing it as our biggest superpower.

Although research has shown that approximately more than 30% of jobs that are important today will change in the next few years, it also shows that more than 60% of new jobs will be created that do not even exist today (MIT, 2020). Instead of fearing the changes that come with 4IR, we should take control of new opportunities and complement this development with the skills needed. Technologies are first and foremost tools made by people for people, and we can all work together to shape a future that continuously puts people first while using technology to build efficiency.

We all need to expect a bit of the unexpected and be agile and very in tune with our intuition.

This is an important lesson that even the pandemic trained us on. Using the lessons learnt in these past few Covid-years, let us continue to see flexibility, creativity, problem solving, and agility as necessary survival skills in this modern and rapidly changing world.

According to various articles on the impact of 4IR on our workforce, there are some skills and strategies to be mindful of when preparing for changes, and to give ourselves peace of mind in the uncertain, changing climate:

1) Pay attention to how technology impacts specific industries and learn what new roles are needed to grow in that industry.

2) Prioritise education and learning to equip yourself with knowledge and skills as the world advances.

3) Focus on improving soft/non-cognitive skills to inspire creativity, communication, motivation, and competition.

4) Pursue your passions as the changing world does not mean you will have to put an end to what you enjoy, but rather find ways to incorporate and complement technology with your passions.

Change won’t wait for us. We all need to be proactive in up-skilling and finding our complementary role to benefit from the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Switch on your thinking caps, reboot your knowledge, upgrade your skill software, and get ready for the exciting advancements to come.?

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