#107: If You Want to Be Ahead of the Game at Work, Start Learning the Top 20 Skills for 2027. NOW!

Introduction

In today's "People Skills" newsletter, we're taking a look in our crystal ball and sharing with you a list of the top 20 skills that you'll need in the year 2027.

More precisely, we've borrowed heavily from the work that has been done by the World Economic Forum on future global skill needs as published in their "Future of Jobs Report 2023".

Many of the 20 skills on their list are what you would expect, such as "AI and Big Data" and "Technological Literacy".

But, interestingly, the majority of the list are skills that, in the past, we would have called "soft" skills and now refer to as "human" skills or "people skills".

In the top 10 list, these include skills such as "Creative Thinking", "Curiosity and Lifelong Learning", and "Motivation and Self-Awareness".

As a provider of soft skills e-learning courses, we at Manage Train Learn have always championed the importance of these so-called "soft" skills.

However, while, in the past, learning these skills was a nice add-on to your skills portfolio, it is now undeniable that these skills will become essential to your personal, professional and business success.

So, to get you ready for the year 2027 - and beyond - here is our rundown of the first 10 essential skills for your successful future...

01. Creative Thinking

Upenn.edu says: "Creative thinking is the ability to come up with unique, original solutions. Also known as creative problem-solving, creative thinking is a valuable and marketable soft skill in a wide variety of careers...."

Category listing: https://www.snippizz.com/#/category-listing/106

Selected video: "7 Rules for Creativity Managers" from Management 3.0

02. Analytical Thinking

Kaplan Business School in Australia says: “At the heart of analytical thinking lies the ability to deep-dive into complex issues and fix problems or devise solutions based on facts. That is, information or data that has been organised, analysed and visualised (in certain contexts), to communicate meaning and inspire effective change.”

Category listing: https://www.snippizz.com/#/video-all/5177%3Ftopic&topic_ids%3D5177

Selected video: "Viewing Problems as Opportunities" from Jacob Morgan

03. Technological Literacy

Simplilearn.com says: "Technology literacy is the ability to use, comprehend, manage, and analyze technology safely, effectively, and responsibly. This literacy includes using technology to evaluate, create and integrate information."

04. Curiosity and Lifelong Learning

Lifelong learning is an exploration of the power of never-ending education. It isn’t about textbooks, exams, or grades; it’s about a journey of self-discovery and the satisfaction of personal growth.

Curiosity is the fuel that drives lifelong learning. It’s about asking “why?” and “how?” about the world around you.

Category listing: https://www.snippizz.com/#/category-listing/102

Selected video 01: "Three Ways the World of Learning Is Changing" from Jacob Morgan

Selected video 02: "Replace Judgment with Curiosity" from Simon Sinek

05. Resilience, Flexibility, and Agility

Ondemandgroup says: "When looking for potential employees, companies prefer people who are flexible and resilient. Why? Because candidates with these skills are usually open-minded individuals who are also willing to learn and improve."

Category listing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pElXE9DI9e4

Selected video: "Resilience - 3 Qualities of Titans" from Conor Neill

06. Systems Thinking

uk.indeed.com says: "Systemic thinking helps identify interconnectedness. Rather than exclusively studying the elements individually, systemic thinking also studies how these elements interact with one another and to what result."

07. AI and Big Data

Maryville.edu says: "Big data and AI (artificial intelligence) will be in high demand for the foreseeable future. Data and AI are merging into a synergistic relationship, where AI is useless without data, and mastering data is insurmountable without AI."

08. Motivation and Self-Awareness

Betterup.com says: "Being self-motivated means having enough self-awareness to know what works for you and what doesn't. Rather than depending on others to give you a reason for doing, your sense of motivation comes from within. Your drive comes from your interests, values, and passions, not someone else's checklist."

Category listing: https://www.snippizz.com/#/video-all/5342%3Ftopic&topic_ids%3D5342

Selected video: "Boost Your Motivation" from Sprouts

09. Talent Management

The CIPD says: “Strategic talent management has several benefits: it builds a high-performance workplace; it fosters a learning climate; it adds value to the employer brand, and it improves diversity. For these reasons, people professionals consider talent management to be a key priority."

Category listing: https://www.snippizz.com/#/video-all/5337%3Ftopic&topic_ids%3D5337

Selected video: "Who Have You Developed This Last Year and How?" from Tom Peters

10. Service Orientation and Customer Service

Monday.com says: "A customer orientation approach—putting the customer at the heart of how you do what you do—is your key to a happy, satisfied, and loyal customer base. Instead of chasing sales, put effort into understanding your customers' needs and expectations, and provide solutions to meet them. Your customers will come to you."

Category listing: https://www.snippizz.com/#/category-listing/107

Selected video: "These Companies Are Doing Customer Experience Right" from Jacob Morgan

So, to re-cap, here is the full list of top 20 skills in 2027 from the World Economic Forum.

What Next?

We hope you've enjoyed looking through this selection of resources on future skills and learnt something valuable in the process.

Your next step is to complete the list of 20 essential skills which we'll be bringing to you soon.

Once you've digested all 20 skill topics, you will know which are the key skills in your job or business and can now pursue your own learning to master them.

By regularly browsing, viewing, and downloading those topics from sites such as Manage Train Learn and Linkedin, you will absorb ideas, skills, and actions that will help you be ready for 2027 and beyond.

Well done and good luck!