The nature of work has drastically evolved over the years. One of the biggest influences was the COVID-19 pandemic. It led to significant shifts towards remote and hybrid working. Several emerging technologies have been redefining the nature of work. Some examples are artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, Web3, and Internet of things (IoT). Today we discuss skills you need for the nature of work nowadays. Here are 5 of them:
Being Entrepreneurial
It does not matter whether you are employed or an employer; you need to think like an entrepreneur. Your approaches to how you do your things should be that way. To better understand what I mean by being entrepreneurial, look at the definition of entrepreneurship. A most encompassing definition of entrepreneurship, in my own words, based on various defining themes, would be:
“Addressing a common, widespread problem using a novel or disruptive solution, often tech-based, that is monetizable.”
The four hallmarks of what entrepreneurship is or entails are:
- A significant amount of innovation – no wonder tech is usually a huge part of entrepreneurship (directly or indirectly)
- An overwhelming thrust to effect paradigm shifts – especially in how things are done
- A burning desire to create employment or contribute to the economy
- Altruism (i.e. unselfishness) shapes the attitude of the endeavours – that is why entrepreneurs today are reported to be the biggest donors to causes that benefit communities.
Once you inform your mindset with this and implement it, it will make you stand out. We now live in a fast-paced world characterised by rapid change. Such an operating environment requires one to be entrepreneurial.
Being Creative
Creativity is defined as tending to create things or having the ability to create, often, excellently, in a novel fashion, or any or all of these. The core elements of being creative are originality, expressiveness, and imagination. This quality or skill will put you over nowadays. Creativity is a soft skill that is highly sought after these days. The demands of this era need creative people. You have to be able to think outside or as if the box does not exist. Become reputable for being a solutions-oriented guru.
You can perfect your creativity, starting with your own personal life. Then in business or at work, always explore ways to solve or do things better. Being creative can result in cost-savings or boosts in revenue generation. That is why being creative is being sought after immensely. Even Edward de Bono enunciated its importance when he said:
“There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would forever repeat the same patterns.”
Being Agile
I am looking at agility here from two angles. One pertains to the basic definition of being agile. As in having the faculty of quick motion or being apt or ready to move. This can be taken literally or figuratively. We now function in a highly dynamic environment. Thus you need to think and act fast. Making split decisions even under high-stress scenarios is now inevitable. To keep up and excel, you must polish your agility in every way possible.
The second angle pertains to what agile means in the context of usually software engineering; there are more contexts, though. It is a technique where you iteratively and incrementally develop something collaboratively. This is yet another important skill you must build and perfect. Whether in business or as an employee somewhere, collaboration or working in teams is now commonplace. That is coupled with operating in an environment where things must be constantly monitored and evaluated. Staying relevant and standing out in such requires you to be agile.
Being Emotionally Intelligent
This is the last skill I am discussing here, yet it is not in any way the least. In light of everything, this is the most important skill you need now. You often hear soft skills being underscored in this day and age. In fact, in hiring, employers or recruiters are increasingly leaning toward finding evidence of soft skills. More than hard skills! Soft skill is a personal skill that is usually interpersonal, non-specialized, and often difficult to quantify, e.g. leadership or responsibility. Other soft skills are communication, emotional intelligence, time management, critical thinking, active listening, empathy, and others.
Then you also know how centre-stage mental health issues have become. Recently I did articles on burnout and rusted out. I have covered mental health dynamics a lot in our discussions. These are some of the topical issues like work nowadays. What is the common theme in them all? It is the important of regulating your emotions. In other words, you need to polish your emotional intelligence and your EQ. Emotional intelligence is the ability, capacity, or skill to perceive, assess, and manage the emotions of oneself, others, and groups. For instance, you cannot thrive in collaborative environments with a low EQ. The ability to regulate your emotions is a must-have skill right now.
These are the kind of skills that you never get to arrive. Working on them should be ongoing; keep at it at all times. If you can come to a place exhibiting all of them, you will be exceptional in this workplace. Do not forget always to stay abreast with the latest developments. This will help you to zone in your skills accordingly.