The Institute for the Future—an independent, non-profit research group—recently released its “Future Work Skills 2020” report.
“Global connectivity, smart machines, and new media are just some of the drivers reshaping how we think about work, what constitutes work, and the skills we will need
to be productive contributors in the future,” the report’s authors wrote in the introduction. “This report analyzes key drivers that will reshape the landscape of work and identifies
key work skills needed in the next 10 years. It does not consider what will be the jobs of the future.”
Let’s get right to it and understand what those 10 skills will be.
1. Sense-making
The ability to determine the deeper meaning or significance of what is being expressed.
2. Social Intelligence
The ability to connect to others in a deep and direct way, to sense and stimulate reactions and desired interactions.
3. Novel and Adaptive Thinking
Proficiency at thinking and coming up with solutions and responses beyond that which is rote or rule-based.
4. Cross-cultural Competency
The ability to operate in different cultural settings.
5. Computational Thinking
The ability to translate vast amounts of data into abstract concepts and to understand data-based reasoning.
6. New-media Literacy
The ability to critically assess and develop content that uses new media forms, and to leverage these media for persuasive communication.
7. Transdisciplinarity
Literacy in and ability to understand concepts across multiple disciplines.
8. Design Mindset
The ability to represent and develop tasks and work processes for desired outcomes.
9. Cognitive Load Management
The ability to discriminate and filter information for importance, and to understand how to maximize cognitive functioning using a variety of tools and techniques.
10. Virtual Collaboration
The ability to work productively, drive engagement, and demonstrate presence as a member of a virtual team.
“To be successful in the next decade, individuals will need to demonstrate foresight in navigating a rapidly shifting landscape of organizational forms and skill requirements,” the authors wrote. “They will increasingly be called upon to continually reassess the skills they need, and quickly put together the right resources to develop and update these. Workers in the future will need to be adaptable lifelong learners.”
Which of those 10 skills do you think is the most important to have in the workforce? Or do you have other skills you’d list? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
(Image: Institute for the Future)
