One of the ironies of the 21st century is the juxtaposition of digitalization and skilling. As our workplaces advance technologically, the requirements for employee success are becoming increasingly human-focused. Success in the new world is about the ability to employ ingenuities to adapt and move forward in a constantly changing world.

As a mentor, I am often asked about my viewpoint on the skills to succeed in the new decade. Realms of paper and gigabytes of data have been dedicated to this topic. While the ideas may differ, there is a consensus that we will need to focus on a new set of proficiencies in this era to be successful.

I’ve identified a list of three abilities that new-age workers should focus on in the new decade. Here goes:

Nurture your ingenuities:

When jobs begin to get displaced by new technologies, you know that you are amid a revolution. But technology CANNOT replace human creativity – neither has it done so in the past, nor will it be able to do so in the future.

Admittedly, technology makes our efforts more efficient and the results more effective. Think about mechanization and electricity. By taking over manual labour, they made processes more efficient and products cheaper. In the process, artisans and manual labourers were left with no choice but to reskill. Similarly, artificial intelligence (AI) will also take over jobs -but only the dangerous, boring or dirty ones. However, the technology will not replace human traits.

All of us have uniquely human skills. To prevent your career from being displaced by technology, you need to identify these ingenuities. And nurture them.

Evolve a growth mindset:

Changing economic constructs have made the concept of job security passé. To retain a competitive edge, organizations need talent which aligns with these rapidly changing demands.

To survive, incumbents need to evolve their professional skills continuously. Employees need to be in the know of industry trends constantly. And upgrade skills to match these demands. This will help them in identifying the direction of their organization’s growth and chart opportunities for themselves.

Internalizing a growth mindset is vital to succeeding in the new decade. You need to be on the constant look-out for growth opportunities and learn to adapt to changes. Further, you must demonstrate accountability for your actions and showcase results.

Enhance your adaptability quotient:

In a world where change is the only constant, the ability to re-pivot responses to unanticipated changes is an essential driver of work performance.

While your intelligence and emotional quotients are crucial, it is your adaptability quotient that will determine your success and survival at work. Alongside, it is vital for workers and organizations to cultivate a trust quotient with their stakeholder universe. Every decision taken by an employee on behalf of the organization needs to centre around doing the right thing.

The law of survival orbits around the rule of adaptability – it is more important than intelligence and strength. This is true of the corporate world as well. Adaptability, combined with a robust set of new-age skills, will ensure that you thrive in the new world.

What are your thoughts on skilling in the new decade? I would love to know!