We are moving into a new world at light speed. Automation, disruption and our new reality of a VUCA world have put a huge amount of pressure on leaders. But they also represent opportunities to create more flexibility in the workplace and renewed purpose in organisations. Technological disruption is shaping the Future of Work and it’s clear that whilst many people think that machines take our jobs, it is the human skills that count.
“If you don’t innovate fast, disrupt your industry, disrupt yourself, you’ll be left behind.” – John Chambers
The World Economic Forum says in their 2016 ‘The Future of Jobs’ report: ‘The current technological revolution need not become a race between humans and machines but rather an opportunity for work to truly become a channel through which people recognise their full potential.’
The Future of Work is not in the future, it’s right on our doorstep. We need a (re-)focus on leadership skills that matter now so that leaders are empowered and capable of leading rather than catching up with the future. We need to enable our teams to optimise their performance and their vision through progressive ideas and innovation.
‘The illiterates of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write…but rather those who cannot learn, unlearn…and relearn.’ – Alvin Toffler
I am working with a senior intact team of an international aviation company whose business has been majorly disrupted in 2020. Talking to their leader about designing a 6-week online program for her regional directors, it became clear that we didn’t need to re-event the wheel. The team was struggling to keep their people motivated and focussed working remotely and under pressure of uncertainty. They simply needed learn how to fill their own vessel first, build resilience and have a strength focus, followed by tools to help them lead their teams through ambiguity in a hybrid world.
Here is what their leader said about the program: ‘The development and learning of our people is often overlooked in times of crisis, however, in my opinion, I absolutely believe that it is the time our people and our businesses need it the most! I would highly recommend this program to any leader in business looking to support their teams in the current environment as we strive to recover post this crisis.’
Noella Ferns, British Airways, Executive Vice President, Greater China & the Philippines
I have designed the program Lead the Future helping leaders to adopt and re-learn the skills that matter now:
We need to learn, adapt, unlearn and re-learn. The speed at which we can adapt and foresee the future will determine the agility of our organisations. We need to refocus on ourselves first, our strengths that help build resilience and capabilities to lead other and lead change.
If you want to hear more about Lead the Future, contact me on info@intactteams.com
