We tend to think that automation, generally speaking, replaces humans, but in the big picture that isn´t true.
There are in fact a lot of things that machines can do better than human beings, such as:
- Gather and analyze the data;
- Interpret the results;
- Determine a recommended course of action;
- Implement the course of action.
Intangible skills like social understanding and empathy, and attributes such as emotional intelligence, curiosity, creativity, resilience, critical thinking, community building, multi-disciplinary thinking and adaptability, are going to become differentiators, as artificial intelligence and machine learning take over our other tasks.
The ability to connect with and relate to others – empathy in its purest form – is the force that will move business forward.
Business success depends on empathetic leaders and teams who are able to adapt, build on the strengths around them, care for each other, and relate to their environment. When business fail, it is often because people have stopped focusing on understanding their environment intimately and instead stay insulated in their own operations. Once people are able to step out of their offices and mindsets, and experience vulnerability, once they get ready to step into customer´s shoes, it´s easier to walk miles ahead of competition.
Unfortunately, these human-oriented skills have generally been viewed as second priority in terms of training and education. The debate about automation has revealed a strange truth. The jobs and tasks we humans are uniquely good at are often the one´s we do not value at all.
In an article written by Beling Parmar on Harvard Business Review, it was mentioned that "Companies are increasingly aware that delivering empathy for their customers, employees, and the public is a powerful tool for improving profits, but attempts to implement empathy programs are frequently hamstrung by the common misconception of it as overtly feminine. So empathy is relegated to the status of just yet another initiative that looks good in the company newsletter.".
This is a misconception. There is nothing soft about empathy. It is a hard skill.
The arrival of the future of work is changing skill development needs.
"To beat the bot, we need to be more human.".
People skills are more important in an era where we have powerful and pervasive technology.
However, a survey by the Wall Street Journal found that 89% of executives are having a difficult time finding people with these qualities.
Roehrig, coauthor of What To Do When Machines Do Everything: How to Get Ahead in a World of Al, Algoritms, Bots, and Big Data, believes soft skills are needed in larger quantities.
Trainings must offer what we can do better than any smart machine. These are all the tasks that cannot be completed by an Al or a Robot. Those tasks are specifically humans by nature because they involve a creation process linked to talent emotions and creativity.
Companies must begin to nurture and invest in these abilities the same way that they have the more technical parts.
"LET´S UNCONFORTABLY CALL THEM REAL SKILLS INSTEAD. REAL BECAUSE THEY WORK, BECAUSE THEY´RE AT THE HEART OF WHAT WE NEED TODAY", SETH GODIN
If you haven´t upped your emphasis on soft skills, maybe it´s time to rethink your workplace strategy.
Are you looking for help to adapt to the future of work?
Go to our website: https://www.egoralchemy.com/pt-pt/