Future Fit summary

The future will bring even more advanced technologies, rapid flows of information, and higher levels of uncertainty. 

It’s enough to make your head spin, isn’t it? How can you, a simple Homo sapiens, keep up with it all? Quite simply, if you want to stay afloat, you’re just going to have to. 

Do you have an older relative who flat out refuses to keep up with new technology?

If so, you’ll know the score. At some point, they’ll need to convert a document into a PDF, or use an Excel spreadsheet. And inevitably, rather than learning themselves, they’ll just ask you to do it.

As we innovate faster, we can be sure of one thing. Many of our current jobs will be done better by machines – especially those that are highly repetitive or require data processing.

This poses a question. If machines are better at mechanical and data-processing roles, which human qualities will still be prized?

Creativity is a powerful tool, but this alone isn’t enough to make an impact in the corporate environment. Consider, for a moment, the following scenario. You’ve just had a brilliant idea for a new product or service for your company. Amazing! One caveat, though: for it to become a reality, you’ll need to turn your inspiration into a workable solution.

This is where problem-solving comes in. Problem-solving is a superpower that is highly valued by organizations and businesses everywhere, as it makes things happen. It turns that squiggly whiteboard sketch into a real product or service. 

What do you think of when you hear the word “networking?” Perhaps an industry event where you rub shoulders with strangers, trying to give out your business card? Or maybe it’s sending an awkward message on LinkedIn?

Well, in the future, networking might mean something quite different. Moreover, in order for you to prosper, you’re going to need to rethink the way you do it.

The workplace is changing. Many of us work from home or have a much looser relationship with the traditional office environment. We work flexibly and remotely, dealing with ever more complex technology and information.

As we move forward, then, new types of leadership are needed. Bosses can no longer be the aloof, authoritative “suits” they’ve been in the past. They’ll have to be much more involved, dynamic, and accommodating.

We can't be sure what the future will look like, but if it’s anything like the present, it’ll be full of constant disruption and change. Automation, cloud technology, artificial intelligence, and robotics look set to transform the world as we know it.

With that in mind, if we’re to keep up, we’re going to need to upgrade our knowledge as frequently as our devices.