Opening Insights
Robots will replace jobs that require high frequency, repetition and efficiency. Many researchers and leaders are concerned about this reality and continue to warn us: “In the long term, I see no role for human beings,” says Vivek Wadhwa, author and fellow at Stanford University’s Rock Center for Corporate Governance.
Informational Insights
“Computers are becoming more cognitively sophisticated, beating people at the television show ‘Jeopardy’ and are even world-class chess champions,” says David Deming, an associate professor of education at Harvard Graduate School of Education and faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research, private and nonpartisan research organization based in Cambridge, Mass “But the one thing that computers aren’t good at is social interaction.” [1]
“Deming found that jobs requiring high social skills are outpacing those jobs requiring low social skills, regardless of whether they require people with high/low knowledge of math. He analyzed jobs that required math and social skills among the Occupational Information Network, a nationally representative survey on job tasks administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, and cross-referenced these with job growth from the U.S. Census.”[1]
The most important skill needed in the coming age: PEOPLE SKILLS
PEOPLE SKILLS are the NUMBER 1 skill lacking within our workforce today. It is the NUMBER 1 skill required to survive the coming robotics/automation evolution. People skills allow us to interact, relate, lead and resolve problems within our environment.
People Skills require the awareness and application of five core principles (defined and implemented with PWI Co-Labs):
- Honesty
- Selflessness
- Understanding
- Purity of Intention
- Reality
These five simple principles allow people to learn the people skills identified as necessary by a 2014 report by the Pew Research Center:
- Empathy
- Creative thinking
- Judgment
“Certain types of jobs will resist the pressure of automation,” says Aaron Smith, associate director of research at Pew, and co-author of the report, which is part of an ongoing 10-year project. “Traits such as empathy, creative thinking and judgment are things that machines will never be able to do, or anything approaching a short timeline. We still have a lot to offer” (Pew Research Center, 2014).
Applying these 5 principles provides people the opportunity to effectively assess and discern situations and people. They support the development of a relational thinker: a person who sees life as a dynamic process of cause and effect, rather than isolated events and objects. Ultimately, they lay a foundation for others to learn, to follow and to rise to leadership positions.
The principles set a baseline of behavior and character that is right, ethical and true, thus equipping people with the skills to identify and correct what is wrong – within themselves and their environment. Therefore, individuals possessing people skills are trained:
- To be honest and selfless in assessing what needs to be done
- To be straightforward in how they go about doing it
When people develop the skills to understand themselves and others, they can develop trust-based relationships and behavioral patterns, which lead to greater creativity, advancement and problem solving capabilities:
- Define problem – what is needed
- Define answers – what needs to be done/added
- Define solution – how to implement solution
It is all very well and good to define the problem and provide an answer to the problem. However, we need to provide a believable and achievable solution that can be implemented. For years, there have been many theories and programs that claim to build and develop people skills. Yet, we still have a world in crisis, so it is safe to say that these programs have failed us? There are many reasons for failure – the primary one being many of the programs focus on the individual and are lacking in effective delivery and long-term implementation.
Possibilities for Consideration
We have discovered a program that works on an individual and cultural level. It’s a state of the art collaborative solution to our cultural problems – delivered in a way where people, can’t not learn!
Take a moment and examine…
- As you reviewed the material above, what stood out to you?
- What is the potential impact, economically and/or socially?
- What action is needed to stop or support this idea?
- You may want to consider whether you:
- want to be aware of,
- should become supportive of,
- would want to be active in this topic?
Add Your Insight
I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Being willing is not enough; we must do.
LEONARDO DA VINCI