Empowering Change: Essential Skills for a Resilient Future

Reflecting on my last 30 years long experience as a design researcher, ethnographer of imagination and catalyst of co-creation I compiled a list of competencies essential for navigating a post-pandemic and post-generative AI future, recognizing the shifting landscape and evolving demands.

These competencies encompass a range of interpersonal, cognitive, resilience, ethical, and critical thinking skills crucial for individuals functioning as catalysts of change within an organization. Adaptability and resilience are paramount, necessitating competencies such as nurturing relationships, emotional intelligence, open communication, and conflict resolution to foster collaboration and trust within diverse and remote teams. Cognitive flexibility, innovation, and ethical and critical thinking abilities become crucial as individuals must navigate rapidly changing technologies and market landscapes, ensuring responsible decision-making and driving sustainable growth in a transformative era. These competencies collectively empower individuals and organizations to thrive in dynamic and competitive environments, fostering innovation, collaboration, and positive organizational culture. Ultimately, developing and honing these competencies not only benefits organizations but also contributes to building a better society by promoting ethical decision-making, inclusivity, and responsible use of technology for positive social impact.

Interpersonal Skills and Emotional Intelligence:

1. Nurturing Relationships
2. Intuitively Grasping Emotions in others
3. Trustworthy Listening
4. Fostering Open Communication
5. Encouraging people to tell stories and generate Ideas
6. Cultivating Caring Connections between people
7. Nurturing Mindfulness
8. Inspiring Creative Expression

Cognitive Flexibility and Innovation:

9. Uninhibited Curiosity Grounded in Authenticity

10. Ability to Embrace Diverse Perspectives

11. Exploring ‘What If’ Scenarios

12. Deciphering Implicit meanings (reading between the lines)

13. Making Intuitive Leaps

14. Harnessing Visual Thinking

15. Crafting Compelling Stories

16. Dialogical Proficiency

17. Visual Storytelling

Resilience and Conflict Resolution:

18. Ability to tame the Ego

19. Commitment to Social and Gender Justice

20. Ability to Deescalate Conflicts

21. Resilience to Bounce back from Setbacks

22. Perseverance and Optimism

23. Cultivating Calmness in the moment

24. Was Building Resilience in Challenging Relationships

Ethical and Critical Thinking:

25. Ability to Identify Deceptive Narratives

26. Avoiding Petty Politics

27. Navigating Argumentative Discussions

28. Sense of History

29. Influencing Positive Social Futures through social engagements

30. Facilitating collaborative Synthesis of Insights

31. Serving as Sherpas of Immersive Ethnographic Explorations

32. Crafting Learning Experiences

I hope that this list will help you prepare for an emerging future. If you are tired of hustling, as I once was, my aim in creating this list is to guide you towards a more meaningful and purposeful path ahead.