A five-year study by the National Foundation for Educational Research identified six transferable skills employers are likely to value increasingly: communication, collaboration, information literacy, organising and prioritising, problem solving and creative thinking. What struck me is how human that list is. As AI and automation absorb more routine work, judgement, curiosity, relationships and clear thinking become more valuable. Leaders can either wait for people with these capabilities to appear or deliberately develop them. Future-proofing a team isn’t simply about better technology. It is about creating the conditions in which people learn to think, question, decide, communicate and work well with others.
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COMMUNICATE CLEARLY
Encourage people to explain ideas simply, listen properly and adapt their message to the audience.
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COLLABORATE DELIBERATELY
Create opportunities to solve problems together, build relationships and work towards shared goals.
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IMPROVE INFORMATION LITERACY
Ask people to test evidence, challenge assumptions and distinguish what matters from what merely makes noise.
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ORGANISE AND PRIORITISE
Help people decide what matters most, plan effectively and use time and resources with discipline.
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SOLVE PROBLEMS AND DECIDE
Give people real problems to analyse and the authority to recommend - and sometimes implement - solutions.
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THINK CREATIVELY
Reward new ideas, thoughtful challenge and better ways of doing familiar things.
The above leadership tip...
was sent in response to a question from a participant on our acclaimed 10/10 leadership development and mentoring programme. Whether you're a first time manager or an experienced leader, straightforward, practical advice on best practice is hard to find. Until now. To find out how you, your team or your organisation can benefit, please contact us.
William Montgomery, our Founder and CEO, is available as a keynote speaker and event host. His experience as a speaker encompasses a wide number of audiences on a diverse array of subjects. He is also a volunteer for Speakers for Schools and Inspiring the Future.