We’re at an interesting point in time where many things are being disrupted, especially the way we work. Life post-pandemic has led to remote and hybrid working becoming the norm. This means the majority of the workforce who are not physically in their place of employment has to work from home – which presents a fresh set of challenges. Those who are unemployed or whose salaries have been reduced have to look for ways to create new avenues to generate income as the job market gets constricted and bills keep piling up.
Regardless of which group you belong to, your ability to adapt to change is what will always make you relevant as times change. Over the years, I have found that there are some core skills you need to learn to stay relevant in every phase of life. Here are 7 of them:
Leadership Skills
Leadership isn’t restricted to those who are in authority or to your level in your organization. Leadership is about influence. This means you can lead in whatever niche you find yourself in. ‘Management by walking around is no longer a viable option especially if your team is scattered across various locations because they are working remotely. It takes good leadership skills to oversee all the collaborations needed to get the job done. A key part of leadership isn’t just in getting people organized but also in managing emotions – you and others. This takes us to the next point.
Emotional Intelligence
This is essentially recognizing and managing your emotions and those of others. Your Intelligence Quotient (IQ) may get you the job, but your Emotional Quotient (EQ) is what will help you thrive on the job when it comes to working with people. Why? Because being emotionally intelligent helps you take stock of your self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Your ability to sit back, reflect, and objectively assess your level of awareness, how you react to situations, and how others react to you, helps you to effectively manage situations and lead others.
Analytical Thinking
Honing your analytical thinking skills helps you to gain clarity in any given situation. Essentially what you’re doing is taking a problem/situation and breaking it into small addressable parts which helps you identify critical areas and possible solutions fairly quickly. In these days of fast-changing demands and opportunities, being able to think clearly and quickly to solve complex problems and proffer innovative solutions is a much-needed skill.
Creative Thinking
Your ability to think of different ways to do things will always be an invaluable asset. It helps if you can look at your current role, business, and situation from a first-timer perspective and ask yourself – “If today was my first day and I had no limitations, how would I do it?” It’s when you take the lid off restrictions that you begin to see opportunities to use existing tools in different ways for example turning your restaurant into a food delivery chain or using a meeting app to teach a class. Take a look at your business and ask: “What 3 things can I do differently?”
Active Learning
What you knew yesterday may not apply to tomorrow – make learning a priority. Always be up to date on what is going on in your industry and attempt to predict the possible changes that could occur and how to adapt them to profit your organization.
Interpersonal Skills
As the world is now a global marketplace, the ability to exchange information and meaning between people will be a vital skill. Your technical skills will only take you so far. It’s your ability to communicate effectively with your employers, employees, colleagues, customers, etc. that adds the ‘extra’ to set you apart.
Change Management
Change is the only constant in life, yet it’s also the thing people resist the most. Truth is, your ability to manage change effectively will determine if you sink or swim. And remember as an influencer, it’s not just about you. You also need to be able to help others manage the process of whatever changes your organization is going through. Take a cue from the retailers who jumped on the online sales train and are reaping the benefits while those who didn’t are sinking (remember we looked at Primark’s story last week).
Life will keep moving and the marketplace will keep evolving. Keep honing these 7 skills so you can remain relevant in a world of constant and rapid changes.
