Former Ad Man Dan Gregory Talks The 12 Skills Critical For Future Success
Kieran Flanagan and Dan Gregory (pictured below) are experts in leadership communication and strategic insights. They work as speakers, trainers and are the co-authors of their latest book Forever Skills: The 12 skills to future proof yourself, your team and your kids. Here, the duo offer a very condensed version of their latest tome…
Futurists and economists regularly bombard us with predictions of the future that oscillate between the positively exciting to the absolutely frightening. First we were told we should all learn to code, then it turns out we can easily outsource and offshore coding to much better resourced and increasingly cheaper markets and besides, in a very short period of time, AI will compose it’s own code faster than any human is capable of and essentially self-create itself. Fine!
Next we’re told that only humans can provide high-touch levels of service or maintain meaningful relationships with other human beings, although computers long ago passed the Turing test which proved that many of us can no longer perceive much difference between a person saying, “Computer says, ‘No,’” and an actual computer saying, “No.” So what precisely does the future of skills require and perhaps more importantly, are we looking at change in the correct way?
Change is about more that “What’s Changing”
When we think about change, we tend to be distracted by trends, market place shifts and technological advancement. No surprise really, it’s all desperately interesting and innately newsworthy. However, if we want to future proof our skills, our teams and our training, we need to take a more holistic view of change and consider what we like to call, The Three Spheres of Change. These are:
- What is Changing
- What needs Changing
- What is Unchanging
We tend to treat these three distinct spheres of change with the kind of preferential treatment that might seem more appropriate to three very lovely girls being brought up by a lovely lady in 1970s TV sitcom. What’s changing is clearly The Marsha, it’s bold, it commands attention and it is clearly the favourite in terms of the attention that is lavished upon it. What needs changing benefits from our bias and inclination towards the new and shiny – so it’s The Cindy in our metaphor.
What is unchanging might be considered the least sexy of the spheres of change, or The Jan. However, this final sphere of change is perhaps the most important as, in a world that is constantly distracted and even paralysed by threats and opportunities, what is evergreen can become extremely important. It can be useful to think of this third sphere of change as overlapping roughly with Dr Steven Covey’s “Not urgent but Important” quadrant in his famous priority matrix. Investing in the third sphere of change, what we call Forever Skills, helps you to better prepare for what is changing and what needs changing. So what are these Forever Skills and why might they matter so much in the world of professional training and development?
In our research with hundreds of professionals, leaders, futurists, economists and academics from around the world, the skills that emerged as being eternally useful aligned themselves roughly into three suites of capabilities – Communication Skills, Creativity Skills and Control Skills. These were all deemed to be very much necessary no matter what AI, algorithms and robotics will throw at us. Of course, what people mean by each of these skills can vary widely across categories and cultures, so we’ve tried to describe them in as universal terms as possible. It’s also highly likely that you will see an overlap between the definition of skills and traits or characteristics, so please feel free to use them interchangeably. Our definition of a skill is that of a capability that provides either social or economic value and can also be learned, taught, developed and nurtured.
The 12 Skills:
Communication Skills
Communication skills were considered to be anything but soft skills and included:
- Influence and an ability to create engagement
- Team building and the creation of cultures that others want to be a part of
- Establishing trust in an atmosphere of increasing cynicism and misinformation
- Translation of information from one context or field to another
Creativity Skills
Creativity Skills clearly have a role to play in what needs changing, but they were also considered to be amongst the Forever Skills and comprised:
- Turning data and information into insights and meaning
- Conversion of raw input (both tangible and intangible) into more valuable formats
- Problem Solving and a capacity to generate solutions we’ve not seen before
- Agility and a willingness to engage with ongoing education and to adapt to change
Control Skills
Control Skills might also be thought of as a combination of personal and professional management. They incorporated:
- Self-Control, discipline and self-awareness
- Resource management, distribution, allocation and preservation
- Order, consensus building and values alignment
- Implementation and an ability to execute a strategy
Of course, identifying the skills that will always matter is only half the challenge. The application of these skills will also rely rather heavily on those who work in the field of training and development. Perhaps you know someone…
Latest News
Scroll Media Recruits Costa Panagos From Twitch
Digital publisher network Scroll Media has employed ex-Amazon Twitch gaming executive Costa Panagos (lead image) to strengthen its Scroll Gaming capability. Panagos is highly experienced in game advertising and media sales professional with two years in account management at Twitch and three years in media sales at News Corp, so will bring his extensive media agency […]
Year13, Microsoft & KPMG Australia Launch AI Course For Gen Zs
School-leaver service Year13 has launched a new Artificial Intelligence course to upskill young people in AI, made in collaboration with Microsoft and KPMG, at an event to rally industry support behind youth AI fluency. The free online course AI Amplified which is part of Year13’s Academy aims to provide all young people with the opportunity […]
General Motors Snares Heath Walker From Scania
General Motors has announced the appointment of Heath Walker (lead image) as the new marketing director for GM Australia and New Zealand, effective April 23, 2024. Walker brings a wealth of marketing and communications experience gained from working across various industries, including IT, sporting, and auto – notably Tesla, Nissan and most recently, Scania in […]
VML Launches New “Envoyage” Brand For Flight Centre
VML unveils new brand for travel operator Flight Centre. Alas, no sign of those paid actors pretending to be pilots.
Subaru Places Media Account Up For Review
Subaru puts media up for review, as adland journos get set for mandatory "agency drives off with..." headline.
TV Ratings (17/04/2024): Contestants Faced With Harsh Realities As Alone Australia Heats Up (Or Cools Down)
Alone still doing the business for SBS. Overly long train journeys not doing the business, but they persist anyway.
Ben Fordham Loses Number One Spot As Ray Hadley Celebrates 156th Ratings Win
The radio numbers are in! Discover who's off for a boozy lunch today & who's waiting for the dreaded HR death knock.
Gourmet Ice Cream Brand Connoisseur Launches New “Thrill Your Senses” Iteration, Via SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Rattling the old "truth in advertising" adage comes this ice-cream spot full of noticeably thin people.
Paramount’s Global Sales Boss: ‘Australia’s Converged Model Is A Blueprint For How I’d Like All Of Our Markets To Be’
Paramount's global sales boss gives local sales ops the thumbs up. Didn't weigh-in on the Lisa Wilkinson debacle.
TikTok Starts Testing Its Instagram Rival In Australia
In exciting news for piano playing cats & brattish pranks in shopping centres, TikTok unveils its Insta rival plans.
Man Wrongly Named By Seven As Bondi Killer Hires Lawyers
Struggling to save for a house deposit? Why not get wrongly identified by Sunrise!
Smartsheet Appoints Indie Agency Sandbox Media To Its Media Account
Can't stand your colleagues? Like to dob them in when they miss a deadline? These work management platforms are ideal.
Boss Not Letting You Come To Cannes In Cairns? Use This Business Case To Convince Them!
Stingy boss won't spring for a ticket to Cairns? Add this to your persuasive argument repertoire. Or grovel.
Alt/shift/ Brisbane Builds Portfolio With Ausbuild Creative, PR, Content & Social Account Win
The Brisbane comms/PR agency lands constructor Ausbuild. Also hoping for a discount on its new glass conservatory.
Young Guns Versus The Old Guard: Who Adds More Value to Our Industry?
Cannes In Cairns poking this hornet's nest in a lively debate. Just so long as the oldies can get up the stairs.
70% Of Aussies Don’t Have Green Power Plans ENGIE Says In Major Brand Campaign Via HERO
Are you the notorious "light leaver on-er" in your flatshare? Quell any infighting with this green energy news.
PrettyGood Launches Offering Brand & Media Solutions For Australasian SMEs
B&T applauds the charitable nature of this new agency. Although we'd hate to see it impact any Chrissie present sends.
A Blunt End: Dolphins Medicinal Cannabis Sponsorship At Risk
Yes, it's another NRL drug story. Yet, thankfully it doesn't involve coke in Kuta during the off-season.
Slew Of New Creative Hires At Leo Burnett Australia
Ahhh, all black! The outfit of choice for agency creatives, David Jones staff and everyone in Melbourne.
Under Armour Unveils Local “Live in UA” Campaign
American apparel brand set for yet another tilt at the Aussie market, as Nike declares "we'll see about that".
Pepsi Launches New Look, Refreshing Classic Fashion Staples Via Special PR
Are you always the bridesmaid, never the bride, as the old saying goes? How do you think Pepsi feels?
Pure Blonde Returns To A Place Purer Than Yours In New Campaign Via The Monkeys
B&T's always been a huge fan of the 'drink yourself thinner' diet plan. So big thanks to Pure blonde, vodka & tequila.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Carsales Strikes With Another Storm-Based Team
Think our hacks are living their sports journalist dreams vicariously through B&T? Confirm it with this reporting.
Commission Factory & AGL Energy Ignite Strategic Partnership To Empower Australian Energy Consumers
Concerned by global warming yet ran the fans non-stop over summer? Add to the guilt with this read.
Allied Nabs Nicola Gold From Pico International Dubai
Seasoned marketer relocates from Dubai to Sydney. Says the shopping's not as good but at least you can get a drink.
Nine’s Push For Gold, Silver & Bronze Ad Opportunities Could Break New Ground In Broadcasting
Nine insists that AI won't dominate its Olympics coverage. And not merely because Bruce McAvaney doesn't understand it.
TV Ratings (16/04/2024): Toxic City Girls Too Much For Farmer Bert
Fans calling out toxic behaviour on Farmer Wants A Wife, seemingly unaware that's the very premise of any dating show.
Kaimera Wins Afterpay ANZ Media Account
Have couriers even started to mention you're overdoing the online shopping? Probably best to avoid this Afterpay news.
Industry Reacts: Stuff Group Swoops In To Save 6pm News After Newshub Closure
As you'll read here, New Zealand's media's in a right state of flux. And nor have they forgotten 1981's underarm.
a2 Milk Launches “Only a2 Will Do’ Brand Platform In First Work From BMF
A2 milk drinkers tend not to bother everyone with their gut health issues & it's a lesson for vegans & the gluten-free.
Can You Recite It In Under 4 Seconds? Maccas Relaunches Iconic Competition With Modern Twist
Do you know what would make a fantastic ad? Drunk people at 3am trying to recite the ”two all-beef patties"
‘Liar, Liar’: Lehrmann Exposed As High Profile Defamation Case Comes To A Close
Having exhausted all avenues in his defamation case, is there only one option left for Bruce - reality television?
MECCA & Fendi Among Premium Advertisers For oOh!media Woollahra OOH Network Launch
If you've not been to the snooty suburb of Woollahra, the locals would like to thank you again for staying well away.
Yahoo Academy Announces Class Of 2024
This academy is strictly for "emerging leaders". Courses don't include 'sleeping at your desk' or 'bunking off early'.
Top 35 Media Leaders Announced For 2024 TikTok Agency Accelerator Program
Despite the ban threats, TikTok keeps marching on. Cementing its reputation as the Julian Assange of the tech.
AiMCO Announces First-Ever Diversity Webinar To Explore Inclusion In Influencer Marketing
Think influencer marketing's a little on the white side? This free webinar's for you. Sadly, it's not given TV ideas.