As part-time entrepreneurs and Gen Y-ers ourselves, with different backgrounds, we find ourselves hearing the same things. Young people seek careers that will give them a good income, personal fulfillment, plenty of learning opportunities, flexibility, and joy. Companies and organizations want new hires who will help them move forward, who can work within the current company culture, and by being active, engaged, socially-conscious citizens, also serve to meaningfully transform it. Companies want what they’ve always wanted: people who will help them remain relevant. It’s about keeping an eye on all the ways the world is changing and in the meantime, offering products and services of real value to people.
So how do we stay relevant? We might arrive at the answer faster by first considering the question, what skills and qualities will serve us in the future? Whether we’re young people in the business of crafting our careers or companies in the business of bringing on new creative talent, those skills and qualities are the same. The world needs connectors. By this I mean systems thinkers, synthesizers of ideas, translators of ideas, free agents comfortable working across sectors and across different parts of the organization, and workers who are also willing to serve as fearless, thoughtful hosts of conversations that matter within our companies, communities, and organizations. It’s not enough anymore to be a hard worker who stays on task; the world needs smart workers who are paying attention to the world around them, letting it inform the way they work and lead.
In my next blog, I’ll go into more detail about what I mean by each of these roles and will invite your thoughts as well. What skills and qualities do you think the world needs now?
Lex Schroeder writes frequently on leadership, change, and creativity. She is Co-Founder and Managing Editor of The New Prosperity Initiative (NPi), a Program Associate at The Berkana Institute, and a Connector for Boston World Partnerships.
Open all references in tabs: [1 – 3]