FUTURE SKILLS FUTURE THINKING

FUTURE SKILLS FUTURE THINKING A Blueprint for Developing Talent Building a Better Future

Contents

Foreword

4

Bringing Future Skills to Life

27

Critical Change Factors

5

Future Skills Checklist

28

The Decade of Radical Disruption

6

Building the Employee Value Proposition

29

The Challenge for Business Leaders

7

What About Leaders? Ensuring Management Is Future Fit

30

How Organisations Thrive During Disruption

8

Leadership Circle – The Foundation for Leadership Development

31

Getting Change-Ready

9

Conclusion

32

Case Study: Innovation and Success

10

Next Steps

33

Beginning the Journey to Future Fit

12

A Customisable Journey Towards a Better Future

34

Developing a Blueprint for a Better Future

13

A 4D Approach to Talent Development

35

Strategies for Getting Future Fit

14

Appendix

37

What Skills Do You Need to Invest in?

18

- Introducing the Inner Development Goals

38

The 56 DELTAs

19

References and Acknowledgements

39

The Scope for Future Skills

24

The Inner Development Goals

26

2

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

“

The ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do. Steve Jobs

3

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

Foreword

The world we live in is changing. While change is nothing new, the challenge we are now facing is that the pace of change has accelerated beyond all previous experience. Over the past century, it has advanced to such an extent that we can no longer anticipate how our lives (and particularly our working lives) might look – even in five years’ time. So what does this mean for us? I t means that the old rules don’t – and can’t – apply any more. We cannot continue to operate without a powerful and committed response to change; with business models that are outdated in today’s climate; with a playbook that was created decades before. Organisations need to rethink their structures, ways of working, and methods of leadership, seeing the challenge of change as an opportunity to be innovative. If organisations fail to adapt, to bridge the gap between the scale and pace of change around us and the change that must be implemented within the business, the future will threaten their very existence, just as it did for those organisations that now fill the graveyards of the obsolete.

“

When you’re finished changing, you’re finished – Benjamin Franklin

Adapting is not an easy process, but in this white paper we will give you some guidelines to follow to set you up in the possible future world.

4

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

Critical Change Factors

1 The Fourth Industrial Revolution This century heralds major digital transformation and innovation, including robotics, automation and artificial intelligence (AI). This will dramatically change the nature and number of jobs available – 20% of jobs are at risk of automation. 2 Foundational Sector Disruption There is forecasted disruption in the sectors of energy, transport, food, information, and materials (Seba and Arbib, 2020) – for example, the scarcity of energy and water is set to increase by 50% and 40% respectively in 2030 (National Intelligence Council). There will be a rapid restructure in traditional energy industries and job creation in alternative energy/waste management. 3 Ageing Population Consequently, there will be increased pressure on economies and businesses, older workers will be forced to work for longer and upskill, and there will be increased need for automation, as well as pressure on pension costs. 4 Economic-Driven Inequality Economic and political shifts will result in redistribution of power, wealth, competition and opportunity on a global scale. 5 Rapid Urbanisation By 2030, the UN projects that 4.9 billion people will live in urban settings and by 2050, the world’s urban population will have increased by 72% ( UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs). 6 Talent Shortfalls and the “Great Resignation" A record 4.4 million people quit their jobs in September 2021 alone, for reasons including finding better job opportunities or higher pay. Organisations now need to offer more in order to hire the right people.

5

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

The Decade of Radical Disruption

As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, many business leaders are still reeling. With 2030 looking like a distant point on the horizon and radical disruption forecasted, it’s time to take stock. Economic instability has been compounded by the conflict in Europe, which has taken many by surprise. Scarcity of food and resources had, up until this point, seemed an ambiguous threat. With supply chain challenges exacerbated by disruption to transport and shipping routes, the impact is being felt across nearly all sectors. The vicious cycle of the cost of living and soaring inflation is piling the pressure on organisations as they seek to support their employees, while working hard to attract and retain the talent they need to be able to adapt and grow to secure the better and more sustainable future they aspire to. Meanwhile, the reality of climate change came into sharp focus during global lockdowns as people took stock, re-evaluated, and embraced new ways of working, which resulted (unexpectedly) in both personal and wider societal benefit. With a reduction in travel – both air and road – climate change champions rejoiced in the unexpected outcome, hoping some headway had been made as a result of the experience of quiet roads and reduced pollution in deserted cities. And indeed there had been – for a short time, at least. COP26 resulted in a call to action for business leaders as it soon became clear that the member states would only achieve a better future, or at least a ‘net positive’ future by 2030, if business leaders committed to clear and decisive action right now. The well- timed publication of Polman and Winston’s ‘Net Positive’ heralded the opportunity for business leaders to be ‘purposeful’ and (unsurprisingly) ‘net positive’. So as we consider how we must now move forward, having had a glimpse of what’s still to come, it’s time to ask ourselves:

Do we want to survive or thrive?

In Kotter’s latest book about ‘Change’, he discusses how the emerging science of change shows that this phenomenon will continue to increase as we move forward through the century – and, as a result, we need to be aware of the innate human responses to change, to ensure we can optimise the outcome.

He states that we have two channels: a ‘survive’ channel’ and a ‘thrive channel’.

Survive – survival is a human biological response to perceived threats. It is powerful and it can overwhelm us. We know that, when this instinct takes over, leaders will often struggle to see the conscious pathway or the creative opportunity. Operating in ‘survive’ state for long periods of time drains energy and leads to stress. It results in reduced productivity and less effective decision-making. Thrive – thrive requires a conscious shift in mindset, from threat to opportunity. It is a more sustainable response state because energy levels are more consistent, avoiding the spikes caused by threat responses. Our focus and capability expands rather than shrinks – it unlocks collaboration, creativity and innovation. The impact of operating in these 2 opposing states can be seen in case studies of organisational responses to disruption. Those organisations that were ready for change and embraced it as an opportunity experienced success, where others only just survived.

Leaders, take heed. How will you ensure you and your organisation are change-ready?

6

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

The Challenge for Business Leaders

It is no longer enough to simply react when problems surface, as many organisations did with the COVID-19 pandemic. As we have discussed, operating purely in survival mode drains energy, resulting in increased stress levels, and can result in a diversion of invaluable energy, withdrawing, or freezing. This modus operandum prohibits leaders from being able to identify opportunities, being able to innovate and take adaptive or corrective action. Instead, leaders must seek to understand and pay attention to what is being forecasted for the future, and start preparing a response strategy, so that their organisations can thrive in the future world. Bob Sternfels, McKinsey : ‘If I think about some of the potential pitfalls that I’m seeing senior executives [fall into], it’s thinking about this next phase as “a return to what I had before” as opposed to taking the opportunity to say, “Can I reset or reimagine my organization?” I think some of the most inspiring conversations I’ve had with CEOs are about, “How do I rewire my organization for this speed that’s based on design versus based on adrenaline?”’ Matthew Grainger, CEO, Grainger & Worrall : “It has to be part of the day job, you can’t just be managing what is happening today – you have to set time aside in the senior management team, in the board, that is looking in a 10 year window, not the 5 to 10 week window; and that is a challenge. We christen the term the “grip and vision”, the grip of today with the vision of the future. Finding the balance between those two things is very important... it is a priority.”

“

Only 25% of companies put the development of strategic plans for the business over the next five years at the top of their agendas (Natwest, 2020). In other words, they are too busy working in the business to be working on the business – but what will this mean for their futures?

7

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

HOW ORGANISATIONS THRIVE DURING DISRUPTION How Organisations Thrive During Disruption

It has been said that leaders stand on the shoulders who have gone before. If we learn the lessons from recent history – the successes and failures – the journey to becoming future fit should progress more smoothly.

What must leaders do to stay ahead of the game?

The journey to becoming future fit and turning the forecasted disruption into opportunity begins with a glimpse beyond the horizon. Leaders must plan for three critical outcomes when it comes to future thinking: Innovation – Organisations that succeed will be those who are first, faster or cheaper, depending on the strategy adopted. The key to all of these outcomes is innovation. Innovation needs the talent to deliver, the leaders to inspire and the structure, processes and culture to support it. Employ and nurture lateral thinkers, encourage the ‘thrive’ response by creating the right conditions, and help leaders model an ‘opportunity - inclined’ growth mindset. Acceleration of capabilities – Reskilling and upskilling is critical. As the world changes, human skills will become critical. Organisations must create teams which capture diversity of thinking and help those teams build the relationship skills which result in successful collaboration and creative thinking, without fear. Action – inertia will lead to failure. While competitors are striving to adapt and move forward, leaders must ensure they can too. Empower your employees to take action with support of their leaders and create a culture where courage to act is advocated.

“

any firm must constantly be creating new strategies, new products, and new ways of [working, which] must then be diffused throughout the firm, setting off further innovations Nonaka and Kenney, 1991

8

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

Getting Change-Ready: Calm in the Eye of the Storm

The way organisations are structured in the present day can limit adaptability to change. Leaders need to recognise these limitations and consider how they can realistically be modified. Kotter suggests creating a ‘change network’ to work on implementing adaptations within the organisation, where individuals with a range of backgrounds – not only managers and leaders – follow these steps: • Share – successful change efforts begin with a clearly articulated, compelling, emotionally inspiring opportunity with a sense of urgency. • Opportunity – identify the opportunity and communicate it widely, positively and authentically to achieve buy-in – people need to be part of it and must be able to see the opportunities, not just threats. They must feel involved and engaged. • Recruit change champions – identify a group with a broad range of knowledge, skills, and connections throughout the organisation to work on the change. Management hierarchy can sometimes be counter intuitive in affecting change. • Positive affirmation – celebrate short-term wins often and quickly to maintain momentum and show progress. • Create action – change is sustained by new actions, continuous results, communication, and celebration.

9

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

Case Study: Innovation and Success

Adapted from Cojocaru and Cojocaru (2014)

Innovation can be defined as all the scientific, technological, organisational, financial, and commercial activities necessary to create, implement, and market new or improved products or processes (OECD, 1997). Innovation does not proceed through logical deduction, but rather is the result of excellent organisational cooperation. Two very different organisations, Sony and Apple Computer , illustrate this well. In 1979, Sony launched a portable Walkman range – the idea for which was sparked by co-founder Masaru Ibuka wanting to listen to operas during trans-Pacific plane trips. The Walkman was a worldwide hit and propelled them to the position of market leader. Sony was considered a top innovative company, though the device was not particularly technologically advanced – portable tape recorders had existed for decades, and the Walkman took features from this, incorporating stereo circuits and a stereo headphone terminal in place of the record function and a speaker. In 2001, Apple decided to launch the iPod, a new portable player. The major innovation of the iPod was its small size, achieved by using a smaller hard drive. About 80% of the iPod technical components (e.g., memory, storage media) were produced by various companies within the Sony group – and Sony had invented the concept of listening to music anytime, anywhere. But the newcomer iPod was easier to use, more fashionable, good looking, and used the Apple iTunes software, allowing consumers to use the music from their own computers.

the essence of entrepreneurship is the ability to break away from routine, to destroy existing structures, to move the system away from the even, circular flow of equilibrium Kirzner, 1973, describing the views of innovation researcher, Schumpeter “

10

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America + 1609 642 8821

Case Study: Innovation and Success (Cont.)

In 2004, iPod sales overtook Sony Walkman globally and became the new market leader in portable players, showing that sometimes innovations arise not from the company who made a breakthrough, but from someone else who takes this idea even further. What Sony lacked was a culture of cooperation. Their departments were encouraged to be in competition with each other, rather than cooperating, whereas Apple benefited from harnessing different knowledge and ideas from across the company due to excellent leadership and the talent they employed and empowered. In other words, Apple optimised the change network approach. Notably, their overall vision was clear and expertly communicated, and change and creativity was embedded throughout the organisation, underpinning the culture and values of both leaders and teams.

11

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

Beginning the Journey to Future Fit

It all begins with purpose. Once you have identified a compelling purpose, you have your reason for being; for doing what you do, every day. Purpose determines how you strategise for the future.

12

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

Developing a Blueprint for a Better Future

When we begin to consider developing a blueprint for a better future, we must start with purpose. Purpose is the ‘golden thread’ for organisations (CIPD, 2010). A shared sense of purpose is the true identity of an organisation and should connect all aspects of strategy. Research conducted by CIPD (2010) evidences a direct correlation, amongst over 2,000 respondents, between a shared purpose and employee satisfaction, engagement and sustained performance. More recently, Polman and Winston (2021) explore many examples of organisations thriving as a result of purpose driven leadership over the shareholder model – most significantly at Unilever, where Polman held a highly successful tenure as CEO, from 2009 to 2019, advocating the principles of purposeful leadership. Clive Wilson (Primeast) explored the concept of purpose in detail in ‘Designing the Purposeful Organization’ (2015) by looking at the eight conditions which must be addressed for an organisation to achieve its purpose (known as PrimeFocus TM ). Primeast has adopted Wilson’s PrimeFocus TM framework and supported organisations (including Google, Bupa, Kia and more) with strategic alignment and purposeful leadership projects for over 30 years. This approach to organisational development ensures that organisations are successfully aligned for a sustainable and better future, and has proven to unlock talent and have a profound impact on the individuals who take part – leading to far greater self-actualisation, and a greater sense of purposeful and valued contribution. In this paper, we use our experience and frameworks – along with the knowledge gleaned from recent research – to give you, as leaders, a blueprint for becoming future fit.

13

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

Strategies for Getting Future Fit

1. Create a clear and compelling purpose Purpose is passion. When you have identified, shared and articulated your organisation’s purpose you must then find ways to help your employees align to this. What does it mean for them? How does it align to their own purpose; their own reason for being? Doing this will enable leaders to unlock the passion and belief in what an organisation delivers; leaders must then help their teams understand the part they play in delivering this so that they will begin to feel that what they do matters . This creates a collective energy in your organisation that is infectious, fulfilling and motivational.

Primeast’s Model for Strategic Alignment: PrimeFocus TM – creating the conditions for successful, purposeful organisations

2. Identify your vision for the future

You must work as a leadership team to define and then share your vision with your employees. Empower your leaders and managers to bring the vision to life – give them the knowledge and skills to be able to do this. Show them not just what results you expect but help them imagine what success looks like both to the organisation and the individuals. Now the real work begins, to ensure your organisation is sustainable, securing a better future for the business, its employees, its communities, the planet and society.

3. Carry out an organisational assessment

Begin with some work on scenario planning; what does the future hold for your organisation? How can you prepare? Work through the PrimeFocus TM conditions as a leadership team and assess your structure and culture. Does it serve your purpose and vision? What change or transformation is required – for example, will you require the same job roles in the future, and could some roles be filled by temporary employees? And seeing that human talent underlies the other eight conditions of a successful organisation, what are the skills and behaviours you need to achieve your better future? Further on in this paper, we provide you with a list of future skills which are expected to be vital in the future – you will need a development needs analysis in order to identify skills gaps in your employees, and will have to make the decision whether to recruit the right skills from the hyper-competitive job market, or undertake specific skillset training with current employees.

14

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

“

If you organize your life around your passion, you can turn your passion into your story and then turn your story into something bigger – something that matters. Blake Mycoskie

15 Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

4. Create a roadmap with clear actions for ‘getting future fit’

6. Build trust in teams

You will have done most of the work in point 3, but now you need to think about when and how to effect the changes you anticipate to be necessary – for example, your learning and development strategy that will fill the skills gaps. You should also consider how you could mitigate adverse outcomes such as job losses and instability – and you may wish to set up your ‘change networks’ at this point ( groups with a broad range of knowledge, skills, and connections from throughout the organisation set up to focus on ensuring change happens). You will ideally have a group to work on each change you need to implement, in order to help you make progress more quickly. Remember to build engagement by communicating across the organisation often – don’t assume people know where your organization is heading. Give them the tools and the choice to engage and they will reward you with their energy and commitment. Whether you decide to champion ‘radical candour’, non -violent or compassionate and conscious communication, be intentional; communicate clearly, frequently and authentically. The demand for new skills and more advanced thinking will never remain static. Developing a fluid approach to reskilling and upskilling requires the creation of a learning culture. Employees must be empowered and be encouraged to take ownership of their own learning. For this to happen, they must develop the self awareness and metacognitive abilities to identify and manage their own limiting behaviours and then to do the work to master self-command. Leaders should advocate and model openness and curiosity, and develop the space for exploration and experimentation (i.e., the psychologically safe environment for giving and receiving of feedback to ensure collective responsibility to strive for better). Finally, organisations must provide the support in terms of both internal and external skills development, and the mental fitness to be able to operate with courage.

Trust exists in working environments where strengths are recognised and optimised, and employees or team members adopt a positive or growth mindset. Once trust is established, teams will experience greater success. They will perform better in terms of collaboration and innovation and find the experience of working in teams more fulfilling and enjoyable, while being stretched and challenged. Many highly skilled teams fail when due care is not given to building connections, interpersonal skills and ways of working, and the establishment of the shared vision, expectations and aspirations. Investment in this from the outset will yield far better outcomes. Allowing people to fail is as much an investment in learning as training and development. Leaders must create the conditions where employees, particularly those with entrepreneurial inclinations, can push the boundaries and explore their own and the organisation’s potential. Providing frameworks and processes as safety nets empowers teams and supports your leaders in creating the conditions for nurturing innovation. 7. Create the capacity to act and the freedom to fail

5. Develop a learning culture

8. Implement your strategies

You don’t need to do this alone. Work with specialist partners who commit to understanding your goals, aspirations and vision. Where one size doesn’t fit all, increasingly organisations are seeking out highly creative, agile partners who can deliver very specifically designed solutions that really do make a difference.

16

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

70% of employees say they haven’t yet mastered the skills they need for the job they have today. Additionally, only 1 in 5 employees say they have the skills they need for both their current roles and future careers. As a result, upskilling and reskilling employees are priorities for many organizations, and learning has now become a business imperative. Gartner, 2021 “

17

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

What Skills Do You Need to Invest in?

We have illustrated that future skills are critical to being future fit – but what are future skills? Research by the McKinsey Global Institute identified a set of 56 foundational skills that will be of use in the future world, no matter which sector you are in. With the labour market becoming more automated, digital, and dynamic, organisations will require from their employees the ability to: • add value beyond what can be done by automated systems and intelligent machines • operate in a digital environment • continually adapt to new ways of working and new occupations. The 56 skills which have been identified to satisfy these requirements are known as DELTAs ( D istinct El ements of Ta lent). Further research by McKinsey showed that, currently, the skills in which workers currently have the lowest levels of proficiency – and, as result, the skills that we should focus on first – are software use and development, understanding digital systems, communication, and planning and ways of working. Raising proficiency in the DELTAs will require continuous adult training. The fact that proficiency in digital DELTAs – shown to improve the chances of achieving higher incomes – was lower among older survey respondents who had left the national educational system illustrates this point.

“

More than 60% of companies plan to increase their L&D spending, and more than 66% of organizations will increase the number of formal learning hours Van Dam, 2017

You can see the 56 DELTAs in more detail over the next few pages.

18

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

The 56 DELTAs

Outlined below are the results of research conducted by McKinsey into what the critical future skills for employees in the future will be.

Source: McKinsey

19

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

DIGITAL

Digital fluency and citizenship • Digital literacy • Digital learning

• •

Digital collaboration

Digital ethics

Software use and development • Programming literacy • Data analysis and statistics

•

Computational and algorithmic thinking

Understanding digital systems • Data literacy

•

Cybersecurity literacy

20

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

COGNITIVE

Critical thinking •

Planning and ways of working • Work-plan development •

Structured problem-solving

• • •

Logical reasoning

Time management and prioritisation

Understanding biases

•

Agile thinking

Seeking relevant information

Communication •

Mental flexibility •

Storytelling and public speaking

Creativity and imagination

• • •

Asking the right questions Synthesising messages

•

Translating knowledge to different contexts Adopting a different perspective

Active listening

• • •

Adaptability

Ability to learn

21

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

INTERPERSONAL

Mobilising systems • Role modelling •

Developing relationships • Empathy • Inspiring trust • Humility • Sociability

Win-win negotiations

• •

Crafting an inspiring vision Organisational awareness

Teamwork effectiveness •

• • •

Collaboration

Fostering inclusiveness

Coaching

• •

Motivating different personalities

Empowering

Resolving conflicts

22

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

SELF-LEADERSHIP Self-awareness and self-management • Understanding own emotions and triggers • Self-control and regulation • Understanding own strengths Entrepreneurship • Courage and risk-taking • Driving change and innovation

• • •

Integrity

Self-motivation and wellness

Self-confidence

• •

Energy, passion and optimism

Breaking orthodoxies

Goals achievement •

Ownership and decisiveness

•

Grit and persistence

23

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

The Scope for Future Skills

Industry leaders have frequently cited the need for the development of ‘soft skills’, with exactly these skills being frequently demonstrated by outstanding, high performing individuals. Thinking has evolved further to reflect the critical nature of these skills; human skills, critical skills, or power skills are now recognised as the key differentiators observed when analysing high and low performance. As the world continues with the pace of change currently experienced, mastering these skills will soon become the determining factor for success. Where technology transformation and radical disruption forces humans to distinguish themselves and the value they bring to a world that has readily adopted artificial intelligence, blockchain and metaverse, it will be the human operating system that will make the difference. Building this improved human operating system will ensure employees can respond effectively, adapting, understanding, self-leading and evolving their own capabilities to be able to navigate through continued uncertainty – to thrive , rather than survive. In addition to developing ‘human skills’, we need to carry out inner development in order to become future fit. Without enhancing our values and convictions, employees and their leaders will lack the capacity to deal with our increasingly complex environment and challenges. Following this line of thought – and inspired by the work of the United Nations and the Sustainability Development Goals – we have seen the launch of the Inner Development Goals, a framework which has been defined by industry leaders as a means to radically intervene with a ‘new playbook’ for future thinking. Whilst still in its early stages of conception, the rationale reflects the work that has already begun on future skills and the development of an evolved set of capabilities which will serve both those organisations who envision a sustainable and better future, and a humanity that will inherit the consequences of our labours.

24

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

“

We are never going to be able to solve our problems with the same order of consciousness that created these problems. Einstein

25

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

Inner Development Goals

The Inner Development Goals framework sets out the skills and attributes required within the new consciousness that could help us effectively tackle the challenges of building a sustainable future. It should be your focus when designing skill development strategies.

26

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

Bringing Future Skills to Life Alongside the McKinsey DELTAs, the Inner Development Goals framework has informed Primeast’s own Future Skills Checklist which is the foundation for our Future Skills training and has been mapped against the proven tools and approaches we have adopted over the years when designing experiential learning. This combined approach has yielded a far greater impact on the employees, teams and leaders we work with, developing their external skills alongside their internal capabilities. We support skill development strategies in three distinct areas: developing self awareness, building positive relationships, and improving performance. Self-awareness – When facing an uncertain and unpredictable future – where 85% of jobs in the next five years haven’t even been invented yet – it is vital to help employees develop an agile, flexible, self-aware and self – managing mindset so that they can adapt and take responsibility for their own performance as the business world changes round them. Relationships – Making the most of our working relationships requires a deeper awareness of the impact we have on others so that we can self-regulate. This emotional intelligence can be learnt but it does need the support of coaches and facilitators who understand how to identify behaviour traps which have a negative effect on others. Performance – Employees must develop the critical skills and knowledge needed to complete tasks and activities more effectively. This might range from managing performance to driving innovation, or coaching team members in order to improve their skills and empower them in their roles. These three areas are laid out in our Future Skills Checklist. We have implemented skills development in these areas with many organisations we’ve worked with over a thirty-year period, honing the programme to deliver real impact in terms of performance, results, and (ultimately) purpose.

“

I want to sincerely thank you for a wonderful life changing learning. I feel that I am a different person to what I was in the beginning of the year. Ready to explore and take on the world!

Participant feedback

27

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

Future Skills Checklist – Self-Awareness | Relationships | Performance

Self-Awareness

Relationships

Performance

SKILLS

SKILLS

SKILLS

ATTRIBUTES

Purpose

Conflict

Productivity (Action & Results)

Purposeful & Visionary

Self-Reflection

Collaboration

Innovation

Accountability

Self-Command

Communication (Questioning/Listening)

Coaching & Mentoring

Agility

Prioritising

Influence (Storytelling, Personal Brand)

Empowering Others

Societal Contribution

Personal Effectiveness

Teamworking

Engaging

Trust

Resilience

Cultural Intelligence

Talent Development

Sense-Making

Feedback

Mastering Change

Consider the future challenges you will face as an organisation.

Creative Thinking

ATTRIBUTES

ATTRIBUTES

Critical Thinking

Inner Compass (purpose & values)

Interpersonal Intelligence

Systems Awareness

Which skills and attributes, if embedded, would help to overcome existing limitations and unlock performance?

Mental Fitness

Empathy

Strategic Focus

Learning Mindset

Compassion

Decision-Making

Self-Confidence

Discernment

Problem-Solving

Integrity

Wisdom

Sustainability

Authenticity

Needs Critical Attention

Presence

Purpose, Vision & Culture

Emotional Intelligence

Needs Improvement

Inclusivity

Operational Management

Curiosity

Good Performance

Customer Orientation

Courage

28

Building the Employee Value Proposition – When Recruiting Is a Better Strategy Than Upskilling

• Work-life balance and understanding of mental health / mental fitness

There may be times when it makes more sense for your business to recruit the skills you need for the future, rather than upskilling your current employees. As a result, it is important to note – as part of this ‘blueprint’ for action – that in a world with changing job needs, skills gaps and a challenging job:employee ratio, a ‘future - fit’ strategy also needs to encompass the attraction and retention of talent (i.e., your employee value proposition (EVP). Given the increasing environment of ‘free agency’, employees have high expectations when it comes to selecting employers, seeking roles where they can improve their skills and knowledge through multiple opportunities; roles which are varied and further their careers, preparing them as individuals for their own future. Therefore, you should ensure that you have a comprehensive learning and development strategy in place, and consider career progression within the roles available, providing interesting opportunities for development which satisfy people’s desire for security and mobility in the world of work. This demands a continuous learning environment or learning culture, alongside the values and leadership that advocate this approach.

It is important that these factors are integrated into the skills development strategies you develop, but also the actual fabric of the organisational culture, including your processes and policies.

“

Only 29% of employees are “very satisfied” with their current career advancement opportunities within their organisation. 76% say that a company would be more appealing if it offered additional skills training to its staff .

Lorman, 2022

What else might be increasingly important to the employees of the future? Research suggests that employees will be looking for:

• Mitigations of the potential for loneliness and isolation in remote work

• Being able to contribute to social innovation and equitability

29

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

What About Leaders? Ensuring Management Is Future Fit

beyond any intervention.

In today's changing and complex world, traditional approaches to leadership no longer suffice. The time for 'hero' leaders has passed. Research tells us that people need 'people' as leaders; fully rounded, authentic, resilient, agile, emotionally connected people who can lead with purpose and values. For example, a report by Natwest (2020) notes that the most successful leaders are those who are:

• The consequences will be far-reaching impacting on teams, individuals, external networks, and subsequently wider organisational performance. • Investing in people development alongside leadership development creates a multiplier effect on the investment and helps to build cohesion. Primeast employs a range of proven, world-class tools to support senior leadership development. One of those tools is the Leadership Circle TM .

• Collaborative • Proactive • Positive • Forward-thinking • Innovative

“

64% of organisations believe their greatest challenge is developing 'next generation' leaders. Bersin, July 2019

Organisations with leaders who possess these attributes outperform others by nearly two times on EBITDA and are 2.4 times more likely to hit their performance targets during times of significant transformation. Clearly, the traditional focus on growing skills and knowledge (horizontal development) is no longer adequate. Leaders must develop a highly sophisticated internal operating system or mindset (vertical development) to be able to deal with the pace of today's change and the challenges it presents. Vertical development involves transforming the ways a leader thinks. This will then impact on what they do and how they behave:

• Leaders develop the thinking to be able to continue growing and adapting

30

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

Leadership Circle ™ – The Foundation for Leadership Development

The Future Skills Checklist we showed you is a useful starting point for individual contributors and wider organisations that are creating skills development strategies. However, for a more thorough analysis of developmental focus, and to reflect where they are on their adult development journey (as well as where they might be in terms of emotional maturity), senior leaders should undertake a Leadership Circle Profile ™ . This measures the eighteen specific Leadership Competencies, as well as the eleven Internal Assumptions that limit effectiveness, giving them a basis for thinking about their future development to be able to operate successfully in a complex VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) marketplace. The science behind Leadership Circle magnifies why leaders do what they do and how they can transform. When your leaders transform, so does your organisation. This translates into better results and a measurable impact for your business and life.

The creative competencies which senior leaders must master are:

Relating

Authenticity • Integrity

• Caring Connection • Fosters Team Play • Collaborator

• Courageous Authenticity

Systems Awareness

• Mentoring & Developing • Interpersonal Intelligence

• Community Concern • Sustainable Productivity • Systems Thinker • Strategic Focus • Purposeful & Visionary • Achieves Results • Decisiveness

Self-Awareness

• Selfless Leader • Balance • Composure • Personal Learner

Achieving

31

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

Conclusion

As we lean into the future together, experiencing continued disruption it is important to remember that, while uncertainty and complexity continues to reign, humans have always proved themselves to be resilient, innovative, adaptable and capable of great achievements. With a mindset that is trained to seek out opportunity, it is within our capability to rise to the coming challenges and create a better future for our organisations, our employees and society. Primeast has worked with organisations globally, supporting employees, teams and leaders for over 30 years, with a unique focus on inner development which results in the unlocking of talent, potential and performance.

Get future-ready with us, today.

CONTACTS

Sarah Morgan | Sales & Marketing Director, UK/Global +44 1423 531083 Beth Williams | CEO North America +1 609 642 8821

32

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

Next Steps

Primeast will work with, and alongside you, on your journey to ‘future fit’:

TALENT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

DEVELOPMENT NEEDS ANALYSIS

CULTURE TRANSFORMATION

DEVELOPMENT PLANNING

DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION

PURPOSEFUL LEADERSHIP

EVALUATION & IMPACT

COACHING

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

33

A Customisable Journey Towards a Better Future

Primeast provides customised solutions at every stage of your organisational development. An example of how we might work with you is provided as an illustration below.

STEP 5

FUTURE THINK

STEP 4

FUTURE THINK

MEASURING IMPACT & CONTINUOUS GROWTH

STEP 3

DESIGN & IMPLEMENT THE DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY

STEP 2

FUTURE THINK

STEP 1

WHERE ARE WE NOW? Assess against the gameplan

FUTURE THINK

FUTURE THINK

CREATE YOUR GAMEPLAN What do we need to do to get there?

Kirkpatrick Leading Indicators and re-take assessments can be used for measuring impact and improvement

LEADERSHIP VISION WORKSHOP

Provide programmes which develop critical skills and attributes for continuous growth and improved performance across a selected population of roles and functions

Complete a Development Needs Analysis against a Competency Framework to understand the gaps, the journey & a situation audit

Identify the nature of the change or transformation required and agreeing clear markers for success

Create a compelling future, understanding what it looks like for your employees, leaders and the wider organisation

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

1

A 4D Approach to Talent Development

Talent development with Primeast addresses all four of the elements below, in order to ensure that employees experience continuous growth and are ready for the challenges that the future will inevitably present. You can read more about the elements of a 4D approach here.

INNER DEVELOPMENT Increase self-awareness to self-lead & build better collaborative working relationships by unlocking authentic and best self.

CRITICAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT Develop critical leadership skills: communication, problem solving, strategic & critical thinking, decision-making, leading and developing high-performing teams & talent.

CONTINUOUS GROWTH

ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Develop systems awareness and strategic thinking to be able to drive growth in line with the organisation’s purpose & future vision.

EXTERNAL CONTEXT DEVELOPMENT Develop an awareness of external factors which impact on organisational performance and how to build teams and cultures to thrive in complexity – developing leaders for a sustainable tomorrow.

35

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

primeast.com

Appendix

Introducing the Inner Development Goals Framework

38

Primeast Global +44 (0) 1423 531083 | Primeast North America +1 609 642 8821

References and Acknowledgements

Arbib, J. & Seba, T. (2020). Rethinking Humanity: Five Foundational Sector Disruptions, The Lifecycle of Civilizations, and the Coming Age of Freedom. RethinkX.

Cojocaru, C. & Cojocaru, S. (2014). Sony vs. Apple – iPod Launching, A Case Study of Leadership and Innovation. https://journals.indexcopernicus.com/api/file/viewByFileId/440670.pdf

Gartner. (2021). Strategies to Address Skill Gaps. https://www.gartner.co.uk/en/human-resources/insights/skill-gap

Inner Development Goals. (2022). Transformational Skills for Sustainable Development . https://www.innerdevelopmentgoals.org/

Kotter, J., Akhtar, V., & Gupta, G. (2021). Change: How Organizations Achieve Hard-to-Imagine Results in Uncertain and Volatile Times. Wiley.

Lorman. (2021). 39 Statistics That Prove the Value of Employee Training . https://www.lorman.com/blog/post/39-statistics-that-prove-the-value-of-employee-training#:~:text=Employee%20training%20statistics,- Employees%20value%20training&text=Nearly%2059%25%20of%20employees%20claim,in%20the%20workplace%20is%20important .

McKinsey & Company. (2021). Defining the Skills Citizens Will Need in the Future World of Work. https://www.rbs.com/rbs/news/2018/09/natwest-report-finds-uk-manufacturers-need-to-prioritise-innovat.html

McKinsey & Company. (2009). Economic Conditions Snapshot, June 2009: McKinsey Global Survey Results. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/employment-and-growth/economic-conditions snapshot-june-2009-mckinsey-global-survey-results

National Intelligence Council. (2012). Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds. https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/GlobalTrends_2030.pdf

Natwest. (2020). Future Fit: Trailblazing in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. https://www.rbs.com/rbs/news/2018/09/natwest-report-finds-uk-manufacturers-need-to-prioritise-innovat.html

Pwc. (2018). UK Economic Outlook July 2018. https://www.pwc.co.uk/services/economics/insights/uk-economic-outlook/july-18.html

United Nations. (2011). World Urbanization Prospects. https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/GlobalTrends_2030.pdf

Van Dam, N. (2017). 21 st Century Corporate Learning and Development. https://bookboon.com/en/21st-century-corporate-learning-development-ebook

Wilson, C. (2015). Designing the Purposeful Organization. Kogan Page.

39