WHY DO WE NEED NEW SKILLS?

WE ARE EXPERIENCING A FREQUENT RECURRENCE of Earth shattering change; YET most continue to believe (or hope) that these are just “one off” unexpected events!! This “denial” prevents us from being better prepared for the NEXT unexpected event.

For most managers this is the time to accept that uncertainty and complexity are now THE NORM in a NON LINEAR WORLD!

Fundamental changes have been taking place in our socio-economic and living environment; and there has been minimal corresponding “self change” within society despite many challenges. It is a paradox that our MOST critical problems have been self created by us as managers or policy makers, and if the cause was to be oversimplified; then it would be due to “our prior actions/or inactions, which at the time were motivated by short term gain/benefit or retention of status quo; while being quite aware of the long term consequences”. The “obvious ones” are:

a) The continued neglect for need to change our consumption patterns to conserve our natural resources & environment.

b) Our denial to accept that the inevitable financial meltdown facing us will recur if our financial systems continue to promote wealth creation based on “debt supported by inflation led asset valuation” and a lifestyle that promotes debt based consumption even with falling incomes.

c) Our failure to accept that “technologies, products, services and hence lifestyles of the developed World” cannot be extrapolated globally. Paradoxically this strategy for “growth” will jeopardize the sustainability for those in the developed world who consider their past and current lifestyle to be the norm.

d) The demand for NEW products or services cannot be researched or forecast as BEFORE, because they have to be “pioneering” to fulfil “unknown aspirations NOT DEMAND as we know it!!