5 skills for the next generation work force #blindpost

This is a blindpost – meaning I read the headline of an article/blog post someone else wrote and wrote a post based on that headline before reading the article – on the topic of skills for the next generation work force. The original article can be found here and here are some other blindposts that I’ve written in the past.

5 skills for the next generation work force:

An ability to collaborate

As our world (and work environment) is becoming more and more complex, the ability to collaborate and work within a team is going to be paramount to an individual’s success. I believe teams – small teams, actually – are the future way that work will be done in successful organizations.

Incredible flexibility

Everything is changing so quickly these days and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon. Your job, your company, your industry, your customers…if you aren’t flexible and adaptable to those changes, you’ll never reach your full potential.

Leadership

If you read this blog, you know I write a ton of blog posts about leadership. It’s the #1 quality I look for in employees, whether they are going to be a senior VP or an intern. If you have leadership skills then your growth potential is unlimited. And you can’t wait to be handed a leadership role either, you have to take it. And slightly related, my thoughts on the one leadership quality that will make or break you.

An ability to break outside of the box

It’s imperative that everyone be a creative thinker these days. You can no longer have your list of tasks handed to you and expect to just complete that list and move on to the next list. With all the changes mentioned above, you have to be able to think outside the box and bring new ideas to the table. Move the roller coasters!

Tireless thirst for education and self-improvement

I suppose the theme of this post is how much things are and will be changing in the work force. The only way to keep up with that change, to adapt and to bring new, creative thinking, is to constantly improve your knowledge and experience. Take a class, raise your hand for a new project that will teach you new skills, write a blog to push yourself to always be learning…whatever it is, you’ll need to find ways to continuously learn. It also helps to work in a field that you’re passionate about ;)

What did I miss?