Thriving Amid Future Shock: Unleashing Agility in Today's Rapidly Changing World
Jan 31, 2024
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Gabriela Rosen Kellerman, Founding Head and Chief Innovation Officer of BetterUp, discusses her new book 'TomorrowMind' and the secrets to thriving in the rapidly changing world of work. Topics include the future workforce toolkit, learning from hunter-gatherers, reimagining employee assistance programs, and the importance of resilience and well-being for corporate success.
Resilience, innovation, and social connection are essential skills for thriving in a rapidly changing world of work.
Lessons from hunter-gatherer societies, such as trust, creativity, and collaboration, can be applied in today's workplace to unleash innovation.
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) should be transformed into comprehensive career transformation support systems to navigate the challenges of the future workforce.
Deep dives
Resilience and post-traumatic growth in the face of change
Just as there's post-traumatic stress, there's also post-traumatic growth. Highly resilient individuals are able to grow stronger even when exposed to potentially traumatic experiences. The skills of resilience, adaptability, and psychological flexibility enable individuals to bounce back and even become stronger after facing challenges. These skills are crucial in navigating the ever-changing landscape of work and life. The metaphor of whitewater captures the continuous nature of career challenges and the need for proactive preparation. Organizations need to adopt a holistic approach, integrating workforce readiness into their strategies and metrics. By prioritizing individual well-being and developing core skills, organizations can not only mitigate negative outcomes but also drive innovation and competitive advantage.
The impact of AI and displacement
One fear for the future is that society may not adapt quickly enough to the social implications of AI-driven displacement. It is crucial to address this issue proactively and ensure support systems are in place to aid those affected by job displacement. The hope is that AI can be harnessed for good, providing services and eliminating jobs that were not fulfilling or efficient, while simultaneously building a social support network to help individuals cope with the challenges of changing careers. By preparing for these shifts and prioritizing a resilient and adaptable workforce, society can mitigate human suffering and embrace the opportunities presented by AI.
Integrating wellbeing and growth
The existing divide between EAPs (employee assistance programs) focused on crisis support and learning and development programs needs to be bridged. Organizations should adopt a comprehensive approach to address the skills and wellbeing of their employees. By integrating growth and development programs with a focus on building resilience, adaptability, mattering, prospection, and social connections, organizations can create a supportive environment that enhances both individuals and the overall success of the company. By leveraging coaching and providing personalized support, organizations can help employees thrive in a rapidly changing world of work.
The role of coaching and virtual support
One-on-one coaching plays a crucial role in building individual skills and creating lasting behavioral change. While in-person coaching is limited in scale and flexibility, virtual coaching platforms offer a wider pool of expert coaches, enabling targeted support across different geographies, languages, and time zones. Through virtual coaching, organizations can provide personal development to employees, regardless of their location. Group coaching and peer learning are additional avenues for support, fostering connection and trust among employees. Virtual coaching and support prove that human relationships and tailored guidance are fundamental to achieving sustainable growth and resilience.
The metaphor of whitewater and the need for proactive preparation
The metaphor of whitewater captures the constant and unpredictable nature of challenges in the modern world of work. Where individuals once sailed smoothly on steam liners or sailboats, they now find themselves as kayakers navigating treacherous rapids. Embracing this metaphor helps people understand the long-term nature of career challenges and the need for continuous preparation. By developing resilience, mattering, adaptability, innovation, and social connection skills, individuals can thrive in the face of constant change. Organizations must recognize this reality and provide the necessary support and resources to help their workforce navigate the whitewater of their careers.
Buckle up folks for another wild ride. In this episode, we chat with BetterUp's Founding Head and Chief Innovation Officer Gabriela Rosen Kellerman. And trust me, it's a game-changer!
We take a deep dive into Gabriela's new book "TomorrowMind,” co-authored with the legendary father of “positive psychology.” And guess what? We also tackle the big AI question – how's it reshaping our jobs and what can we do about it?
A few of the biggest takeaways include:
The Future Workforce Toolkit: Ever wondered what it takes to not just survive, but THRIVE in the ever-spinning world of work? Gabriela's got the secret sauce: A mix of prospection, resilience, innovation, social connection, and mattering. Imagine weaving these into your team's DNA – unstoppable, right?
Back to the Future with Hunter-Gatherers: Think our ancient ancestors can't teach us a thing or two about today's workplace? Think again! We're talking trust, creativity, and collaboration – hunter-gatherer style. It's time to unleash that inner innovator.
EAPs: Not Your Grandma's Employee Program: EAPs are getting a major facelift. Forget just cutting healthcare costs – we're talking career transformation support systems here. It's like having a career GPS for those bumpy roads ahead.
Plus, get this – resilience and well-being aren't just feel-good factors; they're the new currency for corporate success. We're talking stock prices, performance, you name it.
So, plug in, turn up the volume, and join us in shaping a workplace that's not just ready for the future but leaps ahead of it.
Catch all this and more on this replay from one of the most popular episodes in 2023. Let’s do it!
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