COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE | THE HARD TRUTH ABOUT SOFT SKILLS

Written by: Michael Gonzalez, Senior Director of External Affairs, Laredo College

Work has changed. The pandemic has expedited the adoption of technology and automation. While some may contend that we have gained as a business community in some ways as a function of these changes, what is also indisputable is that we have also lost so much in terms of our skills and ability to communicate with others when doing so without the assistance of technology.

These skills, including effective verbal and written communication, customer service skills, time management skills and the like, have been collectively known as “soft skills”. And, while there is no doubt that technical skills are critical to the development of our future workforce, more and more business leaders and thinkers are reminding us that to ensure financial success, we must also master these “soft skills”.

A Whole New Mind

One key takeaway that has held true over some time can be best understood as a summary of a book from one of my favorite authors, Daniel Pink. In Pink’s book, “A Whole New Mind”, he discusses another perspective on what fundamental abilities we should consider sharpening to give us a better opportunity to be successful in the workforce of the future.

Pink suggests that any current job that can be distilled into a set of steps will be automated, and thus eliminated, in the future. This correlates directly with functions that our left brain is responsible for, including computation and basic analysis. On the other hand, Pink submits that those who want to thrive in the future workforce should ensure that they have skills that are “high concept and high touch”. These skills would include those that correlate with our right-brain functions, including imagination, joyfulness and social dexterity.

Daniel Pink is not alone in his thinking. Ben Pring of Cognizant, a consulting firm focused on the implementation of artificial intelligence and automation, operates a “Center for the Future of Work” where the research conducted by this organization aligns closely with that of Pink.

Pring contends that while many believe artificial intelligence will be implemented in the future, there are various examples of how these innovations are already part of our lives today. For example, 8 out of 10 of the largest hedge funds are currently managed by algorithms. Also, statistics suggest that x-rays are now being read more accurately by artificial intelligence than by their human counterparts.

All of this automation looks to lead to changes in today’s jobs as they transition to those of tomorrow. Oxford University research projects that 47% of current jobs will completely disappear in the next 25 years. In terms of changes in work over the next 10 years, Cognizant projects that 12% of jobs will be replaced entirely by other work, 13% of jobs have yet to be invented, but the majority of jobs, or 75%, will be enhanced in the future by artificial intelligence and other technological advancements. Common themes around the jobs of the future are those more ‘right-brained’ such as coaching, connecting, caring, ethics, and safety.

Preparing for the Future, Today

What should we do to prepare ourselves for the future of work? I would contend that to continue to grow as a community we must all look to update our technology skills through short-term training, continuing education, or longer-term certificate programs. We must also look to develop our “right-brain” skills by sharpening our customer service skills, sales skills, and overall interpersonal skills.

At the Laredo College Economic Development Center (LC EDC), we are now offering micro-course clusters on topics including project management, time management, communication skills and customer service to address this critical need across industries in our local economy. These courses are asynchronous and can be taken anywhere, including on your mobile phone. They are organized into short segments, from 15 minutes to 2 hours in length, in order to take advantage of available time in a busy schedule with concise yet thorough and clear information, which will help increase the skills of professionals at all levels. More importantly, there may be funding available through the various partnerships of the LC EDC to either reduce or fully cover the costs of these courses. Those who are interested may contact the LC EDC at 956-721-5110 or edc@laredo.edu.

So, what is the hard truth regarding soft skills? If the experts are to be believed, the truth is that the future of work means honing our ‘right-brain’ skills, soft skills, and those skills that only humans can perfect. Armed with this knowledge, we should all look for opportunities to update our skills to maximize our potential for future growth.
And, the great thing is, we now have the technology to help us with this task as well.

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Michael Gonzalez provides commentary on local business. He can be contacted at michael.e.gonzalez@me.com.