Imagine this: you’re at work, but everything feels different. New technologies are popping up all the time, and the way we work is constantly changing. So, what skills do you need to stay ahead of the curve? In this article, we’ll explore the insights of Roberta de Oliveira, a tech leader with over 15 years of experience, on the specific skills you need to succeed in the future workplace.
The future work skills required to thrive in the workplace are constantly changing. Workforce development focuses on digital fluency, adaptable skills, and preparing for future job skills. Empower your team today to keep thriving tomorrow!
Quick Intro: About Roberta
Roberta de Oliveira, former Head of Operations at Ubiminds (currently Senior Manager | Head of Operations at CI&T), recently shared her insights on these crucial skills. Her talk, part of the “Ubitalk” series, emphasized the importance of self-assessment, dealing with uncertainty, and embracing both incremental and exponential thinking:
De Oliveira’s experience spans over 15 years in planning, building, and sustaining enterprise-level programs in continuous research and digital transformation. As a Google Women Techmakers Ambassador and #IAmRemarkable Facilitator, her insights are invaluable for anyone looking to empower their software engineering teams towards full product ownership and career growth. Workforce development and cost-effectiveness are central to her strategies in high-skilled software solutions.
Understanding Future Work Skills
The future is uncertain, making it increasingly challenging to predict which future job skills will be needed.
- Self-Assessment and Purpose: Roberta emphasizes the importance of self-discovery. Performing a self-assessment helps individuals understand their core competencies and curiosities. Take some time to think about what you’re good at and what you’re curious about. When you have a sense of purpose, work becomes more meaningful, and you’ll be better equipped to navigate change. As Minouche Shafik, director of the London School of Economics, stated, “In the past, jobs were about muscles, now they are about brains, but in the future, they will be about the heart.”
- Future Job Skills: Identify your core competencies and curiosities to develop a well-rounded skill set. For tech companies, digital fluency and the right tech stacks are essential. This combination is key for effective workforce development and fostering a productive work environment.
Skill #1: Dealing with Uncertainty
The future is unpredictable, but that’s not a bad thing! This is your chance to be creative and adaptable. Understanding changing contexts and cultural differences and collaborating effectively can significantly enhance software team performance and innovation.
Embracing Unpredictability: Uncertainty is a fertile ground for curious minds. The ability to move forward despite unpredictability and connect with others to share assets and risks is crucial. Multicultural smarts are increasingly important in today’s globalized world, where distributed teams often work remotely across different countries and cultures. The ability to connect with others and share ideas is key to innovation.
Mindfulness: Taking time to focus and de-stress can improve your relationships with colleagues and boost productivity. Mindfulness will soon become as essential as eating healthy and taking prescribed medications. “To be mindful is to be more precise and detailed in your focus of attention,” says de Oliveira. Incorporating mindfulness into daily routines can improve personal and professional relationships, enhancing company culture and overall productivity.
Skill #2: Incremental and Exponential Thinking
Incremental thinking focuses on doing things better, while exponential thinking is about doing things differently. Both approaches have their place, but exponential thinking is particularly important for driving innovation.
Ever heard the saying, “work smarter, not harder”? That’s the idea behind incremental thinking. It’s about continuously improving the way you do things. But there’s also a time to think big! Exponential thinking is about looking for ways to completely transform how we work. “Exponential thinking focuses on setting ambitious goals, maximizing learning, and expanding influence,” de Oliveira explains. The best teams can use both approaches to drive success. High-level project management tools and effective onboarding processes are crucial when you hire software developers, ensuring they integrate seamlessly into the team and contribute to innovation.
Skill #3: Digital Literacy
In today’s digital world, it’s important to be able to communicate ideas effectively using all sorts of tools, from video chats to GIFs. This is especially important if you work on remote teams.
This is essential for remote teams and nearshore outsourced teams working on specific projects. Effective communication skills are necessary for software team collaboration and overall team performance. And as technology keeps evolving, understanding how to interact with AI will become increasingly important too.
Befriending Machines: Understanding how to communicate with different levels of AI will become increasingly important. “Machines can assist with data analysis and pattern recognition, but humans remain essential for creating meaning,” de Oliveira says.
Skill #4: Storytelling
Effective storytelling can synchronize the thoughts and emotions of listeners, making it a crucial skill for leaders who need to inspire and motivate their teams. Stories have a way of sticking with us. That’s why storytelling is such a powerful tool for leaders.
By sharing stories, you can connect with your team on an emotional level, inspire them, and keep everyone motivated. A Native American proverb says, “Tell me a fact and I’ll learn. Tell me a truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.” This is especially important when working with remote or augmented teams, where the sense of belonging can be compromised if contractors are treated as second-class team members. De Oliveira explains that stories can bridge the gap between presenter and audience, creating a deep, lasting connection. While technical skills are indispensable, tech leaders should also hire software engineers who excel in communication skills to ensure team success.
Recap
The future of work is exciting but can also be a little daunting. By following Roberta’s advice and focusing on these key skills: self-discovery, adaptability, digital fluency, and storytelling, you can develop a well-rounded skill set that will help you thrive in the years to come. Roberta de Oliveira’s insights on future work skills provide a roadmap for navigating the uncertainties of the modern workplace. By understanding and leveraging unique strengths, embracing both incremental and exponential thinking, and mastering digital fluency and storytelling, leaders can empower their teams to achieve remarkable success.
Whether you need to hire software engineers for a specific project or augment your team for the long run, focusing on high-skilled talent ensures software team performance and cost savings. Ubiminds can help you find the skilled talent you need to stay competitive. Drop us a line to learn more:
International Marketing Leader, specialized in tech. Proud to have built marketing and business generation structures for some of the fastest-growing SaaS companies on both sides of the Atlantic (UK, DACH, Iberia, LatAm, and NorthAm). Big fan of motherhood, world music, marketing, and backpacking. A little bit nerdy too!
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