Article VI: Navigating the Future: Turning Threats into Opportunities with Creative Thinking, Curiosity and Imagination
By Shawn L. Dilly, PhD, Director General of Emirates National Schools
960 words - 4 mins read
The rapidly evolving landscape of the modern world, with exponential advancements in automation, technology and artificial intelligence (AI), is transforming workforce conditions and creating unprecedented challenges for many industries. These threats can be realized as opportunities when approached with creative thinking, curiosity and imagination. In this article, we will explore how these future-ready competencies can empower individuals and organisations to navigate the wave of disruptive change generated by technological progress.
The World Economic Forum’s The Future of Jobs Report 2023, which is based on a comprehensive survey of 803 companies spanning 27 diverse industries and encompassing over 11.3 million employees, sheds light on the evolving landscape of skills demanded in the workplace. Notably, the report underscores the growing significance of problem-solving skills, predicting a 75% surge in the demand for creative thinking over the next five years. In alignment with this, a preceding Deloitte Insights article challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding skills, contending that the enduring human capacities to learn, apply and adapt are pivotal in navigating an ever-disruptive environment. Emphasising the concept of rapid learning, the authors distinguish between innate and developed capabilities, asserting that certain traits — such as imagination, empathy, curiosity, resilience and creativity — are inherent but can be amplified. Moreover, the authors posit that through experience and practice, these capabilities can be further honed. Recognised as future-ready competencies, these human capabilities are increasingly integral to shaping the trajectory of the future workforce.
Creative Thinking: Embracing Change
Everyone recognises the growing influence of AI and automation in the world of work. Regrettably, we have individuals viewing these advancements with trepidation, whereas creative thinkers see the potential of new roles and opportunities that emerge from them. We should see AI as a valuable tool to augment human capabilities, catalyse innovation and automate mundane tasks, rather than as something that will replace human workers. Creative thinkers’ ability to envision and implement creative solutions is essential for adapting to the ever-changing work landscape. Creative thinking can lead to new business models and industries. Innovators and entrepreneurs who think creatively are more likely to uncover untapped markets and uncharted niches, allowing them to thrive in the turbulent disruptive waters of the future economy. Companies seek employees who can think creatively because it leads to product and process innovation, which can give them a competitive edge. These individuals foster a culture of continuous improvement and promote an environment where employees can take calculated risks, making creative thinking an essential and sought-after competency of the future.
Curiosity: The Fuel for Innovation
Curiosity fosters continuous learning and adaptation, and is a driving force behind innovation. Curious individuals will seek to understand these new tools and examine how they can be harnessed to improve, enhance, or generate new and innovative ways to accomplish tasks, solve complex problems, improve decision making and enrich our daily lives. In a time of such disruptive change, it is crucial to maintain a curious mindset, and approach these new tools with a desire to learn and adapt. Lifelong learning and adaptation are vital for all future employment, as technology and knowledge are constantly evolving. Those who embrace AI and automation with curiosity are more likely to invest in upskilling and reskilling, ensuring that they remain relevant in the job market. Moreover, curious employees tend to stay more motivated and engaged, as they enjoy the process of discovery.
Imagination: Envisioning a Brighter Future
Imagination is the catalyst for envisioning a brighter future in the age of AI and automation. Individuals with imaginative minds think beyond the immediate challenges and envision the vast possibilities that these technologies offer. They can imagine a world where AI and automation are used to create a more efficient, sustainable and equitable society. Imagination leads to the creation of innovative solutions. Businesses and policymakers can use their imagination to explore how AI and automation can be leveraged to solve pressing global issues, such as climate change, healthcare access and education. By thinking imaginatively, we can steer the trajectory of AI and automation towards a future that benefits all of humanity.
Future-Ready Schools: Adopting Creative Thinking, Curiosity and Imagination
Educational institutions are pivotal in nurturing and enhancing today’s youth’s innate and acquired abilities. Educators must grasp their responsibility by fostering enduring human capabilities and future-ready competencies. As highlighted by Hagall and Wooll, these capabilities may become dormant if not nurtured. Such dormancy poses a threat, depriving students of the continuous development of relevant skills, hindering their access to precious opportunities for value creation, and ensuring a distinct disadvantage in an increasingly competitive workplace. In this era of rapidly escalating disruptive change, adopting innovative curricula, instructional methods and supporting approaches becomes essential to prepare students for the challenges of the evolving future workplace.
Conclusion: Shaping the Future
The threats posed by AI, automation and technological advancement are real. Still, they are also an invitation for individuals and society to evolve. Creative thinking, curiosity and imagination are the keys to turning these challenges into opportunities. By embracing these skills, we can adapt to the changing landscape and shape it to create a better future for all. The future is not a place to fear, but a canvas on which we can paint our most imaginative and innovative visions. We can navigate the uncharted waters of the technological revolution, turning threats into opportunities and shaping a brighter tomorrow.