We’ve all been hearing about the transformative power of artificial intelligence, particularly tools like ChatGPT and Dall-E 2 creating written content and visuals that could potentially replace existing worker skills. We will have lots more to explore, experience and adapt to with the emerging world of generative AI.
Beyond technology, relationships and teamwork will also define your future of work. Learning to seek out, welcome and embrace diverse ideas and perspectives is a fundamental future workplace skill. Wharton People Analytics hosted the inaugural Wharton Future of Work Conference, which looked at work trends, and also discussed the very human side of being successful in the workplace, through fostering strengths like better Adam Grant, a Wharton presentation for specific ideas about how to become data-driven and data-informed.
How will you become a lifelong learner? Dr. Grant interviewed Satya Nadella, head of Microsoft who is considered one of the world’s most beloved CEOs. Leaders, said Nadella, must show humility and vulnerability, while also recognizing the power of teaming to enrich thought and experiences. “Think about the source of intellectual exploration. It’s your own ability to learn from others and your colleagues,” observed Nadella. “I always think about the daily routine: the number of people I meet and how I was able to explore new things because of the people and what I learned from them…My dad had this diary he would write in every day: tasks done; people met; ideas generated to act on. The source of the ideas generated to act on are people and also the work you did. That, to me, is a continuous system.”
When reflecting on the themes of the Future of Work conference, Cade Massey, faculty co-director of Wharton’s People Analytics, pointed out the opportunities and challenges at play with technology and human behavior in tomorrow’s workplace. “The individuals and the organizations who are really going to separate themselves going forward are those who can blend data and ideas and wisdom from very different sources,” he observed. “There’s opportunity in collaboration, there’s technology ready to enable it, but there are some personal challenges in pulling it off.”
Dr. Grant leaves you to ponder one more question that will shape your future of work: “How do we identify the dimensions of diversity that are most missing from our interactions and pull those people in?” You can start thinking about and practicing those skills long before you reach the office.
Conversation Starters
Which quote in this article resonates with you most deeply and why?
Do you have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset? How might you nurture a growth mindset before you reach college and the workplace?
How do you answer Dr. Grant’s question: “How do we identify the dimensions of diversity that are most missing from our interactions and pull those people in?” What are some specific ways you plan to become more inclusive in listening and learning from others?
