The future of work will require more than a familiarity with virtual reality, big data, artificial intelligence and robotics. The best algorithm is dependent on really great inputs – and great inputs originate from people with a heightened creative capacity. As Shelly Palmer, a marketing and technology advisor -as well as musician- noted in a 2017 interview with Price Waterhouse Coopers, “to get the most out of an algorithm you must ask the right questions.” Framing great questions starts with curiosity, the foundation of all creativity. In fact, in order to leverage and optimize all the technology platforms we will have available, we must take a few steps back and work on our soft skills (a term I am not crazy about, but it’s the phrase we have available for the moment). It turns out that soft skills- e.g., critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and teamwork – are not particularly touchy feely at all; and they will be the most critical resource that we develop.
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