Future Skills: How to upskill humankind for a better future | Dr. Arndt Pechstein | TEDxDanubia

TL;DR

We have the power to shape our future, but we often feel out of control due to negative news and a loss of perceived control. By reframing the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) world and activating our future skills, we can thrive and create a better future.

Transcript

foreign thing about the future or more specifically about our future as a father I'm standing here with a mix of great hope but also humility because the skills I've learned in school are not enough to prepare my children for an uncertain and turbulent future I don't know how you feel about this so who of you feels at least a slight level of discom... Read More

Key Insights

• 🌸 People often feel discomfort about the future and have a desire to shape it, but a loss of perceived control and overwhelming negative news hinder their ability to do so.
• 🎮 The optimistic bias leads individuals to overestimate their abilities and feel in control, even when they may not have actual control over a situation.
• 🌍 Reframing the VUCA world as an opportunity for positive change and activating future skills, including rational, emotional, spiritual, and transformational skills, can empower individuals to shape a better future.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does the optimistic bias relate to our perception of control?

The optimistic bias leads us to overestimate our abilities and feel in control, even when we may not have actual control over a situation. It is our mindset, rather than actual control, that influences this bias.

Q: What are the four strategies to thrive in a VUCA world?

The four strategies are: 1) Having a positive vision of the future, 2) Empowering individuals to be drivers of change through upskilling, 3) Promoting collaboration to solve complex problems, and 4) Embracing agility and adaptiveness to navigate ambiguity.

Q: Why do we feel stuck in learned helplessness?

We feel stuck in learned helplessness because we have disconnected from our future skills, such as rational, emotional, spiritual, and transformational skills. These skills are often overlooked and underdeveloped in modern society, hindering our ability to shape our future.

Q: What are future skills and why are they important?

Future skills encompass a range of human abilities, such as empathy, intuition, and value orientation, that cannot be automated. They are crucial for individuals to stay relevant in a world increasingly driven by technology and to drive positive change in society.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker highlights the discomfort people feel about the uncertainties and challenges of the future, despite having an interest in it.

• Negative news and a loss of perceived control contribute to feelings of overwhelm and learned helplessness in individuals.

• An upshift in human consciousness, reframing the VUCA world, and activating future skills can empower individuals to shape a better future.