“While we have the choice of multiple
communication channels today, it is our face-
to-face interactions that work best to create the
trust and rapport needed for strong, and more
meaningful relationships.”dr. Jenny Brockis | the Brain Fitness Doctorthe debate about the future
of work that suggests we will
see the loss of 47 per centof jobs, as we know them,
according to the findings
of Frey and osborne^1 , hasled to an undercurrent
of fear and uncertainty. if
true, this would amount to
around 5 million Australianjobs over the next 10-15
years according to the 2015
Australian Future Workforce².McKinsey’s³ more optimistic outlook suggests
how the automation of repetitive and less
cognitively demanding work will free up
more thinking time for greater innovation
and creativity, lead to improved productivity
and performance and potentially the saving
of around $12 trillion globally from reduced
wages and redeployment expenditure.
The future of work will look different and thedisruption to the status quo is uncomfortable,
but this is an opportunity to ask what do we
want and need from our work for society, and
ourselves and how we can use our human
talents to our continuing advantage. While
ATM machines, airport check-in kiosks and
self-serve checkouts at the supermarket are
part of everyday life, what these automated
tasks cannot provide is the human experience.
The implication is that human input will
always be required. What makes us unique
includes:the ability to think deeply
A survey⁴ of 400 senior HR managers named
critical thinking and problem solving as the
most valuable skill set required for future
business success over the next few years.
Critical thinking provides a pathway to
better analytical thinking, better judgement
and better decision-making. Asking better
questions, seeking to validate and verify what
we are told, helps us to be more effective
when attempting to resolve conflict and solve
problems more quickly.
When under time pressure or provided
with limited data, the risk is that we jump
to conclusions or make assumptions that
may be completely wrong. Applying criticalexPert Advice
are We making
ourselVes
redundant?
thought reduces that risk by noticing when an
assumption may be present, by asking others
for their view on the subject and seeking to
broaden our perspective.
Taking the time to evaluate all information
objectively leads to more considered and
deliberate conclusions.self-awareness
Self-care and self-compassion enables us
to think more clearly, stay focused and
minimises the impact of stress on our
cognition. This can be developed through
greater self-acceptance and maintaining an
open mindset.
Cognitive bias can have a significant impact
on our decisions. While bias cannot be
eliminated from our subconscious, having
greater awareness of its presence can assist
in mitigating its effect on existing thinking
patterns.
Regulating emotion requires the conscious
awareness of how our thoughts and feelings
affect our behaviour and impact others.
Choosing a considered response rather than
a knee jerk reaction is easier when we are not
tired, frustrated or feeling stressed.social intelligence and human
connection
Getting on well with others requires us to
recognise what may be going on in someone
else’s head. We pick up cues from non-verbal
language, facial expressions and tonality of
voice. When we unplug from our focused
thought, our default network of thinking
switches on automatically, helping us to make
better sense of our world by thinking about
others as well as ourselves.