30 Keys to Thrive and Lead in the 21st century

 

The future is exciting for many people, but for others, it is also a cause for anxiety. With so much talk about Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Internet of Things, and robots who may take over our jobs, this is not an easy time. The future, irrespective of which era we lived in, is uncertain. It is important to remember that in times like these, there have always been times like these. I still think the opportunities available to all of us are enormous, provided we ride successfully in this era of uncertainty. I have identified the following 30 keys to thrive in the future of uncertainty and take charge of your career.

• Be Abreast of the Trends – With the explosion in data, information, technology, change, and competition, it is absolutely imperative that you ride this wave of change by being well informed on what the future looks like. Jeff Bezos, for example, recognized the potential of the internet early on, leading to the founding of Amazon. What you are doing today may not work in another five years. One skill which will never become obsolete is the ability to move others, and increasing your sales skills is vital in the new era. So be on the lookout for changes and disrupt yourself before you get disrupted. Look at Kodak, which was thriving as a business in the mid-1990s and even had the first digital camera in their pockets. However, they refused to see the change and were left lurking in the dark. We don't know what is going to happen, but one thing is sure: if we don't thrive with changes, survival is tough.

• Find Work That Matters – Not all of us may follow our passion. However, considering the changes coming, this is the time to love your work and bring your best self to ensure you are indispensable. Sheryl Sandberg has consistently emphasized the importance of mission-driven work. If you love your work, then it is not drudgery, and your joy in life also increases. There is no way to have continuous happiness without loving your work. Take a deep look into yourself and find out how you can enjoy what you do while earning money. Rather than looking for things that are passionate to you, switch it by bringing passion to the work you do currently. As Hubert Joly asks in "The Heart of Business," what cathedral do you want to build through your work? It is a question worth pondering. In the Algebra of Wealth Scott Galloway advises to follow your talent and not passion. I totally agree with that we can be passionate about tennis but if we are no good at it it doesn't make sense to pursue that. We should find out where our talent lies and focus on getting to our best in that area of expertise.

• Learn Incessantly – Whether it is Thomas Edison, John Adams, or any other successful person, all of them were avid readers. Bill Gates, for instance, dedicates time to read books on various subjects, believing that continuous learning is essential for personal and professional growth. To ride the wave of change that is approaching us, we need to be consuming information every single day. The great news is all the information needed for us to thrive is available to us free of cost. Find the experts in your field, connect with them, read their blogs, listen to their podcasts, and document what you have learned. If you do this on a continuous basis, you will succeed.

• Be a Leader – Leaders will always be in demand. Indra Nooyi led PepsiCo through significant transformations by setting a clear vision, treating employees well, and sharing credit with her team. Become proactive about your career. Attitude is contagious, so as a leader, you want to set an amazing example of optimism that can radiate throughout the organization you lead. Set an example by leading from the heart, taking calculated risks, treating people well, showing impeccable manners, and finally, sharing credit with the team always.

• Tap into Your Creativity – Exhaustive research shows that everyone has genius potential. Steve Jobs's approach to product design and innovation at Apple, such as the development of the iPhone and iPad, revolutionized multiple industries. We all have creative abilities latent within us, and it is up to us to record every idea we get. Engage in design thinking and have a notebook to record all ideas you get. Some of the ways to be creative are to have some alone time, exercise vigorously, write down all your ideas, discuss with creatives, read about creative people, and finally, take action on your ideas. Wired to Create is a wonderful book on this subject.

• Financial Security – It is more important now than ever to make sure you have a financial plan for your life. Warren Buffett's investment philosophy emphasizes long-term growth and financial security, advising individuals to invest wisely and save for the future. Your job may not have the security it once had, so it is imperative to save more for a rainy day. Read some excellent financial books and make sure you invest in your future. Invest for the long haul. The stock market goes up and down, and even the most astute stock brokers cannot beat the market, so don’t try that. Instead, invest for the long haul and stay patient. Of course, having a conversation with a financial expert is the best way to get this ball rolling.

• Develop a Unique Selling Proposition and Build Your Brand – The only thing that will not be obsolete is the ability to learn new skills. Elon Musk has built a strong personal and professional brand through his ventures like Tesla and SpaceX. If you want to retain your USP and prevent brain drain, then it is imperative to keep developing the talent that you are bestowed with. The key is for you to be known for a specific niche. When someone talks about you, they should be able to talk about your USP. With your USP, you will be able to get job security.

• Welcome Feedback – No matter how good you are, there are areas you can improve. Satya Nadella transformed Microsoft by fostering a culture of feedback and growth. The only way to learn about ourselves is when we get feedback from our boss or mentors. Be open to feedback and take action on making changes in your areas of weakness. Not all feedback may be accurate; that's why great self-knowledge will help you understand yourself better. One of the books which I found useful on this subject is Marshall Goldsmith's What Got You Here Won't Get You There.

• Embrace Vulnerability and Let Go of Perfection – Of course, the foremost expert on the subject is Brené Brown, whose books Dare to Lead and Daring Greatly dive deep into these topics. The main takeaway is to let go of our need to get everything to perfection. The first drafts are always not good, but we don't get any feedback unless we ship. This is why MVP (Minimal Viable Product) mentioned in The Lean Startup is an excellent tip for all of us in business. Vulnerability is all about handling the tough conversations with ease and at the same time overcoming the impostor syndrome.

• Self-Reliance – Developing self-reliance means you are your own boss. Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, exemplifies self-reliance by starting her company with a small investment and relying on her skills and determination. Manage your career as the CEO of your life. It is your responsibility to keep upgrading your skills, taking certifications, being current, and reading books in your area of expertise. Once you see yourself as the path maker in your life, you will become self-reliant, and the organization will also benefit from your work. Being self-reliant is not a choice but a requirement to excel in your field. Actually, it has become a recent trend to talk about being the CEO of your career, but Andy Grove wrote about this way back in his 1996 book Only the Paranoid Survive.

• Stay Resilient – Grit is the number one quality needed for success. Howard Schultz led Starbucks through challenging times, demonstrating resilience and helping the company recover and expand globally. Develop resilience by having a core set of beliefs that nothing can shake, looking for the good in every problem, replacing worry with purposeful action, having a mission statement, and always bouncing back from temporary setbacks. With the future uncertain, there is no doubt you will face setbacks, and it is important to stay resilient. Here is my article on 10 Tips to Develop Resilience. Another great book is Grit by Angela Duckworth. She defines grit as passion and perseverance towards long-term goals.

• Work in Sprints – There is no point in going full out and exhausting ourselves. Marissa Mayer implemented a work methodology at Yahoo that included working in sprints, helping manage large projects efficiently. We all have a limited time where we can create an impact with what we do. It is imperative to take strategic timeouts in your life. Schedule a period of relaxation every week if you can. This can be any hobby that gets you out of your work. For me, it is reading, writing, watching movies and exercising. I also love to travel when I get a chance, though it's tougher in these times. Finding time to renew ourselves is absolutely needed if we want to thrive well into the middle and later parts of the 21st century.

• Remove Notifications – Technology is here to serve us. Cal Newport, author of Deep Work, advocates for removing distractions to improve focus and productivity. We can build a great following using social media to build our brand. However, if we are always inundated with notifications, our attention will be fragmented, and we will not be able to thrive. So we can remove all the unnecessary apps from our phone and remove all notifications. Try to log in to all your social media channels through the browser. This will ensure you will check it fewer times and it improves your focus.

• Manage Energy – Energy is the currency of the 21st century. Tony Schwartz, CEO of The Energy Project, emphasizes managing energy rather than time to enhance performance and well-being. We need to have a lot of energy, both mental and physical, to really meet all the demands of the future. For this, we need to exercise vigorously at least 3–4 times a week. Eat healthily, with lots of vegetables and fruits, and ensure you drink 3–4 liters of water every day. Sleep well. This is so underestimated, but it is extremely important. All these habits will ensure we have a lot of energy to face all the challenges in the future. The Power of Full Engagement is a great book on this subject.

• Be a Generalist – Yes, you need to have a niche, but with that, you need to have multiple skills. Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, is a quintessential generalist with diverse interests and ventures. T-Shaped learning, popularized by Tim Brown, is extremely important in the 21st century. The core point is to have a lot of general knowledge with 1-2 areas of specialization. When you have diverse knowledge, you can combine ideas from multiple fields, and this is the key to creativity. A great book on this subject is Range by David Epstein.

• Be Flexible – The only constant is change. Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, pivoted the company from DVD rentals to a streaming service, showing flexibility and adaptability. This phrase has more relevance in the 21st century than at any other time. I am not talking about having no goals, but I am talking about being flexible in your approach to reach your goals. When things don't go according to plan, be flexible enough to change course and adopt a new plan to reach your end goal.

• Network Relentlessly – Today it is not about who you know but about who knows you. Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, is known for his networking skills and believes in building a strong professional network. You can be great at what you do, but if no one knows about it, you will not thrive. Network by finding ways to add value to others. The best way to network is to be genuinely interested in people, and one of the books which has stood the test of time is How to Win Friends and Influence People. Networking has become easier thanks to social media. You need to have a robust presence on LinkedIn and other social media channels that work for you.

• Cultivate Emotional Intelligence – Your attitude determines your altitude. Daniel Goleman popularized the concept of emotional intelligence, and leaders like Jeff Weiner, former CEO of LinkedIn, emphasize its importance. Of course, our IQ is important, but what is even more important is our EQ, which will help us ride the wave of change. We need to be mindful of our emotions and manage them well. We should be empathetic to our co-workers and at the same time be self-motivated. If we have these qualities, we will thrive, and Emotional Intelligence 2.0 is a must-read book to enhance your EQ.

• Master the Art of Storytelling – Your story is your brand. Oprah Winfrey is a master storyteller, connecting with her audience through compelling stories. It is imperative to learn storytelling skills. There is nothing as impactful as telling stories to make sure our point is heard. Stories are what connect us with people, so developing our storytelling skills will ensure we can connect with people who matter the most in our field. Made to Stick is a great book on this subject.

• Develop a Growth Mindset – This has become a buzzword but rightly so. Carol Dweck introduced the concept of a growth mindset, and leaders like Satya Nadella have embraced it to foster a culture of continuous learning at Microsoft. In this uncertain future, what will take us forward is our mindset. We need to look at every challenge as an opportunity to grow. This will ensure we are thriving no matter what changes happen. Mindset by Carol Dweck is a must-read book on this subject.

• Embrace Lifelong Learning – It is not the most intelligent but the most adaptable who will survive and thrive. Mark Zuckerberg sets annual personal learning goals, such as learning Mandarin and reading a book every two weeks, to continuously expand his knowledge. We need to commit to lifelong learning. We need to learn skills that are not only useful today but also useful in the future. As Tim Sanders says, leaders are learners, and the only skill that will not be obsolete is the ability to learn new skills. Hidden Potential is an excellent book on this subject.

• Prioritize Mental Health – With the onset of social media and our addiction to technology, it is easy to fall into the trap of comparing ourselves with others. Arianna Huffington advocates for prioritizing mental health and well-being. What we need to remember is to prioritize our mental health by taking technology timeouts. Take time to practice mindfulness and meditation whichever works for you. For me the latter is difficult and I prefer writing in a journal to do this. This will make us thrive in the coming years.

• Foster Collaboration – The future is all about collaboration. Larry Page and Sergey Brin created a collaborative culture at Google, driving innovation and success. More than ever, the future is about collaborating with others to bring out our best selves. Collaboration can happen in many ways: collaborating on social media to build your brand, collaborating with others in your work to bring out their best selves, and collaborating with others to give back to the community.

• Understand Data Analytics – Understanding how data works is imperative. Nate Silver's work emphasizes the importance of data-driven decision-making. We need to develop our data skills by learning how to use data to make key decisions. Data analytics is the way to go in the future. Understanding how to use data is key to making the best decisions.

• Adapt to Remote Work – With the onset of Covid-19, the future is about remote work. Mark Benioff has successfully adapted to remote work at Salesforce. It is important to adapt to this change and develop skills to work remotely. This means developing skills to communicate well with our co-workers, leading meetings virtually, and collaborating with others in a virtual environment.

• Invest in Self-Improvement – It is imperative to keep investing in ourselves. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, is known for his disciplined approach to self-improvement, maintaining a rigorous routine. Self-improvement is not only about learning new skills but also about improving our mindset and our physical health. Self-improvement is the key to success.

• Be Tech-Savvy – Technology is going to be the key differentiator. Sundar Pichai has leveraged his technical expertise to lead Google’s advancements in AI and cloud computing. The more we are comfortable using technology, the more we can leverage it to our advantage. This is why it is imperative to learn about new technologies and how they can be used to make our work better.

• Practice Ethical Leadership – Ethics are important, and with the onset of technology, ethical behavior is even more important. Paul Polman is known for his commitment to ethical leadership and sustainability. As leaders, it is imperative to lead ethically and set the right example for others. This means leading with integrity, honesty, and empathy.

• Leverage AI Tools – AI is the future, and we need to leverage AI tools to our advantage. Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, has driven the company's success by leveraging AI tools and technologies. This means understanding how AI works and how it can be used to make our work better. Learn about AI tools and use them to your advantage.

• Stay Curious and Open-Minded – Curiosity is the key to learning. Elon Musk's ventures into electric vehicles, space travel, and AI reflect his willingness to explore new ideas and push boundaries. The more curious we are, the more we can learn and adapt to the changes coming our way. Stay curious, and always be open to learning new things.

The future is uncertain, but it is also full of opportunities. By developing these 30 keys, you can not only survive but also thrive in the future of uncertainty. Keep learning, stay curious, and be open to change. The best is yet to come! The views expressed here are my own and do not represent my organization.