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Will these skillsets divide the generations or bring them together?

Despite proliferating numbers of job openings and still many people unemployed across the spectrum of ages, there is a mismatch of skills between many of the unemployed and skills needed now and going forward. This is not just about technology, and it applies to various levels of seniority.

Many of the skills needed are not what the majority of the educated populations and current students in the U.S. and elsewhere are learning. Some used to be emphasized but are no longer. It is likely that employers will need to partner with educators to prepare executives and professionals with necessary skillsets. These managers, in turn, will then have to infuse their workforce with the needed skills to be competitive.

Towers Watson’s “Global Talent 2021” study suggested that four types of skills will be more urgently needed in the next 5-10 years.

• Considered the most important global operating skill is the facility to manage diverse employees in this globally interdependent and multi-cultural world of businesses and customers. Even just focusing within national borders, this is a crucial skill.
• Agile thinking skills and ability to prepare for multiple scenarios are considered vital. Also valued in this skill set are innovative thinking and managing paradoxes.
• Interpersonal skills and communication skills are expected to be in high demand. These are thought to be increasingly lacking in responses to surveys on professionalism (Including Practice Development Counsel’s), human resources studies and anecdotal evidence. Especially cited were: customer relationship building; co-creativity and brainstorming skills and virtual teaming skills. The ability to align strategic goals with personal and team goals, build consensus and foster collaboration are considered crucial skills.
• Perhaps the most obvious are digital skills for new forms of digital expression and marketing literacy. Most valued according to the survey respondents are digital business skills and ability to work virtually

Employers will be required to develop these skill sets among their employees to become effectively multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary, multi-generational and multi-media. Talk about diversity!

We need to accelerate the breaking down of silo walls in functions and modes of thinking to foster collaboration of academic departments, business units, business and law and engineering, science and academia. A few good examples are the plans for the Cornell New York City Tech Center partnership between Cornell University and the Technion based in Israel. Already operating on a small scale and on schedule to open it’s own campus in the fall 2017, the Center will train graduate students in three hubs focused on healthy living, connective media and “smart” built environment, all with close involvement of the many related industries and companies.  Another is Law Without Walls, a joint academic, law and business cross-border and cross-discipline collaboration to develop innovations in legal education and the profession, which I am privileged to serve as a team mentor for the fifth year.  

From a generational diversity point of view, will possession of these skill sets result in greater or lesser bonds across the four or five generations in the workplace? To generalize, as of today it is usually agreed that the Baby Boomers and Traditionalists have the greater interpersonal and customer/client communication as well as agile thinking skills. The younger generations have the edge in digital skills, collaboration virtually and comfort with multi-culturalism.

Since we need all of these skills and few individuals will possess them all, training the different generations together to respect and embrace differences and build on complementary skills seems like a useful approach to filling this global talent skillset void.

What are your thoughts? Please comment and share your experience, stories and observations on this topic to me at pwhaserot@pdcounsel.com, @phylliswhaserot and/or the Cross-Generational Conversation group on LinkedIn.

Phyllis

© Phyllis Weiss Haserot 2017.

* The generational chronology for easy reference: Generations are defined by the similar formative influences – social, cultural, political, economic – that existed as the individuals of particular birth cohorts were growing up. Given that premise, the age breakdowns for each of the four generations currently in the workplace are approximately:

Learn about our *Generational Wisdom for Mentors and Mentees* programs as well as multi-generational team facilitation. Call 212-593-1549 or e-mail pwhaserot@pdcounsel.com.

For coaching, training and special programs on inter-generational challenges for and among 4 generations in the workplace and maximizing the potential of young professionals, call or email Phyllis for an exploratory talk or complimentary coaching session at 212-593-1549 or pwhaserot@pdcounsel.com

Phyllis is available to speak at your organization or at firm retreats on inter-generational relations and organizational effectiveness topics. Call or e-mail for a list of topics or to custom-tailor your own.