WORK TO LEARN
Through artificial intelligence and robotics, many routine, repet-itive
tasks can be automated, increasing employees’ capacity for
higher-level, more value-added work; to the benefit of both the
employee and the organization. However, organizations will see
productivity gains from new technology only if their employees
have the drive and ability to adapt and use the technology effec-tively.
Further, there is an increasing need for uniquely human “soft
skills” such as creativity, persuasion and problem-solving.
There is a high level of ambiguity and unpredictability regard-ing
what future tasks will look like. Many jobs that will be critical
five years from now are not even defined yet. Work is changing in
a way that requires employees to take on tasks they haven’t been
able to prepare for, and for which there is no roadmap or proce-dure
manual. This need for comfort with ambiguity and a passion
for ongoing learning means that the concept of learning in order
to work has been flipped on its head: Now it is about working in
order to learn.
Having a workforce of continuous learners who are also driven
to make an impact, has become a business imperative. Finding
employees with a “can do” attitude that fits the organization’s cul-ture
generally trumps technical skill. Technical skill can be taught;
attitude is about who you are and is more difficult to influence
and change.
As Winston Churchill said, “Attitude is a little thing that makes
a big difference.” It is important to have at least a baseline level of
technical skill; but ultimately it is the combination of attitude and
soft skills (empathy, for example) that will determine an employ-ee’s
level of success and their impact on the organization.
GROWTH MINDSET VERSUS FIXED MINDSET
Arguably, the most important component of a can-do attitude is
a “growth mindset,” a term coined by Dr. Carol Dweck. A person
with a growth mindset believes that their talents can be devel-oped
over time and is always looking to improve. They are less
concerned with looking smart than they are about learning. By
contrast, a person with a fixed mindset believes their abilities are
innate gifts and are set in stone. A person with a fixed mindset
may say, “I can’t do it,” whereas a person with a growth mindset
will say, “I can’t do it yet.” A person with a growth mindset is more
likely to recover from setbacks and see obstacles as challenges to
be overcome.
Employee attitudes and values are components that deter-mine
fit with an organization’s culture. The benefits of a good
cultural fit are many. Alignment of personal values and organi-zational
culture means that people do the right thing without
having to be told what to do. This results in a far more produc-tive,
pleasant and rewarding working environment. A good fit
leadership
michaeljung/123RF
Effective interviewing techniques
can include behavioural questions to
uncover attitudes and soft skills
54 ❚ FEBRUARY 2019 ❚ HR PROFESSIONAL
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