7 “Skills” that Brands Need for the Future

Thanks to following @swissmiss on Twitter, I was exposed to the brilliant, provocative, inspiring and somewhat depressing video presentation by Dr. Tony Wagner, Co-Director of Harvard’s Change Leadership Group and author of “The Global Achievement Gap”.  As a parent, I found myself feverishly taking notes on the 7 necessary skills students need for the future.  They are:

1. Critical thinking and problem-solving (to serve continuous improvement)
2. Collaboration across networks and leading by influence (as opposed to command and control)
3. Agility and adaptability
4. Initiative and entrepreneurship
5. Effective oral and written communication
6. Accessing and analyzing information
7. Curiosity and imagination.

Wow!  What a list…and what a challenge for schools who “teach to tests” to re-architect their philosophy, strategy and tactics to better prepare today’s students for their (and our) future.

In my day job (not my round the clock job as a parent of 3 challenging children) I’m very focused on a research platform we’ve developed to help our clients better understand the changing dynamics around management of their brands, engagement and understanding of their customers that result from consumers who are empowered by social platforms, location- and context-based marketing and other forms of choice and consumer independence.  On reflection, I see tremendous parallels in the 7 Skills above – and the underlying challenges they spotlight – with the challenges companies face today in building their brand when they no longer completely control the brand story.

Fundamentally, the 7 Skills are meant to teach us:

1. to challenge our own assumptions and techniques;
2. develop the skills to operate successfully in a world that is flat, more globally networked yet full of seams and sometimes frustratingly fragmented channels;
3. maintain an agility and adaptability that are essential because everything happening around us is operating at escape velocity;
4. the need for unyielding initiative and entrepreneurship because of the energy and creativity required to experiment and innovate with tremendous velocity to keep up with the market.  This requires a culture that allows for mistakes and real-time learning;
5. Fundamental – but also new  communication  (and listening) methods – are necessary for brands to set in motion the brand story but have the skills and focus necessary to respond to, impact, adjust and influence the narrative as consumers and competitors weigh in with disruptions.
6. Data-driven awareness has always been essential to brand managers but now more than ever as the empowered consumer commands – through their actions and expectations – 1-to-1 respect and interaction.
7. Finally curiosity and imagination, indeed, to fuel the entire cycle.

Perhaps I’m just obsessing but I think Dr. Wagner’s list is a great guide for organizations attempting to re-architect their systems of understanding and confront the challenges in the world of the (increasingly)  empowered consumer.

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