This Week's Top 3 Must Reads on the Future of Work

These are my top three article picks for the week of June 20th on the future of work, artificial intelligence, the metaverse, and humanizing work. This week's selection includes insights on the steps companies should take when entering the metaverse, leadership adaptability and the practice of self-care as a foundational skill, and how reimagining leadership development programs can prepare leaders and teams to thrive in the future of work. I hope the articles inspire and ignite your imagination about the future of work and provide insights and strategies you can leverage to help your organization thrive and make work more human.

Entering the Metaverse: How companies can take their first virtual steps

This article made the top of this week's list because it provides insights into answering many leaders' questions about how to "begin the journey of a thousand miles with one step" into the metaverse. The article breaks down the logic of entering the metaverse by comparing the strategy to entering a new business venture. While there are similarities to strategies leveraged in the physical world, the article cautions that there are distinct differences. Questions to consider include, how will you enter the metaverse? How will your customers find you? The article addresses additional critical considerations for businesses attempting to enter the metaverse. Arguably, "there are a series of measures that must be taken that mirror many of the same actions a company would take were they to enter a new market in the physical world. From defining and researching the market, to analyzing and assessing the opportunities and risks, to designing a market entry plan, to ultimately allocating and unleashing the necessary resources, both capital and organizational capabilities." Additionally, a significant point about entering the metaverse was immersivity. According to the article, "brands and businesses in the vast majority of industries will likely struggle to conceptualize and develop the level of immersivity that will be required to be effective." Examples of how major brands are leveraging showing up in the metaverse are set in the form of questions like, "Why are "Nike and Adidas developing footwear for that virtual step? Why is Coca-Cola creating a "pixel-flavored" drink? Why are offices, classrooms, gyms, concert venues, sports arenas, and every other entertainment and educational center moving into the metaverse?" The article concludes with a profound statement. "Companies and organizations that currently don't see a future in this Web3 world will eventually make such a pivot, only to recognize the opportunities that have existed the entire time." Much of the future of work will unfold in the metaverse. Now is the time to contemplate your strategy to begin the journey of a thousand miles with one step. So, step!

Future proof: Solving the adaptability paradox for the long term

This McKinsey article published this time last year. However, it made this week's list because I saw it as a repost online and believe it is even more relevant a year later as organizations face increasingly more challenges as we round out 2022. The article discusses the role of resilience in building the adaptability muscle needed to lead teams through change. What stood out to me was the focus on building leadership adaptability at scale and prioritizing these four things: 1) the practice of well-being as a foundational skill, 2) making purpose your North Star, 3) experience the world through an adaptability lens, 4) build deeper and more diverse connections and 5) make it safe to learn. According to the article, the practice of well-being as a foundational skill means that leaders extend their well-being practices across the triad of the mind, body, and spirit. In my view, this was one of the most powerful perspectives of the article. According to the authors, when leaders focus well-being practices on the mind, body, and spirit, it can lead to higher performance levels, and it supports the sustainability of a growth mindset for leaders and teams. There is a chart in the article that I am literally posting in my office as my guide for the rest of 2022. You should check it out as well. The chart includes practices and actions related to sleep, exercise, nutrition, meditation, introspection, perspective-taking, purpose, renewal, and connection. I will close with a powerful quote from the article. "Leaders should understand that adaptability is a skill that is mastered with continual practice—the ability to learn how to learn does not materialize overnight. Those who have the courage and humility to do this work can summon their adaptability skills right when they are needed most. In a world of constant flux, that is a crucial skill set indeed."

How to Implement Leadership Development Programs That Work

We are living through the rapid and radical transformation of work. As it unfolds in both physical and virtual worlds, leaders with the right knowledge, skills, competencies, and future focus will be in critical demand. This article is a favorite because it reinforces that leadership development aligned with remote work and the new realities of employee experience is now more critical than ever. In addition to the steps outlined in the article, I would add the program must be future-focused and embedded with the foresight needed to lead organizations through the challenges they will face within the next 2 to 3 years in both the physical and virtual worlds of work. The six steps discussed in the article included 1) conducting a needs assessment, 2) getting buy-in, 3) defining success 4) focusing on real-world applications. I would add focus on physical and virtual world applications, 5) build on leaders’ strengths, and 6) cultivate inclusivity. In my view, the most crucial step is to prepare leaders for real-world applications. Developing leadership development programs that prepare leaders to think, strategize, act and perform like a futurist, be more empathetic and humanize employee experience can position leaders to enable remote and hybrid teams to thrive as the future unfolds.  

Be resilient, be relevant, be bold and let's thrive in the unfolding of the future of work together! Want more insights? Click on my logo below and sign up for my newsletter. Want to learn more about training to prepare your leaders and teams to thrive as the rapid unfolding of the future of work continues? Click on my logo below and schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation. Need a futurist speaker for your next event? Click on my logo below, download my speaker sheet and schedule a complimentary consultation. Have you purchased your copy of my book titled Force Majeure: A Futurist's Guide to Boldly Thriving on Your Terms in the Future of Work? If not, grab it today, it too is a must read!