If you have a few minutes (11 to be exact) I’d like to recommend you find a video on the Internet called The Adaptable Mind and take a look at it.

It reinforces the logic behind our significant effort to create an engaging work environment. While Science, Humanities, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (SHTEAM) impact the rapid change occurring these days, it directs us to the importance of developing human skills to navigate the waters which we travel.

The film highlights five human skills which have as much value as knowledge gained through education and study.

They are:

Curiosity-the ability to dig deep into areas with which you are unfamiliar. Such digging invigorates your brain. It creates joy.

Creativity-learning to connect what you learn to what you know in distinctive innovative ways. It liberates human energy.

Taking initiative-Ideas not acted upon only float away. As you create and learn, you have to do something. Initiative is “happening to the world”.

Multi-disciplinary thinking-Realizing that there is more than one way to approach a problem and multiple places from which solutions can come. You know what you know. You also need to be open to exploring different points of view and approaches.

Empathy-sensing the motives and feelings of others. Developing the ability to learn. Getting out of isolation and appreciating the benefits of connection and collaboration.

These human skills are developed through effort. You don’t have to pay tuition to refine them. I hope you will watch the video and consider its value. It may provoke you down some new avenues.