Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

March 16, 2006

The 10 Skills Most Critical to Your Future

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 9:13 am

Finding Ideas Outside of the Box logo 2

Thinking in the 21st Century

Thinking cannot be separated from who we are. In the 21st century, the age of intellectual property, the way we think is crucial to having a place in society. What we think and how well we express those thoughts will determine where we fit and how well we live. Thoughts, ideas, processes, intangibles–all have value in a world of constant change where knowledge is an adjective, a noun, and an asset–in the form of intellectual property–on balance sheets.

In the largest sense, American society is breaking into two classes:

The first class are people who know how to think. These people realize that most problems are open to examination and creative solution. If a problem appears in the lives of these people, their intellectual training will quickly lead them to a solution or an alternative statement of the problem. These people are the source of the most important product in today’s economy – ideas.

The second class, the vast majority of Americans, are people who cannot think for themselves. I call these people “idea consumers” – metaphorically speaking, they wander around in a gigantic open-air mall of facts and ideas. The content of their experience is provided by television, the Internet and other shallow data pools. These people believe collecting images and facts makes them educated and competent, and all their experiences reinforce this belief. The central, organizing principle of this class is that ideas come from somewhere else, from magical persons, geniuses, “them.”

. . . My purpose in this article is to undermine that belief.

–Paul Lutus, Creative Problem Solving

Most Schools Are Inside the Box

When I was in school, it was weird and unpopular to think outside of the box. But there I was. It’s not something I learned to do. It’s how I came into the world. Much like a left-handed kid learns to use right-handed scissors, I learned to figure out how everyone thinks. I learned to observe so that I could understand them. Knowing how other people think was a survival skill for me. For them, learning how I think was a gesture of friendship.

That was then.

In school it’s weird not to think like everyone else.
In society, outside-of-the-box thinking is a prized commodity. Innovative thinking is essential to any change-based leadership brand.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

My experience of school, both as a student and sadly as a teacher was not, in the most primary sense, geared toward developing new ideas. It was centered around teaching and learning what had already been done, without taking that next step to challenge the past with how it might have been done differently or better.

Thinking Outside of the Box Is Critical

The world economy has changed to one of service and ideas. Conversation is digital and content is king. The ability to work with ideas has become crucial to having a place in society. Thinking outside of the box is no longer a weird personality trait, but something to be admired and valued. It’s a key trait necessary to modern-day strategic planning and process modeling.

Intellectual property–content–is an asset that not only gets produced, but reproduced, reconfigured, and repurposed for variety of media. Those who produce intellectual property are builders of wealth. An original idea that solves a problem or presents an opportunity is worth more now than it ever has been. Those who develop and mold original ideas are the new “killer app.”

10 Skills Critical to Your Future

These are ten skills critical to your repertoire. They have indelible impact as part of a resume, a personal brand, and as a skill set. They compound in value each minute in the marketplace. Though it can be done, these 10 skills are difficult to cultivate inside the proverbial box. Yet they are critical to your future, if you want to be an idea creator and not an idea consumer. These are

The 10 Most Critical Skills for the 21st Century

Future Skills
  1. Deep independent thinking and problem-solving – The ability to understand a problem or opportunity from the inside out, vertically, laterally, at the detail level, and the aerial view.

  2. Mental flexibility – The ability to tinker with ideas and viewpoints to stretch them, bend them, reconstruct them into solutions that fit and work perfectly in specific situations.

  3. Fluency with ideas — The ability to describe many versions of one answer and many solutions to one problem set and to explain the impact or outcome of each both orally and in writing in ways that others can understand.

  4. Proficency with processes and process models — The ability to discuss a problem in obsessive detail and to define a process, linear or nonlinear, that will solve the problem effectively within a given group culture.

  5. Originality of contributions – The ability to offer a value-added difference that would not be there were another person in the same role.

  6. A habit of finding hidden assumptions and niches — The ability to see the parts of what is being considered, including the stated and unstated needs, desires, and wishes of all parties involved.

  7. A bias toward opportunity and action — The ability to estimate and verbalize the loss to be taken by standing still and missed opportunities that occur by choosing one avenue over another.

  8. Uses all available tools, including the five senses and intuitive perceptions, in data collection — The ability to weigh and value empirical data, sensory data, and one’s own and others’ perceptions appropriately.

  9. Energy, enthusiasm, and positivity about decision making — The ability to bring the appropriate mindset to the decision-making process in order to lead oneself or a team to a positive decision-making experience.

  10. Self-sustaining productivity — The ability to use the confidence gained from the first 9 skills to establish relationships with people at all levels–from the warehouse to the boardroom–knowing that ideas are not the pride and privy of only a gifted few.

Innovative, imaginative, inventive, mind-expanding, playful-wondering, what-if, how-come, dramatic-difference, find-the-wow, visionary, killer-app, I-want-one, no-more-stupid-stuff, nothing-in-moderation, bet-the-farm, incredibly-sexy, please-please-can-I, that’s-so-cool, couldn’t-knock-it-off-if-they-tried-to, able-to-see-better-than-the-best, no-more-move-here-today-move-it-back-tomorrow, stupid kind of thinking happens outside of the box.

The skills that you develop from outside of the box thinking stay with you for a lifetime and are transferrable from one job to another. You don’t need them to write every shopping list, but they are there whenever there is a problem to solve or an opportunity to take advantage of.

It doesn’t take a genius to become a fluent, flexible, original, and creative source of ideas. It takes a person who can develop habits of thinking in new ways. What actually happens is that you find out how you really think, rather than how you were taught to.

You become uniquely you–BRAND YOU–the only one–priceless.

Who wouldn’t want to work with a person like that?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

PS We’re going to go down the list of all 10 in the Finding Ideas Outside of the Box series. Let me know if there’s one you’d like to do first.

Related articles
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Start in the Middle 3: Alligators and Anarchists
Building a Personal Brand–YOU
Leaders and Higher Ground





Filed under Branding, Business Life, Outside the Box, Productivity, Strategy, Successful Blog |




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25 Comments to “The 10 Skills Most Critical to Your Future”

  1. March 16th, 2006 at 10:43 am
    Sabine said

    I vote for #6. I can get tripped up by uncovered assumptions. Uncovered until I trip over them, of couse. But I’d like to avoid falling so often. ;-)

  2. March 16th, 2006 at 10:44 am
    Sabine said

    Oops, I meant “undiscovered!”

  3. March 16th, 2006 at 10:45 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Sabine,
    Good morning and great to see you!
    Number 6 shall be a find out-of-the-box place to start. I should think.

    Smiles,
    Liz

    Anyone else?

  4. March 16th, 2006 at 5:45 pm
    Martin said

    Thank God it doesn’t take genius because I ain’t one and you pretty much sum up the values I try to live my adult life - eg: for me, school was so structured, boxed in, that I couldn’t wait to get out and let loose.

    #’s 1 and 2 are as good as any of them to start with - independent thinking with mental flexibility that allows tinkering in any way possible pretty much sums ups my way of life.

  5. March 16th, 2006 at 5:47 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Martin,
    It sure seems to me that you have all of these pretty well down. But they sure are fun to review–aren’t they?

    Liz

  6. March 16th, 2006 at 6:33 pm
    Martin said

    Hey Liz … far from it, but it’s always good to get hit with such a cornucopia of thoughts as this post has done for me.

  7. March 16th, 2006 at 6:38 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Thanks, Martin,
    I’m not sure I’ve ever had my thoughts described as a cornucopia before. What a lovely image! Much better than the cacophony they tend to be when they’re still in my head. :)
    Liz

  8. March 16th, 2006 at 8:56 pm
    Mike said

    Helluva great post and I can hardly wait for the rest of the series.

    #2 sounds like it’s gonna be my favorite. Kinda why we started TheMentalFitnessCenter.com

  9. March 16th, 2006 at 8:59 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Thanks, Mike!
    This one wasn’t the usual knock it out in an hour post. I was “cooking” on this for a couple of days. I think I wrote it in an hour or two and let it simmer for two days or so. Then I rewrote the flavor quite a bit this morning before I posted it.

    I thought it was that important. So I’m glad it had that kind of impact. :)
    Liz

  10. April 3rd, 2006 at 11:16 am
    Successful Blog - Critical Skill 2: Mental Flexibility said

    [...] When I look over the original article for this series, The 10 Skills Most Critical to Your Future, I keep coming back to the idea that mental flexibility might be the one skill that has the most initial impact. This is the crowd pleaser–the hero. Mental flexiblity unbends the bent, unties the knot, and unsticks the stuck. People notice that kind of thing right away. [...]

  11. April 9th, 2006 at 3:22 pm
    Successful Blog - Critical Skill 3: Fluency: with Ideas said

    [...] Related articles The 10 Skills Most Critical to Your Future Critical Skills 1: Strategic Deep Thinking Critical Skill 2: Mental Flexibility Critical Skill 2: Mental Flexibility Test Technorati Tags: blog promotion brainstorming fluency with ideas freewriting future skills independent thinking RAS Reticular Activating System self promotion thinking outside the box using the subconscious [...]

  12. June 25th, 2006 at 11:00 am
    CB said

    #3 is the killer to me. Finding new words to describe the same thing again and again, especially when something seems to obvious and mission critical that you feel you’re beating your head against the wall with each retelling. Yet without 3, you can’t get to the rest of the list, which makes #10 unattainable. Thanks for putting this in common sesnse terms…for the rest of us.

  13. June 25th, 2006 at 11:56 am
    ME Strauss said

    HI CB,
    Hope you found the entire post that I dedicated just to that one. I’m think about centering the seminar on this topic. Sort of grow your company to know and plan for your customer by using these skills. :)

    I’m open to all suggestions on problems to do number 6 I’m still not sure how to frame that one yet.

  14. August 24th, 2006 at 11:45 am
    Liz Strauss [dot] com Strategic Thinking 6: Synthesis and Evaluation in Theory said

    [...] In the new knowledge enterprises I’ve been describing since Strategic Thinking 1, this core group is larger, more heterogenous, and enjoys a deeper, common knowledge and base of understanding. So, when this group reaches synthesis and evaluation, their ability to strategize will have more,if not all, of the skills I describe in 10 Critical Skills for the Future. [...]

  15. November 7th, 2006 at 12:46 pm
    Successful Blog - Critical Skill 7: Bias Toward Action with an Eye on Opportunity Cost said

    [...] Related articles The 10 Skills Most Critical to Your Future Critical Skill 1: Strategic Deep Thinking Critical Skill 5A: 3 Parts of Spectacular Ideas Critical Skill 6A: Five Tools for Finding Faulty Assumptions [...]

  16. February 20th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
    Dave said

    These are great. They are critical. And they are very challenging for someone to teach themselves how to do. I think you hint at what needs to happen - find opportunities for these skills to develop. There isn’t a “Out of the Box Thinking for Dummies” book out there (Hmmm….maybe we need to create one….) So I guess that leaves one the course of action is to find ways to stretch out of their habitual way of thinking and operating. This is great - thanks!

  17. February 20th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Dave!
    Thank you for reading this. You’re going to push me to finish the series. Aren’t you? :)

  18. February 20th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
    Dave said

    LOL - you bet! Seriously (for a sec), this is an important topic. I am struck by the power of your distinction of two new classes - thinkers and non-thinkers. With all that is going on in the world, we are hitting a tipping point that demands innovation. I feel the challenge on how to convey these skills and values as a parent, an executive coach and a global citizen.

    So ‘write on’!!! I can’t wait to see what develops and how different thinkers can shape this important exploration. Thanks for doing this!!

  19. February 20th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Dave!
    Oh my. I’ll get back to it as soon as I can breathe again. until read slowly I got up to number 6. :)

  20. March 22nd, 2007 at 6:33 am
    Who Are Your Blogging Heroes? at The Blog Herald said

    [...] Liz Strauss writes about thinking and heroes at Successful-Blog. Digg it [...]

  21. August 28th, 2007 at 11:16 am
    Five Original Must-Read Articles by Liz Strauss - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once. said

    [...] 16, 2006 . . . The 10 Skills Most Critical to Your Future Intellectual property–content–is an asset that not only gets produced, but reproduced, [...]

  22. February 17th, 2008 at 6:38 am
    Critical Skill 7: The Opportunity Action Test - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You are only a stranger once. said

    [...] articles The 10 Skills Most Critical to Your Future Critical Skill 1: Strategic Deep Thinking Critical Skill 5A: 3 Parts of Spectacular Ideas Critical [...]

  23. April 10th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
    Andy Bulka said

    Your point on “Mental flexibility – The ability to tinker with ideas and viewpoints” is a good one. The trouble is - issues these days are complex (arguably have always been?!) and people often can’t manipulate or track multiple ideas and their relationships flexibly in their head alone.

    Using paper to map ideas is an improvement - but paper has limited flexibilty in rearranging ideas - unless you use sticky notes! One solution is to use software tools for diagramming - but actually few are optimised for the task of rapidly rearranging ideas. Some mindmappoing tools are ok at this, specialist idea manipulation tools like bCisive are probably better.

  24. June 28th, 2008 at 10:29 am
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    [...] articles The 10 Skills Most Critical to Your Future Finding Ideas Outside the Box Personal Branding: Strengths Assessment Tool Brand YOU–What’s [...]

  25. November 4th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
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