7 Key Cognitive Skills to Enhance Leaders Ability to Navigate Successfully on the New Normal for Industrial Revolution

Professor Klaus Schwab, the Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF), has published a book entitled The Fourth Industrial Revolution in which he describes how this fourth revolution would impact all disciplines, economies, and industries, leadership competency for effective team collaboration and the need for enhanced leadership role (Schwab, 2017).

Nothing short of highly adaptive and innovative leadership competencies are needed to survive and strive in a rapid-changing world; the VUCA-driven business environment. It requires innovative leadership and effective team collaboration to sustain and strive in the fast-changing landscape of current digital technological breakthroughs which has no historical precedent. The impact of such revolution has been simply disruptive…

The Fourth Industry Revolution workplace and workforce demand cognitive readiness which is necessary to assimilate the challenges, to inspire purpose, passion and sustain productivity; namely the following 7 key cognitive skills:

• Mental Cognition: Self-awareness and ability to regulate your thoughts and emotions
• Attentional Control: Manage and focus your attention; maintain calmness during chaotic situation
• Sensemaking: Connect the dots, find meaning and see the bigger picture
• Intuition: Manage impulses and thinking preferences
• Problem Solving: Apply analytical and creative methods to resolve challenges both at workplace and home
• Adaptability: Develop change mindset, reframe in shifting conditions
• Communication: Establish deep connection to inspire and influence for common goals and objectives

These 7 key cognitive skills would be greatly needed to enhance leadership competency and professionalism.

The legendary management Guru Peter Drucker once said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” This would mean that the most intriguing challenges faced by leaders are often not technical related, but mostly cultural, psychological, attitudinal, personal and relationship related predicaments.

“People do well if they can” is the mantra of Dr. Stuart Ablon, an ardent advocate on Collaborative Problem-Solving skills.

An effective leadership enhancement training program must go beyond active learning style, group discussion or case studies. It must incorporate mind-altering simulation, behaviour modifying techniques, therapeutic modality aims at correcting “old habits die hard” patterns resulting in the cultivation of new and effective leadership behaviours. Therefore, it is necessary that effective leadership program must provide assessment of one’s strengths / weaknesses, and recommend specific and customised personal development pathways.

Knowledge itself is not powerful, but it is the successful and effective application of knowledge that is indeed powerful.

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