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Necessary Transformations And Transitions That Managers Must Make To Survive And Prepare For The Future

The inclusion of emerging advanced technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence in different types of businesses. And industries will create many technology-related jobs in the future. It will digitize most business areas and companies by the next ten years. The innovations will help employees and employers communicate better as technology advances. As a result, forming a critical skill set depends on integrated business models. As a result, skill sets worldwide need to adapt to new and integrated ways of working. The future manager will also need to meet these demands.

But before we touch on the skills that the future manager needs to prepare for the future and its challenges. He must shift and move from basic tasks as management functions (planning – organizing – directing – controlling) to helping organizations face challenges from the present and prepare for the future. Here are some of the most significant transformations and shifts that a future manager must make:

1. From supervision to development

When the AI ​​does more tasks, there is no need for a supervisor to guide the people who do such tasks. So what is required of the future manager is to think differently about the future to shape the impact that AI will have on their business. It means more time exploring the implications of AI, helping employees increase their knowledge.

2. From details to delegation

There are too many managers managing every detail. They do not delegate or allow employees to make decisions. And they monitor their employees’ work down to the last point. This tendency limits the ability of employees to develop their thinking and decision-making to help organizations remain competitive. Hence, the manager today needs to extract the best evaluation from the employees and encourage them to think creatively and analytically to discover the distinguished future of the organizations.

3. From singularity to diversity

Many managers think that they are smart enough to make all decisions without anyone else’s help. And they need to have various thinking styles to influence the challenges they face. Therefore, the future manager derives different and renewable methods from the experiences of others who exchange their views, combine their experiences, and imagine a distant future.

4. From traditional to innovative

Organizations need a manager to think a lot about innovation outside the status quo, not just in the face of challenges. When the organization is expanding, or the manager starts saying, “Our organization is doing a good job,” this is the time to start thinking. Because when the organization is under threat of collapse, it is not difficult to find compelling reasons for change. Then the organization needs to know that its successes should not distract it from innovation because the best time to innovate is of all times.

5. From firefighter to challenger

The number one job of many managers is to “put out the fires,” fixing problems that naturally arose from the organization’s leadership. Note that this should not be the only job for today’s manager. Instead, the future manager must find better ways to manage the organization that challenges employees to devise new and better ways of growth and reimagine past accomplishments. It requires exercising more thought to understand what challenges to pursue and how employees think about and respond to those challenges.

6. From the business owner to entrepreneur

Many jobs turn out to be trying to please the manager. The focus on customers, competitors, innovations, market trends, and organizational performance quickly shifts to what and how a manager wants to do today. So must permanently recast the job of the future manager from an employer to an entrepreneur. It would make the organization face the future more vibrantly and openly to permanent renewal.

In addition to the transformation and transition required of the future manager in his duties.

There are some skills he will need to continue to adapt and learn success over the coming years:

1. Technology Management

A future manager will need to thoroughly understand technology to take advantage of its challenges and opportunities in data management, job and skill development, workplace roles, and privacy. As technology changes, future managers will need to constantly educate themselves about new operating systems to keep up with emerging problems. Although he may not only be in technical roles. He will need to know how to work with AI techniques as a non-technical professional to help his employees learn these roles. He also needs to adopt new technologies and become proficient in the changing workplace dynamics.

2. Transparency and communication

The digital world will provide more transparent and more inclusive ways to communicate. As a result, the future manager will need higher levels of transparency and communication. Today, the manager is constantly concerned with protecting the privacy of his organization and maintaining the confidentiality of information. However, in digital leaks, a future manager will have to help craft transparency strategies that allow employees to learn more about work practices.

3. Emotional Intelligence

Over the coming years, emotional intelligence will become a more prominent component of business principles. It suggests that a high level of emotional intelligence means that employees are aware of themselves and their strengths and weaknesses. A future manager will need to obtain the correct interpersonal skills assessment and enlist the help of supervisors and colleagues to identify emotionally intelligent individuals.

4. Leading diverse Teams

The future manager will need to learn how to build cultures in non-traditional work environments. As a result, the teams will become more diverse. Therefore, changing demographics means that various groups are essential to survival and that the future manager and leader will need to be inclusive and sensitive to everyone. Thus, the manager and future business leader will foster environments that engage collaboration and constructive discussion. As change hits different sectors, he will also need to question traditional business roles about adjusting his business practices more efficiently. Hence, leading diverse teams with less stress can lead to innovative ideas and better results.

5. Soft Skills

Interpersonal skills, such as listening, effective communication, positive attitudes, accepting feedback, and excellent time management, will be an essential feature for the future manager to develop himself to assess them in future appointments.

The future manager will need the soft skills to understand his employees and their learning process as the world becomes more digital.

6. Conflict management

The future manager will need to know how to maximize the productivity of his workforce. So only results-based work practices will be the mindset that he needs to enforce as part of the work culture. As a result, the details of where and how employees work will not matter. A high-performing manager will focus more on results and outcomes. As processes and task completion will become smoother with automated tools and other innovations. It will improve specific skills rather than the work process. With more flexibility in the workplace, the future manager will need to focus on communication. And relationship strategy, and conflict management will be a higher priority.

7. Future Management

Technology can help us adapt to healthier work practices for ourselves and the economy. While the future manager learns new tools like artificial intelligence and machine learning. It will also learn more efficient procedures that integrate empathy, critical thinking, and creativity for successful business practices and better work environments.

The future manager should love to learn, innovate, and engage others in the creative and innovative thinking process. Therefore, the role of the future manager will have a substantial impact. And more remarkable than the doctor’s role on the lives of others. As this affects the psychology of employees significantly, whether negatively or positively. So, the manager must perform his role with honesty, sincerity.

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Dr Atef Awad

Dr Atef Awad is a university professor specializing in human resources management at Abu Dhabi University. More than 25 years of experience in academic and administrative work. Consultant in developing innovative HR policies and strategies. Extensive experience in developing future practices, including career development strategies, talent management, development programs, and integration strategies. Ability to direct complex projects from concept and ideas to fully operational state. He is a Certified international trainer in human resource development and organizational development.
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