Releasing the Genius Releasing the Genius Magazine - Issue 2 | Page 13

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s parents, we know that the world is
changing faster than it ever has. We also
know that technology has taken over and
shifted our paradigms of how to function
in this world. We are constantly inundated
with media and people telling us that our children’s world
will be very different than what we have experienced.
“Duh, of course” you think, yet it is a great concern. The
most important job of a parent is to ensure that their child
is prepared for the future, yet how do you do that when all
you are hearing is: In the Society for Human Resource Management’s very
recent 2019 State of the Workplace report, it states that
companies rated the top three missing soft skills as:
WE ARE NOW ENTERING THE “FOURTH
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.” 1. Expect to have to help your child stretch to their
potential. Be ready to put in a great amount of effort.
It is not the time to think that “Others should be
doing this” or “I want a break.”
TODAY WE ARE LIVING IN THE “DIGITAL
DISRUPTION ERA.”
BY 2025, MOST OF THE JOBS WILL BE
THOSE WE HAVEN’T EVEN HEARD OF
BEFORE.
BY 2025, AI AND ROBOTICS WILL
CREATE MILLIONS MORE JOBS THAN
THEY DESTROY.
In the past, parents have relied on their governments to
make informed decisions and create an infrastructure that
would prepare future generations for success. Today the
future is not clear, and parents lack trust in governments
to make good decisions in education, so what do you do?
This is even more complex for parents who realize that
their child has tremendous leadership abilities. To help
you answer this, I have pared down all the noise to four
patterns I have noticed that may help you make better
decisions for your child:
a. Problem solving, critical thinking, innovation and
creativity
b. Ability to deal with complexity and ambiguity
c. Communication
Parents looking to differentiate their child must also be
ready to do their part:
2. Find programs that are tough, even for you, as
those programs indicate that there is a different type
of thinking.
Most parents are driven by the fear that their child won’t
be successful, and that same fear helps us creatively
problem solve for our children’s future. Knowing that our
children have the skills needed to live independent lives
and support themselves economically, while meaningfully
contributing to society, is a dream that we all share, and
together it can be achieved.
1. Just as math has been a foundation for education
to develop reasoning and logic, coding and
computational thinking are the new additional
foundational skills.
2. Communication skills must be exceptional—both
oral and written.
3. Learn how to build and nurture relationships.
With digital disruption, a relationship economy will
emerge, differentiating the highly successful leaders
from others.
4. In an egocentric world, those who have learned
humility will understand how they fit into the bigger
world. They are the ones who will be able to see the
bigger patterns and solutions for the future.
Parents looking to differentiate their child must be aware
of the top deficiencies in the workplace. If their child can
fill this in, then they have a greater chance of getting a job.
KIM LANGEN
Kim Langen's mission is to inspire parents
and teachers, schools, school divisions,
employees and partners to cultivate
the potential of today’s youth to solve
tomorrow’s problems. Kim founded Releasing
the Genius Inc., to build a strong community
of people who have the imagination and
courage to change the world.
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