SL017 Future Skills

My Selection of 6 Fields

How ready is your team for the next wave of change—AI, new regulations, shifting markets?
When priorities collide, do you know which skills you should focus on first?
Where are you and your team already strong, and where could you use an upgrade?

Welcome to a new episode of Self-Leadership with Dr. Bensmann, where we explore how mastering self-leadership helps you thrive in all areas of our life.
I’m Burkhard Bensmann—a consultant, executive coach, and professor. I work with entrepreneurial people in Germany and abroad, mostly in demanding transition situations.
Today, I invite you to sharpen your own future skills. When I say “future skills”, I don’t mean buzzwords. I mean core abilities you need now and tomorrow—very practical tools you can use in real change situations.
In this episode, I’ll walk you through six selected fields—six future skills that leaders need to master. I’ll explain what each field is, why it matters, and how you can start with small, concrete steps right away.

How I chose these skills

As a consultant and executive coach, I regularly ask myself: given changing conditions, which abilities really matter? And do we need new skills—or are we simply renaming old ones? Many so-called “future skills” were already essential in the past. They just become more visible when pressure rises.
For this episode, I looked at recent studies from McKinsey, Deloitte, MIT and the Institute for the Future, and then compared them with what I see every week when coaching leaders and teams.
I’ve also been working on self-leadership as a core topic for many years, and I’m pleased that its importance is now widely recognised.
The six fields I’ll share show up again and again—in research and in practice. They connect individual capability, team performance, and the ability to shape change actively rather than just react to it. Let’s start with the first field.

1. Self-Leadership

What it is

Self-leadership is the foundation. It is the set of attitudes and methods you use to lead yourself in a goal-oriented way.
In concrete terms, it means you deliberately steer:

• what you do,
• why you do it,
• and how you manage your energy while doing it.

Instead of only reacting to your calendar, emails, and other people’s expectations, you make active decisions: What is truly important today? Where do I say yes—and where do I say no? If your inner direction is unclear, even the best tools and methods won’t help you much.

Three aspects are central here:

• Mission & vision – If you know what you are working for—for yourself and for your team—you stay capable of action, even in turbulent times. Your personal mission acts as a compass.
• Self-organisation – You set priorities, manage your attention and energy, especially when too many tasks and expectations hit you at once.
• Ethics & responsible decisions – You act according to your principles, even when the easy way looks tempting. This is how you create trust in yourself and in your team.

Why it matters

Everything else builds on this field. When you are clear about your purpose and you manage yourself well, you’re more resilient—and you upgrade all other skills faster.

Small moves for this week

• Write your three-sentence personal mission. If you already have one, bring it back in front of you.
  Underneath, note down two principles you will not compromise on.
• Block two real breaks every day—away from screens. Protect your sleep as a non-negotiable asset.
• Before a tough choice, pause and ask: “Does this fit my main values and my mission?” If not, rethink.

Reflection question

When was the last time you consciously paused and checked a decision against your values? What guided you?

2. Cognitive Intelligence & Complex Problem Solving

What it is

In an age of uncertainty, the ability to recognise complex problems and work through them systematically is crucial. You can recognise complex problems by several signs:

• many factors interact,
• cause and effect are not immediately clear,
• and the environment changes while you are still thinking.

In these situations, intuition alone is not enough—you need thinking tools.

Key elements include:

• Systems thinking & strategic overview – Seeing patterns and connections, for example by using simple cause-and-effect maps or doing scenario planning with your team.
• Critical and creative problem solving – Instead of jumping straight to solutions, you first form hypotheses, gather data, and test ideas in small, low-risk ways.
• Decision quality – One powerful method from the Anglo-Saxon world is the pre-mortem: before a project starts, you imagine it has failed, and you jointly explore why. This helps you identify risks early and act preventively.

Why it matters

When markets, regulations and technologies shift quickly, guessing is not enough. You need to design solutions with others, adjust as new information appears, and avoid wasting energy on rework.

Small moves for this week

• Run a 45-minute “Decision Clinic” for one important issue:
  What is the real problem? What are your options? What risks do you see—and how will you handle them?
• Choose one upcoming project and do a “pre-failure” exercise: imagine it fails. What went wrong? Which of these causes can you influence now?
• Check your plan against “base rates”: what usually happened in similar projects in your organisation or industry?

Reflection question

For which upcoming decision is it worth asking now: “What could go wrong—and what can I influence today?”

3. Digital, Data & AI Fluency

What it is

Digital competence has become a basic requirement—from confident use of tools to working with artificial intelligence. This does not mean you must become a programmer. It means you are able to organise your work with digital tools so that you:

• save time,
• reduce errors,
• and make better decisions.

It also means you realistically assess the opportunities and risks of AI.

Three pieces are important:

• Digital productivity – You design your workflows to be lean and efficient, and you integrate digital tools intentionally—for example by automating recurring tasks or structuring information flows clearly.
• AI and data competence – It’s not enough to “know about” AI. What counts is how you work with these technologies, how you use data, and how you ensure your work is reproducible. You test what a tool actually delivers and document your key prompts and insights.
• Technology governance – Technology must not only be useful and efficient; it must also be safe, ethical, and compliant with law and regulation. Who owns which data? Who is accountable if something goes wrong? Clarify these roles early.

Why it matters

New tools appear every month. Being digitally fluent means you can select what really fits, collaborate with AI instead of fighting it, explain your process, and keep your work and your team compliant.

Small moves for this week

• Choose three key workflows and test one new digital or AI-assisted tool in each. Keep a simple log: what you tried, which prompts or steps you used, what result you got, and what you learned.
• For any major decision that uses digital or AI support, keep a short “decision record”: what you did, why you did it, and what data you based it on.
• Before rolling out new tech, run a quick check:
  What is the purpose? What risks do we see? Who is responsible for data and ethics?

Reflection question

Which digital or AI tool could you deliberately test this week—and what do you need to discuss in your team about data protection and ethics?

4. Collaboration & Communication

What it is

Collaboration and communication are at the heart of effective leadership.
In times of decentralisation and diversity, depth matters: as a leader, you need to share information in a way that others truly understand what’s at stake and can contribute—across locations, hierarchies, and cultures.

Good collaboration shows up when:

• conflicts are discussable and manageable,
• decisions are transparent,
• and people feel safe enough to voice their views openly.

This is closely linked to what we call psychological safety.

Key elements in this field:

• Empathic dialogue – Clear, direct language, real listening, and using simple stories to make complex topics understandable and build connection.
• Conflict resolution & safe spaces – Making conflicts visible, working through them actively, and treating mistakes as learning opportunities rather than occasions for blame.
• Cooperation & inclusion – Turning difference into a strength—for example by regular peer feedback rounds or inviting different perspectives explicitly in meetings.

Why it matters

Open, honest conversations keep teams moving. When everyone is included and feels safe, you get better ideas, faster learning and stronger buy-in for decisions.

Small moves for this week

• Try a 20-minute “Learning Round”: in your next team meeting, ask each person to share one mistake, one win, and one request.
• Redesign one recurring meeting: define a clear purpose, assign roles (for example: facilitator, timekeeper, note-taker), use a timer, and agree how you will decide.
• Use a simple “conflict canvas”: for a tension in the team, map positions, underlying interests, options, and then choose a way forward together.

Reflection question

In which meeting tomorrow could you deliberately make space for more diverse opinions—and how will you handle conflict constructively?

5. Learning Agility & Adaptability

What it is

Learning agility is more than attending training courses. It is the ability to continuously turn new experiences into insights—and then adapt your behaviour accordingly.

Adaptability means you don’t cling rigidly to routines you once established. You’re willing to change your approach when conditions change or when better ways become visible.

Two aspects are central:

• Learning rhythm – You tackle new topics deliberately, document your learning progress, and encourage self-directed experimentation instead of relying on accidental knowledge.
• Willingness to change – You question routines, create opportunities for meta-learning, and bring new skills into practice as quickly as possible—for example by asking after each project: What do we keep, what do we drop, what will we test differently next time?

Why it matters

Your value rises when you can learn quickly and adapt to whatever comes. That’s true for individuals, teams, and whole organisations.

Small moves for this week

• Define a 30-day experiment: What will you test? How will you measure success? When will you stop—and how will you capture your learning?
• Hold a short weekly “learning stand-up”: each person shares what they tried, what they learned, and what they will do differently.
• Pair up with a colleague and practise a new skill together for two short sprints—then review what changed.

Reflection question

What small experiment could you start this week to strengthen your own learning ability—or your team’s?

Signal you’re improving

You reach valuable insights faster, and you can name concrete experiments that changed the way you work.
One company I mentored introduced weekly micro-experiments and used them to launch products faster with less risk.

6. Entrepreneurial Execution & Opportunity Creation

What it is

Success happens when good ideas are consistently turned into action—and when teams consciously focus on opportunities. This field is about moving from thinking to doing—in an entrepreneurial way. Not every idea becomes a big project, but good ideas get a fair chance to be tested.

Entrepreneurial execution means:

• You move into purposeful action,
• you manage risks consciously,
• and you learn from setbacks instead of getting stuck in endless discussions.

At least two components:

• Entrepreneurial mindset – You systematically look for opportunities, test promising ones, and evaluate them quickly. You’re not just managing problems; you are scanning for leverage points where small moves create noticeable impact.
• Project execution – You prioritise tasks, manage time consistently, and use sprints to deliver results quickly. This also includes the courage to stop or postpone initiatives so that truly important work can be done properly.

Why it matters

Trying new things is good—but only if you can also deliver. Opportunity without execution is just talk; execution without fresh ideas means you risk falling behind.

Small moves for this week

• Start a short “venture sprint”: talk to a handful of users or clients, build a simple prototype, and get ten pieces of targeted feedback.
• Limit how many projects are “in progress” at the same time and introduce a short weekly review to discuss wins, blockers, and decisions.
• Prioritise tasks by impact and effort. Force yourself—and your team—to finish key items before starting new ones.

Reflection question

How often do you actually translate new impulses into practice? Which idea could you test as a small prototype in the next two weeks?

How to get started

Keep the six field names visible:

1. Self-Leadership
2. Cognitive Intelligence & Complex Problem Solving
3. Digital, Data & AI Fluency
4. Collaboration & Communication
5. Learning Agility & Adaptability
6. Entrepreneurial Execution & Opportunity Creation

Use them as a simple weekly checklist for your own development and for your team.

You can also integrate a check of your future skills into your annual personal planning day—your own yearly strategy retreat with yourself.

Reflection prompts

As you think about these six fields, consider three short questions:

• Where is your biggest bottleneck right now?
• What is the smallest experiment you can run this week to ease that bottleneck?
• Which meeting, workflow, or decision will you redesign tomorrow?

Conclusion

Future skills are not a fashion. They are everyday abilities you and your team can build step by step.

Start with self-leadership. Make more conscious decisions. Establish rituals of reflection.  

This was today’s episode of Self-Leadership with Dr. Bensmann.
If you found this useful, share it with someone who leads a team.
And before you move on: write down one small step you will actually take this week to strengthen your future skills.

Self-Leadership: My Book

To purchase the book:

BoD Bookshop

Amazon

and your local bookstore!

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Music Intro & Outro by Joakim Karud http://soundcloud.com/joakimkarud