Succeeding In a Post-Covid World May Require New Skills

Sachin Kumar Jun 22, 2021

"In a hierarchy, people tend to rise to their "level of incompetence” - employees are promoted based on their success in previous jobs until they reach a level at which they are no longer competent, as skills in one job do not necessarily translate to another – The Peter Principle"

We have seen many examples of incompetence all around us - in large organizations where senior executives failed to put a simple process to work in important projects, which failed because one person forgot to do his duties well, and in my industry, in client-agency relationships when the incompetence of the decision-maker, prevented several good ideas from taking shape.

The reason employees become incompetent is that skills required in one job may not be similar to what is required in the next position - a good doctor may not be able to lead a hospital, a good player may not become a good captain and so and so forth. Sometimes people learn those new skills but sometimes they fail to learn, continue the same approach and falter in their new role. In most hierarchies, often super competence is more objectionable than competence. The presence of super competent people in hierarchies disrupts the first commandment of hierarchical life - the hierarchy must be preserved.

The Covid scenario and the shift in workplace trends, work from home culture have also led to a shift in the regular hierarchal processes. Just like on a battlefield if the supreme commander and senior officials fall, the hierarchy is broken and someone from below the ranks can show super competence to take command. Similarly, the new work from home trends often puts people in a position of isolation when they have to make their own decisions without getting direction from someone up the hierarchal ranks.

In an online environment, constant monitoring of employees is often difficult. This presents an opportunity both for the control-freak manager and his / her subordinate to seize the opportunity to break the typical hierarchical model of working, and rise above to find new ways of doing work. The new work culture will offer multi-fold opportunities to people with self-belief and confidence and the ability to innovate.

In my view, the most dominant skill-sets required to succeed in the future will not be technical skills but soft skills which can help a person navigate through uncertainties. Since the new trends shaping up are expected to continue in the future too.

Leadership at every level

Typically in a hierarchy, leadership is encouraged at the top level. But in current circumstances, this is a need at every level. Good leadership starts with accountability, which is the most important quality in today’s independent work environment. The subordinate will have to be more accountable for his action and the manager should be able to drive accountability in subordinates without having to micromanage. This will require motivating them, enabling them to make more independent decisions rather than constantly guiding them.

Adaptability to new processes and market uncertainties

Many companies have introduced new processes, software solutions to drive collaboration efficiency between teams, drive productivity and have one view of work requirement. Employees who can use these solutions effectively will hold an upper hand. In addition to this, the new way of working could present several unforeseen challenges in the way we work with colleagues/teams. We all have to be prepared to adapt quickly to the given situation, be flexible to take on anything unplanned that comes our way, distinct from defined processes, and make the best out of the situation.

Tech Savviness

Technology will be at the centre of everything we do in the future work era, irrespective of our roles, background, or the industry we operate in. Our understanding or inclination towards technology will help us find unique ways of working with enhanced efficiency.

The new work era would require skills that defy the Peters’ Principle, skills that can help people break through the hierarchical structures and innovate. In a nutshell, these would be the skills that define an entrepreneurial way of working and mindset!