What In The World Is Going On Uof T

Copyright Lifework By Design 2007. All Rights Reserved.

What in the world is going on?

Presented by: Rob Straby

www.LifeWorks-By-Design.com

About Rob’s Background

Presentation Overview

• Participatory exploration of key trends

• Comparison with current literature

• Action planning• Questions & Discussion


Learning Goals

• Identify mental models and how they affect concepts of work

• Explore changes in the psychology of the world of work

• Express, explain, and exchange a wide range of opinions and ideas about global trends, how these impact your clients, and your own work

• Engage in highly interactive and cooperative teams

Creativity Warm-up

What Do You Believe?

• A: My career plans are already decided.

• B: My career plans are open to change.

Beliefs About Occupations

• A: There are many differences between workers in an occupation.

• B: There are many similarities between workers in an occupation.

Beliefs About Change

• A: I am willing to experiment with a variety of occupations.

• B: I need a consistent career path.

Beliefs About Initiation

• A: I prefer clear work goals to work hard.

• B: I work hard despite uncertainty.

Understanding Beliefs

• “Mental models are the images, assumptions, and stories, which we carry in our minds of ourselves, other people, institutions and their aspect of the world. Like a pane of glass framing and subtly distorting our visions, mental models determine what we see. Human beings cannot navigate through the complex environments of our world without cognitive “mental maps”; and these mental maps, by definition, are flawed in some way”

• Peter Senge, 1994

Tom Peters Says “Re-Imagine!”

Yesterday• Job for life• Competence• Reference group = The organization• Work with the same

old folks• Career strategy = Do what you’re told

Today• Gig for now• Mastery• Reference group =

Peers in your craft

• Work with a shifting network of partners

• Career Strategy = Do what you excel at

Team Brainstorm

• Form into your teams and brainstorm the following question:

• What changes do you think have (or have not) occurred in the mental models about the world of work (or how careers happen)?

Let’s Look at Global Trends

Question:• What are the most

important trends that you have identified through your own learning to date?

• You have 4 blank 3x5 index cards

• Write down 4 opinions• Write 1 idea per card


Sample Opinions

• The pace of technological change will continue to increase and affect all areas of life

• The global economy is becoming more integrated which means everything is affected by everything else

• Knowledge creation is more important than product development


Share & Swap

• Compare your cards with other people

• You must swap at least two (2) of your cards with others to create a new ‘hand’

• For any new cards you accept, you must agree with the opinions on them


Form Teams

• Form teams with people holding similar candies to you (e.g. Blue)

• Share what you have on your cards and discuss what is similar and different

• As a team, come up with the key themes from your team’s cards

• The themes a team chooses must meet with everyone’s approval

A Picture Says…

• Once you have chosen your team’s opinions, you are to draw pictures to represent each of the opinions

• You may not use any words with the pictures

• Be prepared to present your pictures to the whole group

What Did Others Draw?

• Take a few minutes and circulate around the room

• Observe what others have drawn

• What images stand out to you?

What others are saying…

Critical changes that affect us

• Increasing pace of technological change

• Integration of the global economy• Knowledge is a key leveling agent• In a world of extreme inter-

connectivity, the types of services that can be traded is rapidly changing

• Canadian’s “quality of life” is at risk


Implications for Canadians

• We cannot predict ‘job titles’ or ‘occupational destinations’

• We can ensure we have the right knowledge and skills sets

• Need to focus on the development of critical skills NOW

#1 Skill Set

• Learn How To Learn• Get passionate about

learning on a continuous basis

• To constantly absorb, and teach yourself, new ways of doing old things or new ways of doing new things is the only way to be prepared!

CQ + PQ > IQ

#2 Skill Set

• Versatility• Neither specialist nor

generalist• “Ability to apply depth of skill

to a progressively widening scope of situations and experiences, gaining new competencies, building relationships and assuming new roles” (Gartner Group)

• Spiral career path

engineering > systems analytics > sales > marketing


Critical Knowledge Era Skills

• Collaborating and orchestrating people and projects across the world

• Synthesizing, innovating and integrating ideas

• Explaining things to others (e.g. writing, teaching, editing, customer service)

• Leveraging knowledge through technology

What Skills Do We Need?

• Re-join your team at your play station• Think about what trends have been discussed

and drawn so farDiscuss:1. What skills & knowledge do Canadians need

in order to meet these trends?2. What skills & knowledge do we as Career

Centre staff need to learn? What do we need to be doing to help our clients adapt to change?

Taking Action

• Identify steps you can take to move forward

• What do you need to increase your knowledge?

• What do you need to do to help your clients adapt?


For more information:

• Rob Straby

• [email protected]

• www.LifeWorks-By-Design.com

What In The World Is Going On Uof T

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