THE BOOK
FUTURE SKILLS NAVIGATOR: UPSKILLING HUMANKIND FOR A BETTER FUTURE
STRUCTURE AND CONTENT
PART 1:
The world we live in
- The impossibility of predictions
- VUCA is the new normal
- The impasse of linear thinking
- The big skill gap
- Paralysis caused by learned helplessness
The future is human
- Growth Mindset: Thinking in terms of opportunities
- Upskilling Humankind: re-learning together
- Unfolding potential: rediscovering the human essence
- Seven theses: how Future Skills create impact
PART 2:
FUTURE SKILLS NAVIGATOR
Skills for a better future
Future Skills Navigator at a glance
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The four Future Skill domains
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The four Future Skill levels
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The 16 Future Skill classes
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Rational Future Skills
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Emotional Future Skills
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Spiritual Future Skills
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Transformational Future Skills
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The Future Skills Navigator at a glance
Future Skills Navigator in detail
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How to use the Future Skills Navigator
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Future Skills on the I (yourself)-Level
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Future Skills on the You-Level
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Future Skills on the We-Level
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Future Skills on the All-Level
PART 3:
THE GREAT VISION
new humanity for the world of tomorrow
Upskilling with a mindset, purpose and impact
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The New Humanity: Framework of human skills
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Mindset: a normative framework
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Purpose: a better future
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Mission: Upskilling Humankind for a Better Future
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Vision: cross-societal impact
Future Skills in action
- Upskilling quick start: Getting started with unleashing your potential with Future Skills
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Upskilling at Scale: How to integrate Future Skills into your company
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FAQs: Questions and answers
- Future Skills Practice Book: Classification in the Future Skills Navigator
- Future Skills Navigator and other frameworks
FUTURE SKILLS NAVIGATOR IN OTHER LANGUAGES
The English edition will be available soon. We are also in discussion for further translations, e.g. into Arabic.
RIGHTS OF USE
All rights to the Future Skills Navigator including the visualizations are reserved by Dr. Arndt Pechstein and Dr. Martin Schwemmle. This content and the content of the associated book are protected by copyright.
We are delighted if the Future Skills Navigator contributes to society’s upskilling and if you would like to use it for your own purposes. Please kindly understand that we do not issue a carte blanche for this, but would like to better understand who might want to work with our model and how.
If you are interested in using the Future Skills Navigator, simply contact us.
SOURCES AND ADDITIONAL LITERATURE
We last checked all links on January 9, 2023.
We quote most English sources and references in their original language. Some of our sources are published in German as well.
The impossibility of predictions
In 1930, economist John Maynard Keynes wrote …
Keynes, John Maynard (1930), Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren, in: Keynes, John Maynard, Essays in Persuasion, New York: W. W.Norton & Co., 1963, pp. 358–373. http://www.econ.yale.edu/smith/econ116a/keynes1.pdf
In 2021, German employees worked …
Statista (2022), Average weekly working hours in Germany by gender until 2021, https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/827965/umfrage/durchschnittliche-wochenarbeitszeit-in-deutschland-nach-geschlecht/
In 1943, Thomas Watson estimated …
These and other famous false predictions can be found here, e.g. N.N. (2010), “Computers are useless,” Süddeutsche Zeitung, https://www.sueddeutsche.de/digital/beruehmte-fehlprognosen-computer-sind-nutzlos-1.935972
In 2005, futurist Ray Kurzweil propagated …
Kurzweil, Ray (2005), Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology, New York: Viking.
In 1972, the Club of Rome published …
Meadows et al. (1972), The Limits to Growth, Washington: Potomac Associates. Available as PDF here: https://www.donellameadows.org/wp-content/userfiles/Limits-to-Growth-digital-scan-version.pdf.
In 2020, systems analyst Gaya Harrington examined …
- Harrington, Gaya (2020), Update to limits to growth: Comparing the World model with empirical data, Journal of Industrial Ecology, 25 (3), pp. 614–626, https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.13084.
- A comprehensive update after 50 years of the first report is: Dicson-Declève et al. (2022), Earth for All: A survival guide to humanity, Gabriola Island: New Society Publishers. Also published in German under the same title by Oekom.
On Dec. 31, 2019, dpa reported …
- The first Covid news is being reported in this Tagesspiegel article: https://www.tagesspiegel.de/wissen/so-lautete-die-erste-meldung-zum-coronavirus-5093530.html.
- The Tagesschau has documented how the Federal Minister of Health, Spahn, assesses the situationt: https://www.tagesschau.de/faktenfinder/spahn-corona-113.html
- The German Chancellor’s televised speech of March 18, 2020, in full text (German original):
https://www.bundesregierung.de/resource/blob/975232/1732182/d4af29ba76f62f61f1320c32d39a7383/fernsehansprache-von-bundeskanzlerin-angela-merkel-data.pdf
VUCA is the new normal
This new era is often …
A good overview of the VUCA concept, its origins and meaning is provided by: Millar, Carla C., Groth, Olaf, Mahon John F. (2018), Management innovation in a VUCA world: Challenges and recommendations. California Management Review, 61(1), pp. 5–14, https://doi.org/10.1177/0008125618805111.
The impasse of linear thinking
Let’s try the following thought experiment …
- A detailed description can be found at this article in Medium: https://medium.com/starts-with-a-bang/paper-folding-to-the-moon-410ebfc17a6
- More examples of exponentiality from the business context: de Langhe, Bart, Puntoni, Stefano, Larrick, Richard (2017), Linear Thinking in a Non-Linear World, Harvard Business Manager, May–June. Also available online: https://hbr.org/2017/05/linear-thinking-in-a-nonlinear-world
Our brain has evolved evolutionarily in natural environments …
- Diamandis, Peter H. (2022), How to end your linear thinking, https://www.diamandis.com/blog/how-to-end-your-linear-thinking
- Barbazzeni, Beatrice (2021), A Linear Brain in a Non-linear World, exoinsight, https://insight.openexo.com/a-linear-brain-in-a-non-linear-world-how-to-reverse-your-thinking-with-neuroscience-to-challenge-experiment-and-explore/.
n 2012, Dutchwoman Merthe Weusthuis presented …
One of the many reports about Merthe Weusthuis: https://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/thousands-turn-up-a-party-after-facebook-invite-goes-viral-ends-in-riot/
The big skill gap
In a study representative of the working population in Germany …
Kienbaum / Stepstone (2021), Future Skills–Future Learning, https://institut.kienbaum.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2021/06/Kienbaum-StepStone-Studie_2021_WEB.pdf.
Tradition is not a business model
On this subject, see the book: Pechstein, Arndt (2023), Tradition ist kein Geschäftsmodell, München: Vahlen.
Science refers to this as rebound effects.
Umweltbundesamt (2019), Rebound-Effekte, https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/abfall-ressourcen/oekonomische-rechtliche-aspekte-der/rebound-effekte.
In March 2016, AlphaGo proposed …
- Chung, Dae Ryun (2016), AlphaGo and the Limits of Machine Intuition, Harvard Business Manager, https://hbr.org/2016/03/alphago-and-the-limits-of-machine-intuition.
- Armbruster, Alexander (2017), Computer bringt sich selbst Go bei – und wird Weltklasse, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/kuenstliche-intelligenz/computer-bringt-sich-selbst-go-bei-und-wird-weltklasse-15253783.html.
- Li, Michael (2019), No Human Can Beat AlphaGo, and It’s a Good Thing, Towards Data Science, https://towardsdatascience.com/no-human-can-beat-alphago-so-what-3401b40fa0f0.
Game theorists refer to this way of thinking as infinite games …
See also the following book: Sinek, Simon (2020), The Infinite Game, London: Portfolio.
Paralysis caused by learned helplessness
The phenomenon of learned helplessness was first observed by…
- The original study: Seligman Martin E, Maier S. F. (1967), Failure to escape traumatic shock. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 74, 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0024514.
- A good overview of the topic is provided by: Ackerman, Cournteny E. (2018), Learned Helplessness: Seligman’s Theory of Depression, PositivePsychology.com, https://positivepsychology.com/learned-helplessness-seligman-theory-depression-cure/
Learning optimism
A detailed description of learned optimism can be found in Seligman’s book: Seligman, Martin E. (2006), Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life, New York: Vintage.
Grow Mindset: Thinking in terms of possibilities
Scientists refer to this as brain plasticity or neuroplasticity
Janssen, Christina (2017), Neuroplastizität – Das Gehirn lernt immer, ergopraxis. Available online as summary: https://www.thieme.de/de/ergotherapie/neuroplastizitaet-gehirn-lernt-immer-114416.htm
Psychologist Carol Dweck calls such an approach …
There are countless publications on the topic of “Growth Mindset”.
- A useful overview is provided by: Dweck, Carol (2016), What Having a “Growth Mindset” Actually Means, Harvard Business Review, https://hbr.org/2016/01/what-having-a-growth-mindset-actually-means.
- A further good overview is presented by: Romero, Carissa (2015), What We Know About Growth Mindset from Scientific Research, Mindset Scholars Network, http://studentexperiencenetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/What-We-Know-About-Growth-Mindset.pdf
- A large-scale intervention study on the growth mindset appeared here: Yeager, David S. et al. (2019), A national experiment reveals where a growth mindset improves achievement, Nature, 573, pp. 364–369, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1466-y.
Impressive differences
One of the earlier studies on the difference between Fixed and Growth Mindset, from which we have taken the figure, is: Blackwell, Lisa S., Trzesniewski, Kali H., Dweck, Carol S. (2007), Implicit Theories of Intelligence Predict Achievement Across an Adolescent Transition: A Longitudinal Study and an Intervention, Child Development, 78 (1), pp. 246-263, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.00995.x.
On a cold December day in 1955 …
A detailed description of the history of Rosa Parks can be found here: History.com Editors(2009), Rosa Parks, History, https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/rosa-parks.
I have a dream
- Martin Luther Kings speech: https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm
- German translation: https://usa.usembassy.de/etexts/soc/traum.htm
- Background on the subject: Machat, Sibylle (2018), Martin Luther Kings “I have a Dream”, Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, https://www.bpb.de/kurz-knapp/hintergrund-aktuell/267010/martin-luther-kings-i-have-a-dream.
In this way, he embodies “courage, compassion and visionary idealism …
The original quote is from: Sundquist, Eric J. (2009), King’s Dream, New Haven: Yale University Press. The German translation from Machat (2018), see above.
Upskilling Humankind: Relearning together
Among the central insights of systems theory ..
The classic on thinking in systems: Meadows, Donella H. (2008), Thinking in Systems: A Primer, Hartford : Chelsea Green Publishing.
The Future Skills Navigator and its visualization were developed by Arndt Pechstein and Martin Schwemmle. To use it, please see the information on usage rights further down on this page.
The new humanity
… the crisis of being human, the Human Condition …
Recommended read: Bregman, Rutger (2021), Human Kind: A Hopeful History, London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
For long time in history of mankind, body, mind and soul formed a unity.
Lind, Richard E. (2001), Historical Origins of the Modern Mind/Body Split, The Journal of Mind and Behavior , 22 (1), pp. 23-40, https://www.jstor.org/stable/43853931.
Purpose: a better future
This also makes Future Skills an important lever for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals …
Extensive information on the SDGs can be found here: https://sdgs.un.org/goals
Mission: Upskilling Humankind for a Better Future
The structure of enablers is inspired, among others, by frameworks of the OECD and the World Economic Forum: https://www.oecd.org/education/2030/learning-framework-2030.htm/, https://widgets.weforum.org/nve-2015/index.html
Mindset: a normative framework
On the limits of empiricism and the necessity not to ask how things go on, “but how things go on in a meaningful way” cf. e.g.: Precht, Richard David (2022), Freiheit für alle, Goldmann: München. In particular pp. 20 and 71 ff.
FAQs
What is a “skill”?
We are following, among other sources, Weinert’s understanding of the term: Weinert, Franz E. (Hrsg.) (2001): Vergleichende Leistungsmessung in Schulen – eine umstrittene Selbstverständlichkeit, Weinheim und Basel: Belz.
Future Skills Practice Book
- Spiegel et al. (Ed.) (2021), Future Skills: 30 Zukunftsentscheidende Kompetenzen und wie wir sie lernen können, Vahlen: München.
- Visit: www.futureskills.org.
Future Skills Navigator and other frameworks
Future Skills 2021
Stifterverband / McKinsey (2021), FUTURE SKILLS 2021: 21 Kompetenzen für eine Welt im Wandel, https://www.stifterverband.org/medien/future-skills-2021.
Future Skills Triple Helix
Ehlers, Ulf-Daniel (2020), Future Skills: Lernen der Zukunft – Hochschule der Zukunft, SpringerVS: Wiesbaden. Available free of charge as PDF on: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-658-29297-3
Inner Development Goals
Inner Development Goals/Goals that Matter AB (2021), Inner Development Goals: Transformational Skills for Sustainable Development, https://www.innerdevelopmentgoals.org/framework.
OECD Learning Compass 2030
OECD (2020), Learning Compass 2030, https://www.oecd.org/education/2030-project/teaching-and-learning/learning/learning-compass-2030/.
In German: https://www.ggc2030.org/post/oecd-lernkompass-2030-das-rahmenkonzept-des-lernens
Other studies on the topic, which are not in-depth frameworks and therefore are not listed in the book:
- Kienbaum / Stepstone (2021), Future Skills–Future Learning, https://institut.kienbaum.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2021/06/Kienbaum-StepStone-Studie_2021_WEB.pdf.
- Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute (2020), Future Skills, https://gdi.ch/en/publications/studies/future-skills-pdf-2020-e.
- Hays (2017), HR-Report, HR-REPORT 2017: SCHWERPUNKT KOMPETENZEN FÜR EINE DIGITALE WELT, https://www.hays.de/documents/10192/118775/Hays-Studie-HR-Report-2017.pdf.
- World Economic Forum (2017), New Vision for Education, https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_New_Vision_for_Education.pdf.
Future Skills – more significant than all previous technological developments.
We assigned the name “WeQ” to the metatrend marked with these two key characteristics
Reference: Spiegel, Peter (2015), WeQ – More than IQ: Abschied von der Ich-Kultur, oekom: München.
We have verified the authorship of all quotes. We were not able to identify or access the original source in all cases.
The quote on page 85 is often attributed to Winston Churchill. However, there is evidence that this attribution is incorrect. We have therefore refrained from stating an author for this quotation.
Where the original quotes were in English, we have partially translated them ourselves.
IMAGE REFERENCES
Cover
Cover illustration: hobbit_art/depositphotos.com
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Flaticons, flaticons.net
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dell640/depositphotos.com
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Volatility: Angelo Troiano/thenounproject.com
Uncertainty: Fiona OM/thenounproject.com
Complexity: Marie Van den Broeck/thenounproject.com
Ambiguity: Justin Blake/thenounproject.com
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Flaticons, flaticons.net
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agsandrew/depositphotos.com
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Positive Thinking: AomAm/thenounproject.com
Thinking in terms of possibilities : Vectorstall/thenounproject.com
Learning with and from others: Icon Factory/thenounproject.com
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Rational: parkjisun/thenounproject.com
Emotional: Flatart/thenounproject.com (modified)
Spiritual: WEBTECHOPS LLP/thenounproject.com
Transformational: Luis Prado/thenounproject.com
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muha04/depositphotos.com
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see p. 49
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For usage rights and downloads of these Future Skills Navigator graphics, please see the notes on this page.
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Flaticons, flaticons.net
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Composition based on MPF_photography/depositphotos.com
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Flaticons, flaticons.net
