How to thrive in the age of Chat GPT

Apr 6, 2023 10:51:56 AM

"At the current rate of change, there’s no knowing what the world of work will look like in 2026, but for the curious and agile, that’s not something to worry about," writes Ursula Fear

Two people in conversation in front of a laptop

By Ursula Fear, Senior Talent Program Manager, Salesforce South Africa

Many workers in the knowledge economy are trying to reckon with the concept of using AI in their daily work life. The revolutionary Chat-GPT3, arguably the tool that brought AI to the forefront for a critical mass of people, launched mere months ago, in November 2022.

But while we were meditating on what this all means, GPT-4 came out in March 2023. It’s perhaps the best example of exactly how fast technology, and by extension the world of work, can change. This particular tool became widespread and even got upgraded before we could adjust to the fact that it exists.

The people best suited to thriving in this scenario aren’t necessarily the ones with computer science and software qualifications. The world has not even had time to set up formal training and certification for using AI at work. The ones who thrive and develop a competitive advantage will be those who take the initiative to experiment with this new tool and learn from others’ experiences, which can be accessed via the many articles, discussion threads and videos that now exist about generative AI. The capacity to thrive isn’t about being able to use ChatGPT per se – that specific skill is just a good example. Rather, it’s about facing a strange and sometimes fearful situation by finding a way forward rather than resisting or avoiding change. Would you choose fight, flight or figuring it out?

Being able to adapt to new situations in this way is known as learning agility. It involves a combination of cognitive, emotional, and behavioural factors, such as seeking out new experiences, learning through errors and experiments, taking calculated risks, and admitting when you made a mistake so that you can move on and find a method that works.

It’s a matter of coping with uncertainty rather than being undermined by it. Another definition of learning agility is ‘knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do’. Right now, South Africans probably find themselves not knowing what to do for a multitude of social, political and economic reasons, but also needing to figure it out as soon as possible. At Salesforce, our ethos is that skills development is a crucial means of finding ways forward, for both individuals and society. And, in the term ‘skills development’, I like to put slightly less emphasis on the ‘skills’ and more on the ‘development’.

Effective skills development recognises that lifelong learning – another way of conceptualising learning agility – is the means to adapting in a world of constantly changing technology, and the way to have a more fulfilling life in general. Because what happens when people get stuck and don’t know what to do? They become anxious, stubborn and defensive. They might resort to old methods and reject the risk inherent in new ideas, or double down on their mistakes rather than admit to error. Or they just hunker down in a rut of demotivation, and complain about the conditions there. That’s not a great way to live or work.

Learning agility, in contrast, gives you a ‘growth mindset’. This is when you think of yourself as someone who can change, adapt, move. In contrast, people with fixed mindsets see themselves as trapped with their personal qualities, skills and identities, especially when it comes to their professional personas. But we’re not trapped. We can always choose to develop new skills, new ways of being in the workplace.

As the senior talent programme manager at Salesforce South Africa, I love being able to point people towards Trailhead, our skills development initiative, where you can get started with free online courses, and connect with others via classes and communities. We believe that business is a platform for change, and this is our way of making that belief manifest and actionable.

At the current rate of change, there’s no knowing what the world of work will look like in 2026, but for the curious and agile, that’s not something to worry about. Embracing learning agility means being able to thrive in uncertainty and helping others to do the same, so we’re choosing action instead of fear.

Ursula Fear is a seasoned professional that has focused on talent and skills development in South Africa for more than 20 years. In her career she has played a significant role in spearheading the design of qualifications, built and designed award winning development interventions and assisted in establishing an education NGO called TEACH South Africa.

Learn about what Chat GPT is changing the world of business at Africa Tech Week: