Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

4 Critical Skills for a Changing World Times change, and you need to adapt. Here are four critical capabilities you're going to need to become the leaders, the innovators, the success stories of a new age.

By Steve Tobak Edited by Dan Bova

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Bob Dylan wrote "The Times They Are A-Changin'" in the midst of the cultural and political upheaval of the 60s. What I remember most about those days were the endless fights with my parents over my long hair, my frayed bellbottom jeans, the Vietnam War, and, of course, sex, drugs and rock and roll.

We had a name for our extreme differences in perspective back then. We called it "the generation gap." I doubt if it's any consolation to Millennials – especially coming from a baby boomer – but we've sort of been here before. Each generation has its own ideals, behaviors and challenges.

While there's nothing new about generational change, when you're in the thick of it, that's a different story. It's unsettling, exhilarating and terrifying, all at the same time.

Related: 7 Things Great Entrepreneurs Don't Do

The high-tech revolution of the past few decades certainly fits that description. Having "grown up" in that industry, I can certainly look back and see how far we've come. Not only that, I'm proud that I made the transition – that I successfully adapted to this brave new world.

And I'd like to help you do the same. I'd like to help the entrepreneurs of today and the business leaders of tomorrow make the transition to a world that never stops changing. Here are four critical capabilities I think you're going to need to distinguish yourself – to become the leaders, the innovators, the success stories of a new age:

Truly connect with real people in the real world
Any successful executive or business leader will tell you that among their most critical assets are their ability to communicate and network. Not only that, but success in business is all about relationships. Every business transaction has a human being on both ends.

These days, people think they're connecting on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, when in reality, they're just blasting gigabytes of superficial sound bites and links at each other. It's the Internet equivalent of talking at someone. Actually, it's not even one-to-one, it's generally one-to-many, and, by many, I mean thousands.

The truth is that social networking isn't even fractionally effective when compared with a simple real-time discussion or face-to-face meeting. One real relationship with a real person in the real world is worth a thousand virtual connections.

Related: 9 Steps to Becoming a Great Writer

Shut out the noise
You don't need me to tell you that we live in a world of unprecedented information and communication overload. We're expected to be on 24/7. The urge to text, tweet and email is constant, addictive, and nearly irresistible.

And yet, you have to find a way to resist all that. You have to figure out how to manage distraction without completely shutting yourself off. You have to learn to shut out the noise without missing out on what matters, what's relevant, and what's critical.
It's never been more challenging to prioritize and focus, to be effective and productive, to get things done, than it is today. And it's only going to get harder.

Recognize the bullsh*t
Everyone's aware that "I saw it on the Internet so it must be true" is a fallacy. And yet, quoting, posting, forwarding and retweeting information from unreliable sources has become the norm. It's pervasive.

When you question assumptions and claims, challenge conventional wisdom, and avoid collectivism and groupthink, that's called critical thinking. It dates back thousands of years to the teachings of Socrates and Buddha.

Critical thinking is fundamental to smart decision-making. It's in short supply ... and getting shorter all the time.

Be the genuine you
All the personal branding hype has turned people into Internet avatars: social-media sound bites that are nothing more than two-dimensional fabrications of how they want others to see them. The problem is you'll never get anywhere by trying to be something you're not.

It's never been more challenging or more important to be the genuine you, to possess the humility and self-awareness to realize that you're not who you hold yourself out to be, you don't have all the answers, and calling yourself an entrepreneur or a CEO doesn't make you one.

In a world of indistinguishable lemmings, where everyone imagines they're unique while behaving exactly like everyone else, the true innovators will be those who possess the courage to know who they really are and become the best version of themselves that they can be.

No matter how much the world changes, your personal journey is the one that will matter most. Keep it real.

Related: Why Your Employees Think You're a Creep...And How to Avoid Being One

Steve Tobak

Author of Real Leaders Don't Follow

Steve Tobak is a management consultant, columnist, former senior executive, and author of Real Leaders Don’t Follow: Being Extraordinary in the Age of the Entrepreneur (Entrepreneur Press, October 2015). Tobak runs Silicon Valley-based Invisor Consulting and blogs at stevetobak.com, where you can contact him and learn more.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

You Have One Month Left to Buy a House, According to Barbara Corcoran. Here's Why.

"If you are planning on waiting a year and seeing where interest rates go, you are out of your mind," Corcoran said.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business Solutions

Cut Costs, Not Features with This Microsoft Bundle Deal

You get Office, Windows, Project, and Visio for $72.

Thought Leaders

These 3 Trends Will Change What It Means to Be an Entrepreneur in 2025

Here are three entrepreneurship trends from the new Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report that are changing the landscape for the future.

Side Hustle

I Made $14,000 in 1 Week With a Spontaneous Halloween Costume Side Hustle — Here's How

Sabba Keynejad was in art school when he started to refine his entrepreneurial skills.

Franchise

The McRib Is Back, But Only at Select McDonald's — Here's Where to Find It

This scarcity is nothing new. In 2022, McDonald's announced a "Farewell Tour" for the McRib, suggesting that it might be the last time customers could get their hands on it.