How can you adapt to exponential change at work in the 21st century?

Gary A. Bolles, a specialist in digital disruption and the future of work, spoke about what human beings need to do to adapt to the accelerated transformation caused by the exponential change happening in education and work.

The author of the book The Next Rules of Work spoke about this in his keynote address entitled “The Future of Learning at Work in an Exponential Tomorrow,” on the second day of activities at the International Conference on Educational Innovation (CIIE) 2023.

“Exponential change is, as we say at Singularity University, the new abnormal.

“We need to see the worlds of employment and learning through fresh eyes and to find new ways to think completely differently,” Bolles said.

The specialist explained that the COVID-19 pandemic had forced humanity to make exponential changes to jobs in his talk at Borregos Arena on Monterrey campus.

“We had to adapt. It was a sudden exponential change which has become known as the ‘great reset.’

“We went through a complete reconfiguration almost overnight. The rules of employment changed and, if there’s any way flexible work is going to be successful, our mentality must change, too,” he added.

“We had to adapt. It was a sudden exponential change which has become known as the ‘great reset.’”

Three factors in exponential change

For Gary A. Bolles, mindset, skill set, and tool set are key factors in exponential change.

- Mindset

The specialist explained that there are two types of mindsets: fixed and growth.

“We need to move from a fixed to a growth mindset; we live in a world of exponential change which is about relentless learning, embracing the possibility of change, and being accountable for achieving it,” he said.

- Skill set

Bolles spoke about the skills that human beings use to solve problems.

“Work is a problem to be solved, but how do we solve problems? We perform tasks using skills. We discover our skills through trial and error and can see the potential that we need to develop.

“There are four skills that we must develop: problem solving, being adaptive, creativity, and being empathic,” he explained.

- Tool set

Finally, the specialist explained that the tools we use are a combination of techniques and technology which will solve tomorrow’s problems.

The speaker

Gary Bolles is the author of the recent book The Next Rules of Work, which offers a new vision of the future of work and learning. He is a regular speaker, writer, and consultant who specializes in the future of work, learning, and organizations.

Bolles serves as co-chair for the Future of Work at Singularity University, the global e-learning community leading efforts to empower people with the mindset, skill set, and tool set to create a future of abundant work and learning.

He also has nine courses listed on LinkedIn Learning on topics such as “Learning Agility” and “Developing a Learning Mindset,” with more than 1.2 million learners.

Gary frequently speaks about digital and strategic transformation strategies in education, the creation of learning organizations, and the transformation of education in developing economies.

International Conference on Educational Innovation (CIIE)

The 9^th International Conference on Educational Innovation (CIIE), organized by Tec de Monterrey’s Institute for the Future of Education, is a space for sharing the trends and practices that are revolutionizing the world of education.

“CIIE is an invaluable opportunity to reflect on the value of educational innovation in the development of nations,” said José Escamilla, Associate Director of Tec de Monterrey’s Institute for the Future of Education and chairman of the organizing committee.

Since 2006, it has helped innovative people to improve education, making an impact on about 2 million people in 40 countries.

CIIE 2023 will provide keynote speeches and panels, special events, presentations, networking sessions, sponsored events, and other activities for teachers, academics, graduates, and the general public.

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