My name is Laura Thomson and I have been creating and delivering culture change, communication and leadership programmes for organisations since 2000. I also write and talk about the impact that robots and Artificial Intelligence is having on the world of work. With my background in Human Psychology, I have run my Phenomenal Training Ltd business since 2008 working with some great brands including Heathrow Airport, The Body Shop, Phase Eight and Argos.

As front line roles become increasingly automated it will require a shift in leadership focus to ensure that teams remain switched on, safe and motivated in their work. During these transition years, I passionately believe that the robots will only ‘take over’ if us humans switch off. I love technology, yet I still want a real human for certain interactions. But only someone who actually helps my requirement in that moment. As tech unlocks our capabilities, what will these future requirements be? Today’s 40-year olds are likely to retire from a final job that has not yet been invented and a 4 year old is likely to enter a job market in 2030 requiring a skillset beyond the scope of our current education system.

The personal challenge many of us face is how do we fit work in amid all the busy-ness of modern life without becoming robotic ourselves? I propose it all starts with nurturing our 3 Human Skills of emotional intelligence, personal resilience and mental presence. Not only are these skills useful right now for handling the pressure moments at work (e.g. managing conflicts, handling team dynamics etc) but these are also the skills to invest in for your future career prospects. For the advances in cognitive technology will mean that tomorrow’s jobs for humans will revolve around our softer behaviours. I summarise these in my workshops as the 4C’s of being collaborative, caring, curious and creative.

I am writing a book on this topic, and my recent TEDx talk focuses on how we can stay human amid the tech: