MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors

Takeaways:

Upskilling and reskilling are two forms of active growth. They are similar in that they lead to the expansion of knowledge and ability, they differ in the nature of the skills learned and– importantly– in the end goal of the learning.

UPSKILLING is when an employee actively undertakes learning to expand their existing skill set. These additional skills enhance the worker’s performance in their current role, potentially advancing them along their career path.

RESKILLING is defined by actively learning new skills that go beyond a worker’s existing skillset. These skills are often closely adjacent to those required by their current role, but may sometimes be geared toward a different path entirely.

Upskilling advances talent on a linear path, and may be done in response to new demands of a role or a desire to “level up” in one’s career. Reskilling connotes more lateral movement– a pivot to something new and possibly more advantageous.

The workplace is evolving faster than ever, demanding a more adaptable workforce. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated these shifts beyond expectations, highlighting the rise of automation, the complexities of remote work, and the growing need for flexibility at all levels. In this changing landscape, employers that promote learning are more likely to thrive.

Investing in your own upskilling and reskilling can not only lead to the opening of new career doors, but can boost job satisfaction overall. Employers that help their teams bridge skill gaps or grow existing skillsets have shown to retain talent more effectively than those that do not.

From LinkedIn Learning
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Seven takeaways:

Bloom’s 7 pieces of advice of career advice, designed to apply to any stage of your career, are:

1. Swallow the Frog: Mark Twain wrote, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” This is not only a reminder to do the hard things in the day first. It is a reminder to look for opportunities to do the hard things for your bosses– both to add value and to stand out from those unwilling to do the hard tasks.
2. Do the “Old Fashioned” Things Well: Simple habits like eye contact, punctuality, good posture, and kindness are timeless. These small but powerful actions will never go out of style, and set you apart in a world where basic courtesies are too often overlooked.
3. Work Hard First (& Smart Later): It is simple: Hard work is the foundation for success. Before focusing on working smart or cutting corners, establish a reputation for effort, reliability, and getting things done. Over time, this earns you the leverage to work more efficiently.
4. Build Storytelling Skills: Great leaders aren’t necessarily the smartest—they’re the best at aggregating complex sets of data, and communicating it simply & effectively. They turn important learnings into clear, compelling narratives. If you can master storytelling, you’ll always bring value to any organization.
5. Build a Reputation for Figuring It Out: No one has all the answers, especially early in their career. The most valuable people are those who can take on new challenges, ask the right questions, and solve problems independently. Doing these things is the easiest way to beat imposter syndrome and get key experience.
6. Show Up Early (& Stay Late): Being present before and after key meetings is the best way to increase your “luck surface area”– it increases your exposure to opportunities and important conversations. In remote settings, seek out moments to connect and engage outside of formal meetings, as this in-person connection will be even more vital.
7. Dive Through Cracked Doors: Opportunities don’t always present themselves in obvious ways. Pay attention to life’s small openings, unexpected chances, and moments where you can step up—these often lead to the biggest career breakthroughs.

In your career, many things will feel maddeningly beyond your control. But– like in all areas of life, directing your energy toward what you can control will always push you in a better and more actionable direction.

By Writer & Entrepreneur Sahil Bloom
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Takeaways:

In this piece, Chris Hayes argues that almost every aspect of human life is being reoriented around the pursuit of attention, making it the most important resource on earth.

In the modern age, the ability to command attention outweighs any other in terms of building a business or a platform. The market for attention has become one of the most competitive and innovative in history.

Attention is the essence of consciousness, yet it can be seized from us before we even realize it—stolen by a sudden noise or a flashing light. As competition for our focus intensifies, more aggressive tactics emerge, turning our daily environments (both in real life and in digital spaces) into overstimulating arenas akin to casino floors.

Why? Because before you can persuade, you must first capture attention. Anyone from great showmen to great salespeople, marketers, advertisers, and so many more have all used the power of attention to accrue wealth and power. Thus– In today’s world, public discourse, commerce, social life, and even parenting have become battles for attention—and we’re all feeling the fatigue.

Knowing that the world is being reshaped around the pursuit of human attention forces the question: What do we want to pay attention to? If we didn’t have all the technologies and corporations vying for our attention, if our attention wasn’t being commodified and extracted, what would we affirmatively choose to pay attention to?

Your answer to this question should be a call to action. Hayes argues that understanding and addressing the gap between the attention demanded of us and the areas we want to which we want to pay attention is massively important. If we don’t fight to direct our attention to the things we care about, there is evidence that we lose our connection to them.

“We don’t have to give in to the constant external demands for our attention,” he says. We must use every tool and strategy imaginable to wrest back our will, to create a world in which we point our attention where we want it to go.

From Chris Hayes at The Atlantic:
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Note: At the time of this posting The Atlantic offers five free article views per month.