As we enter the uncharted territory of 2021, skills development could be the key in turning the uncertain future into a window of opportunity for employers.
Perhaps unexpectedly for an article focused on redundancy and skills development for employers, my starting point is that stalwart of popular entertainment, The Simpsons, specifically a moment from the 1994 episode ‘Fear of Flying’. “Did you know”, Lisa asks her father, “the Chinese use the same word for ‘crisis’ as they do for ‘opportunity’?”. “Yes”, replies Homer, “‘crisitunity’”. You’ve no doubt spotted Homer’s mistake, but this is also a rare occasion when brainbox Lisa also needs to check her information. The idea that the Chinese word ‘wēijī’ means both ‘crisis’ and ‘opportunity’ is a common misconception. The word does mean ‘crisis’ – but it’s a combination of the character ‘wēi’, meaning ‘danger’; and ‘jī’, which can have a range of meanings depending on the context, but generally indicates a change point.
Tags: Blog • Create Your Own Future • Skills development • workplace trauma