Society at large and the organizations within it are often ill-prepared for sudden shifts in an economy.
Forces erupt and reshape the landscape. It’s at these turning points that divergent thinkers excel. They think of unforeseen ways to harness the forces that others may have unleashed. Many people were exploring electricity in the late 1800s, but it took divergent thinkers like Tesla and Edison to bring it into widespread use in homes and workplaces.
Now as we face the implementation of a faster, more sophisticated Web 3.0 alongside the continuing poverty of billions of people around the globe, we need divergent thinkers more than ever to create the successful enterprises of the future. These are the enterprises with the potential to improve lives by offering new employment and a chance to climb the ladder of success.
Our perceptions of conformity as a better fit socially is a symptom of fear and lack of imagination.
The problem is that in general, developed societies do not propagate this kind of thinking. Giant corporations end up strangled in bureaucracy, while education promotes a narrow view of ability, as do many organizations. Schools focus on passing exams at the expense of a wider education that gives kids the space for true originality and a more profound sense of what is possible.
We need wider recognition that unconventional talents often have the biggest impact – provided they can get a chance. In the developed world, instead of turning the gifted or geeky into generalists, we must be ready to give space and allow each person to build on their strengths. Allow them to develop their unique talents that give us true advances and new business ideas.
Throughout history those who question the norm often lead the way with innovative solutions. We are not all the same, we were never meant to be.
Web 3.0 gives us grounds for real optimism. It will open up opportunities for people from unconventional backgrounds, which includes all the hidden talent in the developing regions of the world. The fast-thinking and more versatile minds in these areas could get ahead precisely because they have a greater sense of possibility. They don’t feel held back because they lack exam certificates, a business degree or ten years with a fortune 500 company.
If we are going to lift the bottom five billion people out of poverty around the world, then we will have to look outside the traditional boxes and come up with original ideas. There’s no future in seeking to be the best of the same – and that needs to start in our education systems. This is how we will harness Web 3.0 to everyone’s advantage.
It is our ability to celebrate individuality and foster diverse potential that will best define the future.
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