Lifestyle

Janice Robinson Burns on Future-Ready, Inclusive Leadership

November 20, 2024
12:08 am

By: Joshua Finley

Business is changing rapidly, driven by new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. To stay competitive, organizations need to understand these technologies and how they are transforming the nature of work. According to Janice Robinson Burns, an expert in HR and workforce development, leaders today must shift their mindset and skills to lead effectively in this new landscape.

Janice has over 20 years of experience in HR, including executive roles at large corporations like Mastercard. Recently, she shared five key insights on how leaders can prepare for the future of work.

1. Rethinking Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Holistically

Many companies today discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) but struggle to fully implement it. Janice believes a key reason is they define it too narrowly, focusing on visible differences like race and gender.

“You have to clearly define it. Most companies are still divining DEI as demographic diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Janice. “They don’t think about diversity in a holistic manner.”

She advocates expanding the definition of diversity to include less visible differences like experiences, thoughts, opinions, and educational backgrounds. With a broader view, companies can harness the power of bringing together diverse perspectives.

“When you can have those differences collaborate, you become much more innovative,” noted Janice. However, policies and mission statements aren’t enough. Janice emphasized that leaders must hold people accountable for practicing true inclusion every day.

2. Learning is Key to Survival

When asked about the core message she wants people to take away from her work, Janice highlighted the critical importance of continuous learning.

“Those that learn will adapt and, therefore, be able to survive regardless of changes happening in the world,” she said. “This applies to both individuals and organizations.”

She pointed to Blockbuster as a cautionary tale. The once-dominant movie rental chain failed to adapt to streaming and ultimately went bankrupt. On the other hand, individuals and companies that actively learn will be poised to evolve with the times.

3. Giving Employees Room to Fail

Janice shared a story from early in her career about a mistake she kept repeating for her mentor, the CHRO of Mastercard. After making the same mistake for the third time, she offered to resign out of embarrassment.

“He said, ‘That’s the easy way out. You’re going to fix the mistake, and I’ll support you,'” recalled Janice. “It was a critical moment in understanding leaders have to give employees the opportunity to fail because our best learning comes from failure.”

This experience shaped her leadership approach of standing behind employees even when they stumble. She believes through failure, people gain the knowledge to grow stronger.

4. Understanding AI’s Role in the Workforce

Janice stressed that today’s workforce is fundamentally different than in the past. It’s no longer comprised only of human employees but also includes digital workers like robots, automation and AI.

“Leaders have to become much more astute in understanding the technology and how it works together,” said Janice.

In particular, she says everyone needs basic AI literacy to grasp how it’s already integrated into work and life. But beyond AI, leaders must identify the skills employees need now and, in the future, based on the company’s specific work.

Unfortunately, many companies rely on generic competencies and job descriptions instead of analyzing the actual day-to-day tasks and problems they aim to solve. “HR has to start getting into understanding the work,” urged Janice. “The work is comprised of the tasks, projects, and problems you solve to get to an outcome.”

5. Investing in Skills-Based Learning

To keep teams ready amidst constant change, Janice advocates switching from broad mandatory training to targeted skills-based learning.

“Employees are looking for help to grow and flourish, not just within their company but to prepare them if they leave,” said Janice. “Investing in their growth makes them more loyal.”

Specifically, she believes everyone needs basic AI skills today. But beyond that, companies should identify priority skills based on their strategy and offer customized learning. This tailored approach is far more meaningful than generalized programs.

Janice Robinson Burns believes following these five key insights will empower leaders to navigate the future of work and new technologies like AI with greater clarity and purpose. To learn more about Janice Robinson Burns, check out her LinkedIn profile here.