They must be much more proactive in their career management. The company won t do it for them anymore, if it ever did. People need to know how to set goals for themselves, develop plans to achieve those goals and measure progress against their plan. As an enterprise empowers its workforce to solve issues as they arise, to invent new processes and even new products as needs are identified, it will rely on the creativity of its entire workforce as never before. It can no longer be the job of just the engineers or staff experts to improve product and process.
Management needs to know how to foster and respond to creativity.
People need to know how to analyze problems, apply critical thinking processes and analysis techniques. They need to understand the systems engineering approach to the development of solutions so their changes fit into the overall company processes. The first part of developing creative solutions is to understand the issues. The workforce needs to be well versed in the classic analysis tools like praeto charts, fishbone diagrams, and control charts. They also need to be experienced in group brainstorming, and Delphi estimating.