2 Skills That Will Make You Irreplaceable in 2026

In the 21st century, two critical skills are paramount: asking beautiful questions and possessing good taste. With the internet's ability to create virtually anything – videos, photos, poetry, songs, voices, identities, avatars – a lack of taste results in subpar creations that no one desires. This era marks the rise of poets, philosophers, and curators, who, previously constrained by the high cost of production, now have the tools to manifest their ideas and taste. Soon, a 17-year-old could make a film comparable to Steven Spielberg's for a mere five dollars. Responding to clients who are unsure of their needs presents a common challenge. It's crucial to distinguish between clients who know they don't know what they want (which is manageable) and those who think they know but cannot articulate it (which is problematic). Indecisive clients are the most difficult to work with, as a decision-maker is essential. To address this, the "onion peeling technique" is employed. This involves asking a series of broad questions, gradually peeling back layers, much like an onion, to get to the core issue. Specific questions are reserved until the core is understood. A common mistake is jumping to "how" questions, or "scoping," too early, without first understanding the problem, motivation, or what has already been attempted. This premature focus on deliverables often serves to make the service provider's job easier, not the client's. A practical method for eliciting client preferences is to ask them to gather examples of things they like. For instance, an interior designer might ask a client to collect scrap pieces or magazine cutouts. Paula Scher, a renowned graphic designer, gives clients a book of logos and asks them to pick three, from which she can discern their taste. This broad search helps to establish a "Stylescape," a transformative tool for communicating creative concepts to non-creatives. Stylescapes are akin to mood boards, where designers arrange materials, textures, paint swatches, and furniture examples on a board to gauge client preferences. This visual approach, combined with questions like "Do you like this or not?", helps to peel back the layers of the client's desires, working from the outside in. The speaker emphasizes that if the client doesn't know what they want, the service provider must. One person has to be the expert; mutual ignorance leads to a dead end. The goal is to respect each other's domain expertise. Adopting a "with or without you" energy is crucial. This attitude conveys that your life was fine before the client, and it will be fine regardless of the outcome of the engagement. This removes pressure to perform, close, or convince. If a client's needs don't align with your capabilities, it allows you to gracefully decline and offer a referral. This approach stems from having no hidden agenda, being present, and listening. If an answer isn't known, honesty is the best policy. To effectively uncover a client's pain and wants, the "21 questions game" approach can be adapted. Similar to narrowing down a character in the game (fictional/non-fictional, dead/alive, male/female), broad questions are used to eliminate possibilities and narrow the focus. For example, instead of asking for a specific typeface for a logo, which implies the client already knows the "bullseye," one asks broader questions to determine "what wall the bullseye is on." This strategic questioning reduces the field of possibilities, allowing for more specific questions later. Clients hire experts because they don't know the specific answers themselves. When approaching a client about a potential problem, such as an inefficient vendor payment system, the initial questions should explore whether such a problem exists and if the client recognizes it. For someone with expertise in data analytics and process improvement, content creation should attract an audience experiencing these issues. Using AI tools like Claude or ChatGPT, one can ask for a list of topics related to solving specific problems for a target audience, and then request variations on how to discuss these topics. The phrasing should be simple and direct, giving the AI clear instructions on the desired outcome, target audience, and any constraints. The example of Steve Jobs and his legendary attention to detail, from calligraphy to selecting marble slabs and approving ads, illustrates the importance of good taste. He cultivated his taste through deliberate choices and an unwillingness to delegate critical aesthetic decisions. Good taste and the ability to ask great questions are skills that can be learned and are essential for being irreplaceable in the 21st century. The speaker shares his personal journey of cultivating taste, starting from a "cultural wasteland" upbringing. He spent countless hours in libraries, consuming international design, art, and photography magazines, educating his palate and eventually surpassing those who initially seemed more cultured. This demonstrates that taste is not an innate gift but a cultivated skill achievable through diligent study and exposure.