Mastery of the soft skills
needed for a long, successful and happy career requires practice, diligence and
perseverance. The average worker requires two sets of indispensable skills to
excel in today’s workplace - Hard Skills and Soft Skills. Hard skills refer to
the technical skills and knowledge that successful execution of the job
requires. For example, an engineer needs mastery of gadgets, and calculations,
while the doctor needs an adequate knowledge of the human body, and the
reaction of the human body to substances.
On the other hand, soft
skills are the set of skills that allow us to effectively work with others. No
matter what our position, organization, or industry, we all work with people. Learning
and practicing the use of soft skills is not always easy. Unlike the hard skills
which our school system based a lot of instructional emphasis on, the teaching
and practice of soft skills is neither well organized nor pronounced.
For the most part, instructions
in soft skills are restricted to what we learn from parents, mentors and what
we read from leadership books. Most people, including our colleagues at work,
are not aware of what these skills are, and are not likely to demonstrate
appreciable conformance to its demands. Taking the time to build effective soft
skills can contribute to a more efficient, more harmonious, and more productive
workplace. It can also contribute to our overall happiness, job satisfaction, and
career growth.
What does Soft Skills mean?
Soft skills are the personal
attributes that allow us to effectively relate to others. Applying these skills
helps us to build stronger work relationships, work more productively, and
maximize our career prospects. Often we place the focus of our career
development efforts on the hard skills such as technology skills, work knowledge,
and such other skills that specifically relate to our ability to get
work-related tasks done. Too much emphasis on the hard skills can lead us to neglecting
the development of our soft skills.
Succeeding or not, it’s your choice
According
to Darren Hardy, the author of ‘The compound Effect’, “the first step towards
change is awareness. If you want to get from where you are to where you want to
be, you have to start by becoming aware of the choices that lead you away from
your desired destination.” Developing great soft skills may be the difference
between failure and success in your career. Here are ten great soft skills from
my book, “10 Soft Skills You Need.” They include:
Emotional Intelligence
Communication
Team Work
Problem Solving
Time Management
Attitude and Work ethic
Adaptability
Self-confidence
Ability to learn
Networking
Empathy is one component
of what is known as Emotional Intelligence, or EI. Emotional Intelligence is
the ability to recognize and manage our feelings so that they are expressed
appropriately. Exercising emotional intelligence helps to create harmonious,
productive relationships. Empathy is perhaps the most important soft skill we
can develop for better interpersonal interactions. There are four key components
to Emotional Intelligence.
Self-awareness
Self-management
Social awareness
Communication is the most
important soft skill, because all other soft skills are built on the ability to
communicate clearly and professionally. Communication is more than just sending
a message – it is also the ability to receive messages, listen actively, and
“hear” what isn’t being said.
Five Ways We Communicate
Humans communicate in many
different ways. The most common are listed below:
Nonverbal
communication
Verbal
communication
Body
language
Artistic
communication
Musical
communication
Learning to communicate
effectively in many forms not only helps when you craft your own messages, but
when you receive messages as well. Open and honest communication is the key to
building workplace relationships and demonstrating professionalism.
#SOFT SKILL 3: Team Work and Team Building
This is particularly an important
skill set for managers, team leaders, and entrepreneurs. We use some basic
techniques when building, or working with a team to help create a cohesive unit
that leverages everyone’s talents and ensures that each person contributes at
their utmost best. There are four components of building great teams.
#SOFT SKILL 4: Problem Solving Attitude
There are four great ways
to solve any problems. They are listed below.
Once you have chosen the
most workable plan, it’s time to implement it. People must feel as though they
are part of the solution if you want them to buy in to it. Re-evaluation of the
plan is a step that often gets missed. Sometimes what appears to be the most
workable plan on paper does not play out when put into action.
#SOFT SKILL 5: Time Management
We all have the same
number of hours in the day, so why is it that some people seem to get so much
more done? The ability to effectively manage your time is key to productivity.
You may not be able to create more time in your day, but applying time
management skills can help you make the most of the time you do have. There are
four great ways to manage your time and getting more things done. They are:
The Art of Scheduling
A word of caution. Multitasking
means trying to do more than one thing at a time. Many of us multitask
throughout our day – listening to a colleague while checking email, working on
a document while talking on the phone. We have the idea that we get more done
when we multitask or that this is the best way to maximize our time. However,
studies have shown that 30-40% more time is spent when you multitask rather
than when you mono-task (work on one thing at a time). Multitasking also means
your attention is divided, which can lead to miscommunication and errors that
can damage your relationships.
A positive attitude also
serves you well when you face challenges or setbacks – it breeds resilience.
Coupled with a positive attitude, a strong work ethic helps you build strong
relationships with team mates and superiors. A solid work ethic also helps you
find reward in the work you do, and shows a dedication not just to goals and
outcomes but to your overall professional development.
Take time to clarify what
your personal goals are, both in terms of specific projects and in terms of
your overall career.
Caring for Others vs. Caring for Self
Caring for ourselves is in
itself a way of demonstrating care for others. By taking good care of
ourselves, we become the best colleague we can be, which helps us to
demonstrate our care for others.
Take the time to build
trust with those you work with, and everyone will thrive. Many of the other soft
skills we will discuss also help to build trust.
Work Is Its Own Reward
One result of adopting a
positive attitude and strong work ethic is that you begin to see work as its
own reward.
Some people mistakenly
think that the ability to change according to the needs of a situation or a
willingness to compromise show weakness of a lack of conviction. In reality,
the ability to compromise, adapt to change and still thrive are key to success
in the fast-pace workplaces most of us find ourselves in today. Change can be
scary, but learning to adapt and flex as needed is an investment worth making.
Most of us fall prey to
the “good old days” syndrome, where we look back at the past and believe that
everything was better.
Change to Manage Process
When we adapt to a new process,
we are not just learning a new way of doing a specific task, we are
demonstrating our ability to adapt to changing circumstances, learn new skills,
and work with others.
Managing people is not a
one-size-fit-all ability. When you adapt your management style to meet the
specific needs of the people you manage, this demonstrates that you care for
others
Take the time to show how
adaptable you are, and your workplace is likely to see you as a worthwhile
investment.
Demonstrating
self-confidence helps to engender trust in you. It also demonstrates that you
are skilled and adaptable.
Studies show that
confident people share many of the same traits, even across cultures and
industries. Cultivating those traits you already have, and developing those
that you do not yet have, will help you build your overall self-confidence.
Some common traits of
confident people include:
They
are not afraid to be wrong
They
are willing to take a stand, even if they end up being wrong
They
value finding out what is right more than they value being right
They
listen more than they speak
They
do not seek the spotlight, and they share the spotlight with others
They
ask for help when they need it
They
think in possibilities, not obstacles – they ask “Why not?”
They
don’t put others down
They
aren’t afraid to look silly or foolish
They
acknowledge their mistakes
They
seek feedback from only those who matter
They
accept compliments
Self-Confidence
Building Tactics
Self-confidence is a trait
that can be built. In fact, a few very simple tactics can help you quickly
build your self-confidence. Here are 7 sure-fire tips for building
self-confidence:
Dress
your best: Knowing you look good is a
key to feeling good about yourself. When you know you look good, you project
confidence.
Stand
up straight: Good posture is a quick, free
way to build your confidence. Stand up straight and keep your shoulders back.
Practice
gratitude: When you take the time each
day to practice gratitude, you see how many blessings you have in your life.
Compliment
others: When you compliment others, you project that you have
concern and appreciation for others.
Accept
compliments:
When someone compliments you, be sure to accept it. Do not say “Yes, but…”
instead just say “Thank you.”
Build Up Others: One key
trait of people who have high self-confidence is that they build up others
rather than tearing them down.
No one likes criticism,
but the ability to learn from it is important to your professional and personal
development. Learning to accept and learn from criticism is a valuable
investment for you. The ability to listen to, and accept criticism is a key
component of self-confidence. It also demonstrates that you value what others
have to say.
You Are Not Always Perfect
One of the hallmarks of a
confident person is the willingness to recognize mistakes and accept that
sometimes you are wrong. The key is to keep the focus on improvements, not on
defending yourself.
Listen with an Open Mind
Your active listening skills
come in very handy when you’re learning to accept and learn from criticism. It
is tempting to defend yourselves when you receive criticism, but it is vital to
resist this.
Analyze and Learn
After someone has given
you feedback or criticism, thank the person for the feedback. Take time to
analyze the feedback and decide what items you want to act on. Give yourself
time, especially if you are feeling defensive.
Clear the Air and Hold No Grudges
Even when it’s not meant
to be, criticism and feedback can feel extremely personal. Take the time to
thank the person for his or her time, and for caring enough to give you
feedback.
#SOFT SKILL 10: Networking
Networking is more than
just a buzzword. Taking the time to network and build relationships is an
important soft skill. Networking helps you create connections with others,
which expand your circle of learning and support.
Many people think of
networking in terms of what they need or what they can get from the networking
relationship. Networking is more beneficial if you instead think of what you
can give in your networking relationships.
Identifying Others’ Interests
When you network with others,
it is crucial to identify their interests. This helps you identify common
interests and goals, as well as areas in which you can offer of yourself.
Reach Out
To be able to network, you
have to reach out. There are many ways to do this, both online and in person.
One of the easiest ways to reach out is to join professional social networking
sites such as LinkedIn, and to look for people in your industry or those whom
you share interests with.
According to Ralph Waldo
Emerson, “Skills to do comes of doing.” You won’t learn all the 10 soft skills
in one fell swoop, but surely you can - one step at time. To the best career of
your life.
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