Skip to main content

Understanding and Developing Your Soft Skills

Results from a recent Adecco survey show that 92% of business leaders think American workers aren’t as skilled as they should be. When asked about the national proficiency gap, executives cited weaknesses in areas including:

  • Creativity

  • Communication

  • Critical thinking

  • Problem-solving

These are all soft skills. Naturally, they’re the opposite of hard skills, which refer to technical abilities such as data entry and speaking foreign languages. Soft skills are individual traits geared primarily towards enabling effective collaboration. You might inherently possess some attributes, while others need to be cultivated through practice and experience.  

Either way, they play a crucial role in your career and overall success. Without ample interpersonal skills, for example, you probably wouldn’t make it through any job interviews. It’s good to know then, that soft skills can be strengthened. Their full potential is available to anyone with the drive and motivation. Read on to learn more. 

Define the Why

As the term suggests, soft skills aren’t particularly tangible. It can be challenging to grasp, measure, and mold them into different forms. Staying on track takes dedication, so it helps to know why soft skills are important in the first place. Here are 5 reasons to remember:

  • The modern workplace rewards outstanding communication and teamwork

  • Soft skills rely on emotional intelligence that can’t be replaced by automation

  • Recruiters favor applicants with extensive soft skill sets

  • Strong leadership skills pave the way for career advancement

  • Mastering more competencies has practical benefits outside of work

Know Thyself

You’ll need to practice some introspection to determine where you stand with each soft skill. Look within and do so with sincere honesty. Strengths and opportunities should be given equal amounts of attention. Only then will you be able to make full use of what propels you and eliminate anything holding you back. 

Don’t hesitate to ask friends, colleagues, and managers for input. This can lead to valuable insights that may otherwise remain unseen. Here are some fundamental soft skills to add to those we already mentioned:

  • Adaptability

  • Conscientiousness

  • Delegation

  • Innovation

  • Listening

  • Resistance to pressure

It makes sense to start with the skills that are most relevant to your industry or field. This will narrow down the list so that you cover what matters first. 

Study Smart

You might be wondering how you’ll establish the credibility of your soft skills in the future. 

The most reliable solution is to take an appropriate course. Not only will it back up your soft skills, but it can also refine them further in addition to showing that you’ve taken initiative. Glance through the Pathway Bachelor Degree Completion overview for a sample of what you can expect. 

These types of programs focus on core competencies such as leadership, innovation, and critical thinking. Plus, you can use them to brush up on your financial and legal know-how in addition to other practical areas.

From here, it’s mostly a matter of staying on track and consistently improving. Success comes with leaving your comfort zone and adapting to changes. Master these soft skills and the rest will follow suit. 



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Top Tips for Moms Taking Online Degrees

  Online degrees can often be the best option for moms who want to get back into education due to their flexibility and the wide range of subjects that there are available for them to study. However, online degrees are not always plain sailing, and to make sure that you can get the grade that you deserve, read on for some top tips for moms interested in taking online degrees.  Choose the Right Degree Choosing the right online degree is vital to your success. Picking a subject that you are passionate about and that you have a natural talent for will ensure that you can breeze through your course and ensure that you have the motivation to continue even when you do struggle. If you are looking for an online degree that is perfect for moms, a Bank Street Early Childhood Leadership certificate can help you to advance your career in teaching, build upon your previous qualifications, and allow you to get a career that can be easily juggled with the commitments of parenting.  Balance Family a

Liquid Chalk spray! Chalk Idea #7

Last week we tried out the fizzing sidewalk chalk- click here to read that review. This week it is liquid chalk spray.  They are a bit similar but yet different.  Here is how to make it: Supplies: 1 tsp. washable tempura paint 1 cup of hot water 1/2 cup of cornstarch squirt of dishwashing liquid 1 squirt bottle- I found them at the dollar store 1.  Add cornstarch to one cup of hot water whisking to mix so that there are no clumps. 2.  Add one teaspoon of washable tempura paint and a quirt of dishwashing liquid.  Mix well. 3.  Pour it into your squirt bottles and shake well. 4.  Go have fun!!!   This kept my daughters attention much longer the the fizzy chalk last week.  I also think this was easier to work with and just more fun in general.  I love seeing the chalk wet but then to see it dry.  I think it dried darker so it was fun to see the changes.  :)  Ready, Set, Go!  Have some fun! She is my little model... she kept saying "take my picture mom." She is like her

Toddler Rainbow Craft for St. Patricks Day

St. Patrick's day is March 17th so its approaching quickly.  I have a few ideas on art and food projects that i want to do with the kiddos.  Hopefully I will have enough time to complete them and share them with you.   This was a super easy one for those little hands.  I cut the stripes of colored paper but if you are working with a preschooler or school aged child then they can practice cutting.  The two toddler boys here only had to glue the pieces on their piece of paper.  EASY, but they enjoyed it!  :)  It sure has brightened my kitchen with them hanging on the fridge!  :)   I also talked more about the Promise God gave us with the rainbow since I know that history a whole lot better then the history of the Irish Holiday!