This is a weekly series of articles to help you become the leader you want to be and that we all need with a bit of ease and fun along the way too! Subscribe here to get our latest.
***
Leadership is more than a soft skill, but leaders who lack soft skills will find it hard to lead effectively.
The most important thing to keep in mind when thinking about soft skills is that none of us were born knowing how to do any of these things. If you’re someone who isn’t naturally skilled in some of these areas, keep in mind that like any other skill—including soft skills—they can be practiced and honed with hard work and dedication!
The other day, I asked a participant on one of my courses, why he was attending.
“I’m in I.T.”
He said.
“Like most of us there, I need to improve my soft skills.”
I did have to smile as his implication was that no one in I.T had any soft skills as they’re all about the technical hard stuff.
If you’re in the same boat as him or you think that you need to improve your soft skills – watch this video for some quick lessons that might surprise you.
Leadership is a team sport, and you can’t do it without having good soft skills.
Few examples of soft skills includes:
- Communication skills
- Motivational skills
- Conflict resolution
- Empathy
- Delegation
- Emotional intelligence
Most of these skills aren’t really learned in a classroom but through everyday experiences. It’s critical to understand that no matter how “smart” or technically proficient you are – your soft skills are what will enable you to truly utilize your knowledge and put your hard skills to use. So have a think – how good are you at the skills above outside of work? Watch the video to find out more.
While it pays to have a stellar resume, remember that it’s equally important to focus on the less tangible, soft skills too.
What soft skills are you working on? Let me know below.
Also, you can visit us on Youtube, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for more tips!
Speak soon,
Sonia xx
