When my father was sixteen, he got a job with an insurance company in London. Over the forty-two years that he worked there, his job role changed a few times. He started as an office junior and then he worked his way up. When he was twenty, he did some night classes in accounting and as a result he was promoted. From the age of around twenty-seven his job role didn’t change very much. When he was in his late fifties, he was offered the chance to move to Edinburgh or take early retirement. He took the latter.
CHANGING TIMES
Nowadays, people don’t stay in companies for such a long time. In fact, even if you do stay in an organisation, the job role can change from week to week. In my father’s time, job roles were more static and less changeable, whereas the job roles of today are very fluid and this means that people need to have a wide range of skills and abilities in order to manage different tasks that different roles require. This is where soft skills come in.
hard vs. soft
If you search for “soft skills” on the internet, you will find lots of websites, courses and training videos. But what exactly are they? The term ‘soft’ is not related to small furry animals; in fact, the term comes from the world of computers. ‘Soft’ as in ‘software’: this is contrasted to ‘hard skills’ as in ‘hardware’.
GOOD WITH PEOPLE
Hard skills refer to your technical knowledge; these skills are visible and measurable. Your hard skills can include things like: knowing how to create formulas on Excel; knowing how to operate specific machinery; knowing how to use a particular piece of software; knowing how to create algorithms, etc. Hard skills are something you can learn and be tested on.
In contrast, soft skills are less easy to define. They are less easy to teach, and they are also less easy to measure. Many researchers have defined soft skills as ‘interpersonal skills’ or ‘good communication skills’ or great ‘presentation skills’, and while all those things are true, soft skills are much more than just being good with people.
WHAT ARE SOFT SKILLS FOr?
A person with good soft skills is not only good at communicating their ideas effectively to others, but is also good at listening. A person with good soft skills can read new situations and use their intuition to adapt their communicative style. They are friendly without being imposing. They are professional but will know when it is an appropriate time to use humour. They will be able to plan and manage their time, but will not fly into a panic if the plans change at the last minute. They are really good at working in teams, but don’t mind when they have to work alone. They will also have good critical thinking skills, and will be able to be innovative and intuitive.
Basically, if you have good soft skills, you are probably a person that is very valuable to your company.
In August 2016, The Wall Street Journal published an article claiming that many senior managers in the US complain that young graduates, whilst knowledgeable in terms of their technical knowledge (hard skills), lack the necessary soft skills to cope in today’s fast-changing, communication-rich work environments. This may explain why there are so many training courses in soft skills being offered on the internet.
It is very difficult to develop soft skills overnight, but it is definitely a start to be aware of what they are, so that you can take every opportunity to try them out.
TOP TEN SOFT SKILLS
You may already be very proficient in all the soft skills and are in no need of training at all! If you are interested in finding out, look at the box and you will find a list of the top soft skills and some questions. Answer them as honestly as you can and see how many you have.
1. Emotional intelligence
Can you see how your actions impact others?
Do you take fair criticism well?
2. Self-awareness
Are you good at being realistic about your strengths and weaknesses?
Do you ever reflect on how you can do better at work?
3. Flexibility and adaptability
When situations change, are you good at adapting?
How comfortable do you feel with change?
4. Critical thinking
Can you think logically about a problem?
Can you consider various options without letting emotions get in the way?
5. Problem solving
When there is a problem at work, do you go to your boss with a proposed solution?
Are you good at finding creative solutions?
6. Time and task management
Are you realistic with your time management?
Can you break tasks down into steps and respect deadlines?
7. Communication
Can you communicate your ideas effectively in written language?
Are you good at planning and delivering presentations?
8. Active listening
When a colleague is talking, are you really listening, or are you simply waiting for your turn to speak?
When you are unsure of what someone is talking about, do you ask questions so that you can clarify what they mean?
9. Teamwork
Do you feel comfortable working in teams?
Do you take on different roles within the team depending on the project?
10. Stress management
How good are you at recognising your level of stress?
Do you have strategies in place to help you cope with stress?