What Are Soft Skills? Top 8

Summary

This video script delves into the top eight soft skills essential for workplace success, contrasting them with hard skills. It emphasizes leadership, communication, interpersonal skills, work ethic, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, and conflict management as key competencies that contribute to professional effectiveness. The speaker shares insights from consulting experiences and offers resources for further development, highlighting the importance of these skills for career advancement.

Takeaways

• 💼 Hard skills are job-specific technical abilities, whereas soft skills are general and applicable across various professions.
• 🤝 Soft skills are crucial for building relationships and working well with others in the workplace.
• 🔝 Leadership tops the list of essential soft skills, emphasizing the ability to guide a group without necessarily holding a leadership position.
• 🗣️ Communication is vital, encompassing both verbal clarity and nonverbal cues that convey one's attitude and engagement.
• 👥 Interpersonal skills, or people skills, involve active listening, positivity, and the ability to build rapport and show empathy.
• 🔨 A strong work ethic and self-motivation are key, demonstrating reliability, initiative, and good time management.
• 👨‍🔧 Teamwork involves collaboration and cooperation, with the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• 🧩 Problem-solving is about navigating obstacles and making informed decisions, requiring critical thinking and creativity.
• 🔄 Flexibility and adaptability are necessary for dealing with change and uncertainty, and being open to new ways of doing things.
• 🤝 Conflict management involves avoiding being a source of conflict and resolving issues with a win-win approach and negotiation skills.

Q & A

What is the difference between hard skills and soft skills in the workplace?

Hard skills are job-specific technical skills, such as programming for a software developer or tax preparation for an accountant. Soft skills, on the other hand, are more general and include abilities like working well with others, communication, and leadership, which are applicable across various job types.

Why are soft skills important in a professional setting?

Soft skills are important because they enable individuals to build relationships, communicate effectively, and work collaboratively with others, which are crucial for professional success and team dynamics.

What are the top two resources suggested by the speaker for improving soft skills?

The speaker suggests two resources: classes at the Communication Coach Academy and a free PDF download on five essential communication skills for professionals, both of which can be found on the speaker's website.

How does the speaker determine the priority of the soft skills listed in the video?

The speaker determines the priority of soft skills based on the overlap from five different online articles on soft skills and their own professional experience working with clients in corporate settings.

What is the primary distinction between management and leadership as described in the script?

Management is about maintaining the status quo and is usually tied to an official position, while leadership is about guiding a group of people from point A to point B, which can be demonstrated without an official leadership position.

Can you explain the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication skills?

Verbal communication skills are crucial for expressing oneself clearly and concisely, especially in meetings, emails, and reports. Nonverbal communication, such as eye contact and body language, conveys one's attitude and can create a positive or negative impression without any words being spoken.

What does the speaker mean by 'interpersonal skills' and why are they important?

Interpersonal skills, also known as people skills, include listening well to others, showing empathy, and building rapport. They are important for forming positive relationships, working effectively in teams, and creating a supportive work environment.

How does a strong work ethic and self-motivation benefit an individual in their career?

A strong work ethic and self-motivation demonstrate reliability, initiative, and the ability to manage one's own work, which are highly valued by employers and can lead to career advancement.

What is the significance of teamwork in the context of soft skills?

Teamwork is significant because it involves the ability to collaborate and cooperate with others on joint projects, which is essential for achieving collective goals and for the overall success of an organization.

How does problem-solving skill contribute to an individual's effectiveness at work?

Problem-solving skills contribute to an individual's effectiveness by enabling them to think critically and logically, make informed decisions, and find solutions to obstacles that may arise in the workplace.

What does flexibility and adaptability entail in a professional context?

Flexibility and adaptability entail being open to change, finding new ways of doing things, and responding to uncertainty and change with an open mind. This includes being trainable, working well under pressure, and maintaining a positive attitude even in ambiguous situations.

Why is conflict management and negotiation important in the workplace?

Conflict management and negotiation are important because they allow individuals to deal with disagreements in a productive manner, seek common ground, and work towards win-win outcomes that benefit all parties involved.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Understanding Soft Skills in the Workplace

The script introduces the concept of soft skills as opposed to hard skills, which are job-specific technical abilities. Soft skills are general and crucial for working well with others, such as in the case of a physician building relationships through communication and support. The speaker identifies underdeveloped soft skills as a common issue affecting professional advancement and recommends resources on their website, including the Communication Coach Academy and a free PDF on essential communication skills. After reviewing various articles, the speaker compiles a list of the top eight soft skills, starting with leadership, which is about guiding a group without necessarily holding a leadership position, and highlighting the importance of communication, including verbal and nonverbal cues.

05:00

🗣️ Enhancing Communication and Interpersonal Skills

This paragraph delves deeper into the soft skills of communication and interpersonal relations. Effective communication involves clear verbal exchange, concise updates in meetings, and well-organized written correspondence. Nonverbal cues, such as eye contact and body language, significantly impact the impression one makes. Interpersonal skills, often referred to as people skills, encompass active listening, maintaining a positive attitude, and building rapport through empathy and humor. Assertive communication and diplomacy are also key, especially when disagreements arise, and the ability to give and accept criticism constructively is paramount.

10:01

🔨 Developing a Strong Work Ethic and Teamwork

The script emphasizes the importance of a strong work ethic and self-motivation, highlighting the need for reliability and self-direction in the workplace. Employers seek candidates who can meet deadlines and manage their time effectively without constant supervision. Teamwork is also crucial, with the ability to collaborate and work cooperatively on joint projects being highly valued. The speaker shares an example of a supervisor who excelled in teamwork by working with diverse stakeholders and taking a collectivistic view of team outcomes, as opposed to being overly individualistic.

💡 Problem Solving, Flexibility, and Conflict Management

Problem-solving is the sixth soft skill discussed, with the speaker noting its significance in navigating the unpredictable challenges of the workplace. This skill involves critical thinking, logical reasoning, and informed decision-making. Flexibility and adaptability are the seventh skills highlighted, with the need to be open to change and to work well under pressure. The speaker shares an example of a client who struggled with inflexibility. Lastly, conflict management and negotiation skills are discussed, with the emphasis on avoiding conflict creation and dealing with it productively when it arises, seeking win-win outcomes and demonstrating maturity.

Keywords

💡Soft Skills

Soft skills refer to personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people. In the context of the video, soft skills are contrasted with hard skills and are described as essential for working well with others across various professional situations. Examples from the script include a physician building relationships through communication, and the mention of common soft skills such as leadership and teamwork.

💡Hard Skills

Hard skills are specific technical abilities required for a particular job. They are tangible and measurable, unlike soft skills. In the script, the speaker uses the example of a software developer's ability to program or an accountant's ability to do taxes to illustrate hard skills.

💡Leadership

Leadership in the video is defined as the ability to guide a group of people from one point to another, which can be demonstrated without an official leadership position. It involves communication, inspiring goals, and facilitating consensus. The script provides an example of a team leader who showed leadership skills before being officially promoted.

💡Communication

Communication is highlighted as a vital soft skill encompassing both verbal and nonverbal aspects. Verbal communication is about clarity and conciseness, while nonverbal communication involves body language and other cues that convey one's attitude. The video script mentions the importance of clear updates in meetings and the negative impact of poor nonverbal cues, like rolling eyes.

💡Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills, also known as people skills, are the ability to interact positively with others. The script emphasizes listening, showing empathy, and using humor appropriately as part of these skills. A person with strong interpersonal skills can build rapport and work effectively in a team.

💡Work Ethic

Work ethic is described as a strong internal drive, dependability, and the willingness to take responsibility for one's work. The script relates work ethic to self-motivation and the ability to meet deadlines and manage time effectively, which are crucial for avoiding micromanagement by superiors.

💡Teamwork

Teamwork is the ability to collaborate and cooperate with others on joint projects. The script discusses the importance of connecting with team members and stakeholders, taking a collectivistic view of team outcomes, and avoiding individualism that could hinder collaborative efforts.

💡Problem Solving

Problem solving is the capacity to address and overcome obstacles or issues. The video emphasizes critical thinking, logical reasoning, and informed decision-making as components of effective problem solving. An example provided is a television professional who must navigate various challenges throughout the day.

💡Flexibility and Adaptability

Flexibility and adaptability are the abilities to adjust to change and uncertainty without resistance. The script describes the need for self-awareness to overcome personal biases and adapt to new ways of doing things, even under pressure and deadlines.

💡Conflict Management

Conflict management involves the ability to handle disagreements in a constructive manner. The video script suggests avoiding being a source of conflict and, when it arises, seeking common ground and a win-win outcome. It contrasts this with a win-lose philosophy that can create unnecessary drama.

💡Negotiation

Negotiation is the process of discussion and compromise to reach an agreement. In the script, negotiation skills are mentioned as a way to manage conflict effectively, ensuring that all parties feel heard and understood, and that a satisfactory outcome is achieved for everyone involved.

Highlights

Soft skills are general abilities that complement hard skills in the workplace.

Hard skills are job-specific technical abilities, such as programming for a software developer.

Soft skills are crucial for working well with others and building professional relationships.

Leadership, the top soft skill, involves guiding groups without necessarily holding a leadership position.

Communication skills, both verbal and nonverbal, are essential for clear and effective interaction.

Nonverbal cues like eye contact and body language can significantly impact professional impression.

Public speaking and storytelling are advanced communication skills that can accelerate one's career.

Interpersonal skills, or people skills, involve active listening, positivity, and building rapport.

Assertive communication and diplomacy are key in expressing disagreement without hostility.

A strong work ethic and self-motivation demonstrate reliability and initiative in the workplace.

Teamwork involves collaboration and the ability to work cooperatively on joint projects.

Problem-solving skills are critical for navigating obstacles and making informed decisions.

Flexibility and adaptability allow professionals to adjust to change and uncertainty.

Conflict management and negotiation skills are essential for maintaining a harmonious work environment.

The speaker suggests resources on their website for improving communication skills.

The top eight soft skills were identified by analyzing five online articles and the speaker's professional experience.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of soft skills for career advancement and overcoming professional challenges.

A free PDF download on essential communication skills and a free class at the Communication Coach Academy are offered.

Transcripts

- What are soft skills in the workplace?

We're going to look at the top eight soft skills

that cut across most professional situations.

(upbeat music)

One way to understand what soft skills are

is by looking at hard skills.

These are job-specific technical skills.

So if you're a software developer,

your hard skills are your ability to program.

If you're an accountant,

it's your ability to do your client's taxes.

Every area of specialty comes with certain expectations

for technical knowledge and hands-on skills.

In contrast, soft skills are more general

and cut across most types of jobs.

Soft skills are essentially your ability

to work well with others.

When a physician takes the time to connect

with other doctors with a professional attitude

and talk to nurses in supportive ways

and really listen to patients,

those physicians are building relationships

through their soft skills.

When I do consulting and workshops,

the most common problem I see

is that most of my clients are smart, they're competent,

but they have underdeveloped soft skills

and it's holding them back.

So two resources I would suggest are on my website.

I have classes at the Communication Coach Academy.

Then there's always at least one free class there.

I also have a free PDF download

on the five essential communication skills

that every professional should have.

I'll put links to those in the description below the video.

To prepare for this video,

I looked at five different online articles on soft skills

until I started to see clear overlap.

links to those articles are in the description below.

And I stopped at five articles

because they all started to mention the same skills.

I then boiled down those separate lists

into the eight most commonly mentioned soft skills

across those lists.

So roughly speaking, I list these in order of priority

based upon those lists

and also my own professional experience

working with clients in corporate settings.

So here's the list.

Number one, the top soft skill

on almost every list is leadership.

Now, granted, you could say that all of these soft skills

are part of leadership, and that's accurate in one sense,

but here we're talking about perhaps the difference

between management and leadership.

Managing, in many ways, is about maintaining the status quo.

Management is usually tied to an official position.

Leading, in a nutshell, is your ability

to successfully guide a group of people

from point A to point B,

and you don't need an official leadership position

to demonstrate that.

I was once working with a client

and I came back a year later to the same organization

and they guy I had been working with had been promoted

from individual contributor team leader.

He had the same hard skills roughly as everybody else,

but he showed leadership skills

long before they ever promoted him

to the actual leadership position.

So some specific leadership skills he was good at

were communicating, inspiring goals and a vision.

He's also a pretty good coach, teacher, mentor,

and motivator to the team.

Leadership also means keeping the effort on track

by facilitating building consensus

and engaging everybody along the way.

You can do all those things

even if you don't have the word supervisor

in your job title.

Number two is communication.

Like leadership, this word means a lot of different things.

So I'll narrow it down to being skilled at both verbal

and nonverbal communication.

Verbal communication often means your ability

to communicate clearly and concisely.

This usually means giving clear updates

at group and team meetings.

It means being good at writing emails and reports,

so they are easy to follow and well-organized.

Nonverbal communication often means the vibe

that you give off.

Your communicating maybe supportive, positive,

and other kinds of good nonverbal cues

like eye contact, facial expressions, body language.

I know a guy I used to work with

who gave off horrible non-verbals.

He used to roll his eyes and make faces

when he disagreed and shake his head.

His boss finally had to talk to him about it

because it was dragging everybody else down

and really was holding him back from his own advancement.

Without ever saying a word,

you can create a negative or positive impression

just based upon your nonverbal cues.

At more advanced levels,

communication skills would also include:

good public speaking and presentation skills.

Stand up speaking is a great way to accelerate your career.

Good storytelling skills are also important

and can help you make a point in a way that really sticks.

And your persuasive communication skills

will help you build a case

when you're asking for a project approval, funding,

or getting people enlisted

into an initiative that you care about.

Number three are your interpersonal skills.

And on some lists, this is simply called people skills.

But generally speaking,

interpersonal skills include things like,

listening well to others.

We get a lot of credit

for paying attention when other people are talking

and signaling to them that we're following along.

We also want to communicate a positive attitude.

We want to be friendly, courteous to others.

And I'm thinking of a guy I used to work with

who had an excellent ability to build rapport with others,

to show empathy.

He used light humor when it was appropriate,

and this made it much easier and enjoyable for him

to bond with others and to get the work done.

Interpersonal skills also count our ability

to communicate assertively and say what we mean,

but do it in a way

that does not come across as aggressive or hostile.

And you have to learn to be diplomatic,

especially when you disagree.

And that also may include giving criticism

in supportive ways

and accepting criticism with composure and maturity.

Number four is work ethic, self motivation.

We want to demonstrate that we have a strong work ethic,

an internal drive and dependability.

Other people should know, for example,

that they can count on us.

That means taking self-responsibility for our work,

taking initiative and showing good self-direction.

When I receive calls from employers for references,

most employers will ask me

about an applicant's ability to meet deadlines,

their attendance, time management.

These are the basics,

and I think what they're really asking about

is the work ethic and self motivation.

Employers don't want to hire people

they have to micromanage

and wonder if they're going to be working hard.

Number five is teamwork.

And again, this is another big word

that can certainly include many of the skills

we've already mentioned.

But specifically, teamwork often means our ability

to collaborate work cooperatively

with others on joint projects.

Part of teamwork is knowing how to connect

and put your heads together

with other people on your actual team

and also work with people in other departments

in larger organizations.

I'm thinking of a boss,

a former supervisor I used to work for,

who had very high marks on teamwork.

She was able to work with a diverse group of stakeholders

who often did not share her area of expertise.

She took a good collectivistic view of the team,

the team outcomes, and the entire effort.

She came up out of her silo, you might call it,

her own little area of expertise in jargon,

and she learned how to talk to everybody.

We probably all know people who do the opposite.

They are too individualistic

and only concerned about their own tasks

and their own individual projects.

But if you want high marks for soft skills,

then working with other people on a team is really critical.

Number six is problem solving.

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day.

He works behind the scenes in television

and he said that his job is essentially solving one problem

after the next all day long.

They start with a plan,

but there's never enough money or help,

and there's always obstacles they didn't see coming.

And our ability to find a way to move forward

and solve those problems is really important.

Problem solving usually involves critical thinking,

logical reasoning, and we have to have the ability

to think through an issue clearly and reasonably.

Problem solving also involves making good decisions,

informed decisions.

We can't just do what we feel like doing.

We have to come up with a solution

that actually is going to work,

not just the first idea that comes to mind

or just go with our favorite way of doing things.

And that takes preparation

and a systematic approach, research, creativity,

and a good dose of personal resourcefulness.

Number seven is flexibility and adaptability.

Most of us work on a variety of tasks

with all sorts of different people.

And that means we have to be flexible and open to change

and find new ways of doing things oftentimes,

and this is really hard for some people.

I worked with a client for a while who is very inflexible.

And once she got an idea in her head, she would protect it

and she would shoot down any other suggestions.

Well, that's not a good example of soft skills.

We need to have the self-awareness

to realize that we have our own personality quirks,

our own mental boxes,

and we have to do our best to put that aside.

We have to get better at adapting to others

and responding to uncertainty and change with flexibility.

And that means at times to be open, trainable,

and work well under pressure on deadlines,

and somehow still get described

as someone who is easy to work with.

We have to learn how to roll with changes

and keep moving forward

even when the situation is ambiguous.

Number eight is our ability to manage and resolve conflict

and even negotiate a little bit.

And this begins, of course, by being the kind of person

who does not create conflict.

I honestly believe that when people say they're looking

for someone with good conflict management skills,

that's another way to say,

we don't want someone who is going to cause conflict,

who has a tendency to create drama.

And you can usually tell

because this type of person has a win-lose philosophy.

In order for them to win, somebody else must lose.

So they act competitive in times

and in places where it's not necessary at all.

In my experience, people with a win-lose

or conflict-driven approach usually brought that with them

from their own personal life

and they brought it into the workplace.

They are like that every place they work, in other words,

and you don't want to be this person.

So first don't be a source of conflict.

And next, when conflict comes up between you

and others around you,

learn to deal with it appropriately and productively.

That means looking for common ground,

finding ways to get everybody's interests met,

and somehow using a disagreement

to make things even better in the end.

And this might mean drawing on negotiation skills

or facilitation skills to hear everybody out,

make sure everybody feels understood.

You want to take a win-win approach

and look for a satisfactory outcome

for everybody involved, not just you.

It often means being the bigger person,

the more mature person, in other words.

Question of the day.

Which of these top eight soft skills

do you need the most work on personally?

And feel free to check out my free download

of the five essential communication skills

that every professional should have.

And there's always a free class

at my Communication Coach Academy.

Links to all of those resources and more

are in the description below.

So thanks, God bless; and I will see you next time.