People are social beings. Every day we communicate with colleagues, clients or partners. Every day we negotiate, argue and convey our ideas and beliefs. This is where soft skills come on stage.
Soft skills are important for a designer, a programmer, a sales manager or a teacher. Entrepreneurs, freelancers and researchers are no exception. Everyone needs soft skills. What are the soft skills? Why are they so important? How to train them?
Let’s find out.
SOFT SKILLS VS HARD SKILLS: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
In a simple model of professional competencies, skills are divided into: SOFT SKILLS and HARD SKILLS.
Regardless of the specialty, you need at least a few "soft skills" to get along with colleagues, clients, managers, and bosses.
Soft skills are not something that can be learned in a 3-day training course, normally they are "planted” in childhood and developed throughout life. Employers especially value people with well-articulated soft skills.
For example, for a designer, “hard skills” would be the ability to use graphic editors, and for a carpenter, the ability to handle a jigsaw. Hard skills can be mastered in a few weeks, and their effectiveness can be measured. Hard skills are based on technical knowledge and formed in the learning process.
SOFT SKILLS VS HARD SKILLS: WHAT IS THE CORRELATION?
Harvard, Stanford and the Carnegie Foundation’s scientists found out that “soft skills” account for 85% of a person’s success in a profession, while hard skills account for only 15%.
Nevertheless, soft and hard skills should complement each other. For example, it would be useful for a graphic designer to master such soft skills as communication, creative thinking and empathy. Hard skills that should go along are competency at Adobe Photoshop, Sketch and Figma.
WHAT ARE THE 5 MAIN SOFT SKILLS AND HOW TO DEVELOP THEM?
1) COMMUNICATION
Communication is the exchange of knowledge or information between people. Everything counts: a greeting, small talk with a colleague, or buying groceries in a store. Communication establishes contacts, satisfies human needs, fulfills mundane and professional tasks.
HOW TO DEVELOP:
Communicate with a purpose. Train your ability to negotiate with clients, give presentations or lectures. Join a debate club or sign up for negotiation courses. Play business games with friends or colleagues.
2) CRITICAL THINKING
Critical thinking is the ability to take a balanced approach to processing and consuming information. We are now constantly in the information flow. It is easy to get lost, lose focus or become a victim of manipulation. The skill helps to check information, look for relationships between facts, think rationally, make the right conclusions and formulate solid arguments.
HOW TO DEVELOP:
Develop logic and observation. Try to determine role models of your colleague's behavior. Watch how they react to incoming information. Learn to ask questions. Apply critical thinking techniques to the news.
3) CUSTOMER FOCUS
A customer's focus is the ability to determine the needs and desires of your audience in order to satisfy them with maximum benefit. For example, if your customer does not have time to go to stores, you can deliver your product to his or her home.
HOW TO DEVELOP:
Analyze your target audience. For example, if you want a new job, your TA would be HR, department heads and directors. Think about the problems they can have with applicants and how you can solve them. Study audiences in different areas of your life, satisfy their requests and “release pain”.
4) PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Projects are everywhere. Making a website, building a house, organizing a trip – all these are projects. The person who manages the projects stands in the middle of the system. It depends on the project manager how things will turn out.
HOW TO DEVELOP:
Look at your everyday affairs as projects. Set goals, deadlines and milestones. Think about their optimization: how to get more value or save resources. For example, if you are often late for work, prepare clothes and lunch in advance or change your route.
5) TRAINING
The traditional education system is rigid. There is a huge gap between the competencies we get at the university and those required by the real world. To grow professionally and adapt to the market trends, you might need a coach or a mentor.
HOW TO DEVELOP:
Think about competencies that you want to upgrade. Make a yearly learning plan for yourself. Follow it, record the results. Invite colleagues or friends to be your mentors.
IN A NUTSHELL
To grow a skill, you need two things: 1) acquire knowledge, 2) practice it. There are many sources of knowledge: books, articles, lectures, personal communication, advice from a mentor.
Each soft skill has its own levels and development criteria. The more you practice, the better your skills are. Don’t forget to get feedback and analyze your experience.
Soft skills are important for a designer, a programmer, a sales manager or a teacher. Entrepreneurs, freelancers and researchers are no exception. Everyone needs soft skills. What are the soft skills? Why are they so important? How to train them?
Let’s find out.
SOFT SKILLS VS HARD SKILLS: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
In a simple model of professional competencies, skills are divided into: SOFT SKILLS and HARD SKILLS.
- SOFT SKILLS are cross-professional skills that help solve problems and interact with people.
Regardless of the specialty, you need at least a few "soft skills" to get along with colleagues, clients, managers, and bosses.
Soft skills are not something that can be learned in a 3-day training course, normally they are "planted” in childhood and developed throughout life. Employers especially value people with well-articulated soft skills.
- HARD SKILLS are narrow professional skills needed to solve specific problems in your work.
For example, for a designer, “hard skills” would be the ability to use graphic editors, and for a carpenter, the ability to handle a jigsaw. Hard skills can be mastered in a few weeks, and their effectiveness can be measured. Hard skills are based on technical knowledge and formed in the learning process.
SOFT SKILLS VS HARD SKILLS: WHAT IS THE CORRELATION?
Harvard, Stanford and the Carnegie Foundation’s scientists found out that “soft skills” account for 85% of a person’s success in a profession, while hard skills account for only 15%.
Nevertheless, soft and hard skills should complement each other. For example, it would be useful for a graphic designer to master such soft skills as communication, creative thinking and empathy. Hard skills that should go along are competency at Adobe Photoshop, Sketch and Figma.
WHAT ARE THE 5 MAIN SOFT SKILLS AND HOW TO DEVELOP THEM?
1) COMMUNICATION
Communication is the exchange of knowledge or information between people. Everything counts: a greeting, small talk with a colleague, or buying groceries in a store. Communication establishes contacts, satisfies human needs, fulfills mundane and professional tasks.
HOW TO DEVELOP:
Communicate with a purpose. Train your ability to negotiate with clients, give presentations or lectures. Join a debate club or sign up for negotiation courses. Play business games with friends or colleagues.
2) CRITICAL THINKING
Critical thinking is the ability to take a balanced approach to processing and consuming information. We are now constantly in the information flow. It is easy to get lost, lose focus or become a victim of manipulation. The skill helps to check information, look for relationships between facts, think rationally, make the right conclusions and formulate solid arguments.
HOW TO DEVELOP:
Develop logic and observation. Try to determine role models of your colleague's behavior. Watch how they react to incoming information. Learn to ask questions. Apply critical thinking techniques to the news.
3) CUSTOMER FOCUS
A customer's focus is the ability to determine the needs and desires of your audience in order to satisfy them with maximum benefit. For example, if your customer does not have time to go to stores, you can deliver your product to his or her home.
HOW TO DEVELOP:
Analyze your target audience. For example, if you want a new job, your TA would be HR, department heads and directors. Think about the problems they can have with applicants and how you can solve them. Study audiences in different areas of your life, satisfy their requests and “release pain”.
4) PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Projects are everywhere. Making a website, building a house, organizing a trip – all these are projects. The person who manages the projects stands in the middle of the system. It depends on the project manager how things will turn out.
HOW TO DEVELOP:
Look at your everyday affairs as projects. Set goals, deadlines and milestones. Think about their optimization: how to get more value or save resources. For example, if you are often late for work, prepare clothes and lunch in advance or change your route.
5) TRAINING
The traditional education system is rigid. There is a huge gap between the competencies we get at the university and those required by the real world. To grow professionally and adapt to the market trends, you might need a coach or a mentor.
HOW TO DEVELOP:
Think about competencies that you want to upgrade. Make a yearly learning plan for yourself. Follow it, record the results. Invite colleagues or friends to be your mentors.
IN A NUTSHELL
To grow a skill, you need two things: 1) acquire knowledge, 2) practice it. There are many sources of knowledge: books, articles, lectures, personal communication, advice from a mentor.
Each soft skill has its own levels and development criteria. The more you practice, the better your skills are. Don’t forget to get feedback and analyze your experience.
