#HardSkills #SoftSkills #JobSkills #LearnedBehavior #ChangingWorkplaces
The hard-skill needs in the workforce change constantly.
But, it seems, the so-called “soft” skills stay consistent and are always needed.
Gwen Moran addressed this in an article for Fast Company published October 27, 2020, and republished by Firefox online July 4, 2022.
Here are the six skills Moran says will be desired by companies in a post-pandemic workforce: self-direction, digital capabilities, empathy, communication management, adaptability and motivational skills.
With perhaps the exception of digital capabilities, all of the traits listed are considered “soft” skills.
Because they are “soft” skills, they can come naturally to people, or they can be learned or acquired by almost everyone.
Some people may have to work harder at acquiring them, if they don’t come naturally.
Self-direction has always been an asset. Employers like people they don’t have to micro-manage. They prefer people who understand the job and, to borrow from Nike, Just Do It!
Chances are, if you are the type who always needs direction from your boss, you may not last too long in the job. Of course, there are bosses who insist on micro-managing. Perhaps, if you naturally have, or have learned, self-direction, you would not be a good fit under such a boss.
The digital requirements are constantly changing in the workplace. Employers want someone who is digitally competent and able to learn new computer skills quickly.
Empathy involves, as Moran puts it, understanding “the challenges other employees and organizations are facing and help management” adapt. Some workers have a tendency to resent change, particularly if the employee is adversely affected. As a worker, you may not embrace every change deep inside, but you need to have the sense to work with it on the outside.
Communication management simply involves not only being careful what you say, how you say it and when you say it, it also, as Moran writes, means being comfortable with all communication platforms, like videoconferencing, e-mail etc. Many people are now working remotely, and, if you are one of them, letting your employer know what you are doing is critical.
Adaptability goes along with empathy. Workplace changes come quickly in these modern days. They don’t necessarily evolve over time. You need to react positively and quickly as those changes come.
Motivational skills involve interaction with others. You may not buy in 100 percent to everything that’s happening, but you need – particularly if you manage others – to be able to motivate others to get with the program.
Good managers don’t rule with an iron fist. They get others to WANT to do what’s needed. That may involve finding out how others think, and how best to get them to respond to the task at hand.
In past decades, “soft” skills were undervalued. It was more important for a person to know how to do a particular job and take orders from above. Today, as change comes more quickly to the workplace, it’s more important for workers not just to have the hard skills, but also the soft ones.
Adaptable companies are less a top-down operation and more a collaborative one. You have to fit in, or you have to make yourself fit in. That’s doesn’t mean you can’t suggest ways to make things better. And, if you really can’t make yourself fit, you may need to go out on your own or find a better workplace.
Peter
Tag Archives: changing workplaces
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
#HappyNewYear #NewYear #2022 #COVID19 #coronavirus #FlattenTheCurve
It’s been an interesting year, or two.
Will 2022 be any better?
That’s up to each of us.
COVID-19 may be around longer than we want it to be. In fact, it may never go away entirely.
As we have with seasonal flu and other diseases, we have to learn that precautions may forever be in order. If everyone eligible got vaccinated and boosted, it would go a long way toward mitigation.
If we begin the year with that premise, let’s move on to the promise.
Things are getting better, as unemployment is dropping, and wages, in many cases, are rising.
Here’s the rub: going to work isn’t what it used to be, in many cases.
More customers/clients have become, for lack of a better word, abusive.
If you are on the front lines, you get paid to resolve disputes. But you do not get paid to take abuse. You may have no control over the situation, though some would have you believe you have absolute control to resolve their grievances.
You have to remember that the situation is not your fault, in most cases. While the pandemic and accompanying restrictions have brought out the worst in some, they have brought out the best in others.
Yes, it’s easier to say that when one is not being abused.
Let’s resolve this year to be kinder. Let’s resolve to understand why we might be frustrated, even angry. Let’s resolve that what’s making us frustrated and angry may not be what, or who, is in front of us, and not take out our frustration and anger on that thing or person.
Again, it’s easier said than done, but if we can all give it thought, perhaps we can minimize disturbances.
Remember, too, that not only you, but everyone around you, can be affected by your behavior. The next time you may feel inclined to disrupt an airline flight over, say, a mask, remember it’s not just about you, and your “rights.” And remember that the flight crew is there to keep you, and those around you, safe. You have a part to play in that effort. Play it graciously and cooperatively.
That brings us to what you may want for yourself, and others, in the new year. Is your situation ideal for you?
Do you want to take a different route, or direction, in 2022? Now is a good time to think about that.
Know that there are many programs out there that can improve your situation, financial and otherwise, without having to change what you are doing now.
These programs require no specific education, experience or background. They only require an open mind to check them out, a desire to change your own circumstances and a willingness to help others.
To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
Meanwhile, whatever you decide to do in 2022, do it with kindness, humility, integrity and generosity.
Remember that what you do will not just affect you. And remember that the person who you think is persecuting you may be there to save you.
Happy New Year!
Peter