English module : Soft Skills

Defining soft skills

Soft skills refer to the interpersonal qualities people have to own in order to succeed at work. They
represent how people work and how they relate to others.

Soft skills include people’s personality, attitude, flexibility, motivation, and manners. These skills are
used as important criteria for employers to decide whether to keep or promote an employee.

On the other hand, hard skills stand for the technical skills and competencies necessary to do a job.
Unlike soft skills, they are more quantifiable and easier to learn.

Rationale for soft skills

 Some companies get higher productivity level because their member employees have
special qualities to negotiate deals, communicate with clients or manage conflicts and
pressure, etc.
 Soft skills, unlike hard skills , are not easily learned
 Many qualified applicants fail to get the jobs they apply for because their personality
traits lack the required soft skills

Examples of Soft Skills

Communication

Communication is a recurrent practice in the daily life of people. Having a good mastery of
communication skills makes difference among job applicants. This skill refers to the ability
to speak clearly and politely with people in person, by phone, and in writing.

Communication skills include :

 Listening  Reading body  Visual

 Negotiation language communication
 Nonverbal  Social skills  Writing reports and
communication  Storytelling proposals
 Persuasion  Verbal  Writing skills
 Presentation communication
 Public speaking

Nonverbal communication incorporates vocal tone, eye contact patterns, body language, and more

Verbal communication(also called oral communication) is essential for those with jobs in a
traditional workplace and for employees whose tasks include extensive use of telephones. While
verbal communication skills are probably most important for those in sales, customer service, and
public relations, anyone who has to interact face-to-face with supervisors and colleagues needs to be
able to express themselves clearly and succinctly

Written communication all forms of communication that do not involve verbal communication.
Written communication skills require the ability to write clear, readable, well-organized,
straightforward, and concise pieces of writings

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Critical Thinking

No matter what the job, employers want candidates who can analyze situations and make informed
decisions. Whether you are working with data, teaching students, or fixing a home heating system, you
need to be able to understand problems, think critically, and devise solutions. Skills related to critical
thinking include creativity, flexibility, and curiosity. These are features identifying critical thinkers:

 Adaptability  Desire to learn  Resourcefulness

 Artistic aptitude  Flexibility  Thinking outside the
 Creativity  Innovation box
 Critical observation  Logical thinking  Tolerance of change
 Critical thinking  Problem solving and uncertainty
 Design aptitude  Research

Leadership

It refers to the ability to make decisions, manage situations and people, especially in tough moments.
The ability to step up to the plate in a difficult situation and help resolve it is something employers
look for in prospective employees.

Other skills related to leadership include the abilities to resolve problems and conflicts between
people, and to make executive decisions. Generally, leadership involves:

 Conflict management  Managing difficult conversations

 Conflict/dispute resolution  Managing remote/virtual teams
 Deal making  Meeting management
 Decision making  Mentoring
 Delegation  Motivating
 Facilitation  Project management
 Giving clear feedback  Successful coaching
 Inspiring people  Supervising
 Leadership  Talent management
 Management

Conflict management and conflict resolution

Conflict management

This is a substantial skill that most employers require in their employees. This skill conflict
management helps to make problems under control . There are several steps to follow to manage
conflicts:

1. Active Listening

This means being attentive to what the other person has to say.

To practice active listening, the most important thing you can do is have an open mind (and open
ears!)
2. Emotional Intelligence

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Emotional intelligence describes the ability to perceive and understand other peoples’ emotions as
well as your own. This skill is essential when managing conflict because it prevents the situation from
escalating.

3. Patience
Some conflicts require taking the time to equally consider all options
4. Impartiality
This means to focus on the conflict or problem itself. That is , to separate the conflict from the people
who are involved with it.
This also means to give priority to solve the problem at hand , not past problems.
5. Positivity

Being positive with your conflict management actions is a great way to keep the conversation moving
forward. It also helps the disputed parties to feel at ease

6. Open Communication

Relationships between the people involved in a conflict don’t always go back to normal when a
problem is resolved. This relationship needs to be nurtured after a solution is found in order to prevent
future issues from arising.

Creating an open line of communication between the parties is the best approach for fostering a
healthy, long-term relationship post-conflict.

Conflict resolution

1. Use “yes, and” statements.

In any conflict, whether it is professional or personal, it's easy to jump to the defense. Your banter
might include a series of "no's" and "yes, but" statements which might come across as uncooperative.

Rather than getting defensive about an attack on your argument, take it as an opportunity to see things
from a different point of view. You don't have to agree with that person, but you can try to understand
where they're coming from. Just as you have your opinion, they have theirs and refusing to hear their
point of view creates an impossible scenario to navigate.

Instead, change those "I hear you, but" statements into "Yes, I understand, and" statements that build
off one another, rather than tearing each other down.

2. Don't point fingers.

The best way to solve a conflict is by allowing each person to frame their argument without being
blamed or shut down.

3. Let the person explain themselves, and actively listen.

Listening is a huge aspect of conflict resolution that's typically overlooked.

let the other person explain themselves, uninterrupted. You may find that you misinterpreted their
original argument and you'll be more equipped to handle compromising or collaborating on a new
solution when you've taken the time to listen, think, and plan.

4. Use "I" statements.

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Similar to pointing fingers, a series of statements that begin with "you" can come across as blaming.
Conflict shouldn’t be about what the other person is doing wrong; it's about what you believe you're
doing right and how to get the other side to understand.

Thus, using "I" statements, such as "I feel like I'm not getting the chance to explain myself" rather than
"You're not listening to me" can transform your conversation. These statements make your argument
more about your emotions, opinions, personal beliefs, and morals, rather than about all the things you
don't like about the opposing party..

5. Maintain a calm tone.

You’ll benefit from remaining level-headed in order to think rationally about a solution that appeases
both parties.

6. Show a willingness to compromise or collaborate.

7. Don't talk behind people's backs.

What happens between you and the opposing party should stay between you and them, unless it's
absolutely necessary to divulge the details of your conflict.

You can involve another person only when they can help you navigate the situation and help you form
a support system for future conflicts that may arise. This also means that you should never share the
details with a colleague in a similar role or someone subordinate to you as they aren’t likely able to
offer this same level of support. Conflict resolution should always be built on honesty with one
another and trust that what was said will remain confidential.

8. Don't take anything personally.

A conflict with a customer or team member is typically not a conflict with you, personally. It usually
involves policies that you as an employee must adhere to or even unvoiced expectations that other
people have for your role or profession. Thus, a conflict that emerges is rarely ever an attack on you as
an individual.

9. Pay close attention to nonverbal communication.

10. Prioritize resolving the conflict over being right.

Recognize that, even if you have a strong opinion on one end of the spectrum, it might be beneficial to
wave the white flag if it ultimately improves the conditions for everyone else. Conflict resolution is
occasionally about making those sacrifices.

11. Know when to apologize and forgive.

12. Focus on the conflict at hand and not past ones.
13. Use humor, when appropriate.

Using humor to lighten the mood during conflict resolution is only appropriate in conflicts that are not
personal. You never want to offend someone by making a joke about a sensitive topic.

Instead, consider humor to be a tool to make you both loosen up and feel more comfortable discussing
a solution. Read the opposing party, and use your best judgment to decide if humor is something they
would appreciate. Sometimes, that's all it takes to end an argument and turn it into a constructive
conversation.

14. Remember the importance of the relationship.

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At the end of the day, a conflict is usually one small roadblock in an otherwise healthy relationship.
Whether you need to remember the good times or change the scenery and discuss a different topic, try
to remember how the relationship was prior to the conflict and operate within that headspace as you
reach common ground.

Positive Attitude

Employers are always seeking people who will bring a positive attitude to the office. They want
employees who will be friendly to others, eager to work, and generally a pleasure to be around. Being
able to keep things positive is especially important if you’re working in a fast-paced, high-stress work
environment. Features of positive attitude are:

 Confidence  Honesty acceptable or

 Cooperation  Humorous spirit decent)
 Courtesy (politness)  Patience  Respectfulness (to
 Energy  Respectability( to show respect)
 Enthusiasm show behavior that
 Friendliness is socially

Teamwork

Hiring managers look for job candidates who can work well with others. Whether you will be doing a
lot of team projects or simply attending a few departmental meetings, you need to be able to work
effectively with the people around you. You need to be able to work with others even if you do not
always see eye to eye.

Some skills related to teamwork include the ability to negotiate with others, and to recognize and
appreciate diversity in a team. Another related skill is the ability to accept and apply feedback from
others. Teamwork skill involves:

 Accepting feedback  Emotional  Intercultural

 Collaboration intelligence competence
 Dealing with  Empathy  Interpersonal skills
difficult situations  Establishing interper  Influence
 Dealing with office sonal relationships  Networking
politics  Dealing with  Persuasion
 Disability awareness difficult  Self-awareness
 Diversity awareness personalities  Social skills
 Team building

Work Ethic

Employers look for job candidates with a strong work ethic. Such people come to work on time,
complete tasks in a timely manner, and stay both focused and organized.

They are able to budget their time and complete their work thoroughly. While they can work
independently, people with a strong work ethic can also follow instructions.

A strong work ethic is difficult to teach, so employers will be impressed if you can demonstrate it in
your job application. This skill involve good practices at work such as:

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  Attentiveness  Perseverance  Self-directed
 Business ethics  Persistence  Self-monitoring
 Competitiveness  Planning  Self-supervising
 Dedication  Proper business  Staying on task
 Following direction etiquette  Strategic planning
 Independence  Punctuality  Time management
 Meeting deadlines  Reliability  Trainability
 Motivation  Resilience  Working well under
 Multitasking  Results-oriented pressure
 Organization  Scheduling

Ways to develop soft skills

 Prioritize which skills to improve  Communicate often

 Ask for feedback  Work on critical thinking skills
 Step outside your comfort zone  Learn to communicate effectively
 Self-reflect  Be able to offer and receive
 Find online courses constructive feedback
 Actively listen  Cultivate self-awareness
 Improve writing skills  Understand how to negotiate
 Take on a leadership role  Learn to adapt

Sources:
https://www.thebalancemoney.com/list-of-soft-skills-2063770

https://www.spiceworks.com/hr/talent-management/articles/what-is-talent-management/
https://post.edu/blog/7-ways-to-sharpen-your-soft-skills/
https://www.elegantthemes.com/blog/tips-tricks/soft-skills-every-professional-should-cultivate?
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