Top 8 Soft Skills

Write-Up from Communication Coach Alexander Lyon's What Are Soft Skills? Top 8

Posted by Carl Gaspar on Mon, Oct 9, 2023

Leadership Skills

  • Guide a group from A to B
  • May not be connected to an official leadership position
  • Communicate goals and vision
  • Coach, teach, mentor, and motivator
  • Facilitate, build consensus, and engage entire team

Communication Skills

  • Clear and concise updates at meetings
  • Easy to follow emails and reports
  • Good “Vibe”: eye contact, facial expression, body language, and tone
  • Public speaking, storytelling, and persuasion

Interpersonal Skills

  • Listening well
  • Positive attitude
  • Friendly and courteous
  • Rapport, empathy, and humor
  • Assertive but not aggressive
  • Diplomatic when disagreeing
  • Giving and receiving criticism well

Work Ethic and Self-Motivation

  • Take responsibility
  • Take initiative
  • Show self-direction
  • Meet deadline, attendance, and time management expectations

Teamwork

  • Collaborate and cooperate
  • Connect well with members on the team and with other stakeholders
  • Take a team-based, collectivistic view
  • Contribute to discussions that are outside of personal area of expertise

Problem Solving

  • Find a way to move forward
  • Use critical thinking and logical reasoning
  • Make good, informed decisions
  • Prepare and take systematic and resourceful approach

Flexibility and Adaptability

  • Be open to change
  • Find new ways to do things
  • Have good self-awareness
  • Respond well to uncertainty
  • Be open and trainable
  • Work well under deadlines and pressure

Conflict Management

  • Don’t cause conflict
  • Don’t create “drama”
  • Avoid a win-lose philosophy
  • Deal with conflict appropriately and productively
  • Look for common ground and helpful solutions
  • Use a win-win philosophy

References