Are you guilty of poking fun at soft-skills? For decades they’ve been harassed and bullied “who are you – you’re not as important as skills!”
They’ve been name called ‘warm and fuzzy’ and sent packing when it comes to recruitment selection and competencies and skillsets.
But at last, 2023 is their year and they’ve come roaring to the forefront wearing the superhero cape of ‘Power Skills’!
Why power skills? We can purchase and download systems, processes, structures and policies – we can also find an infinite amount of knowledge and wisdom at the ends of our fast-tapping fingertips - but we can’t download or purchase the emotional intelligence and people skills that creates a productive, motivated, engaged and happy work team.
Organisations – from family-owned small businesses to large companies – are embracing power skills and finally identifying, and investing in, the informal leaders in their workplace who people naturally look to and follow.
Here are our favourites power skills this month:
• Self-awareness - the ability to self-assess for growth
• Empathy – stepping into and supporting the challenges experienced in your team
• Vulnerability and courage – trust and be trusted
• Team-building – parking your ego and empowering your team to shine
• Communication – adapting to your audience to improve the clarity of your communication style
• Curiosity – the constant quest to learn more rather than form judgements
• Active listening – being willing to have your mind changed
• Growth mindset – adapting and building resilience
• Humility – identifying and parking our unconscious biases
• Observing what’s not being said – reading your audience, their body language, tone, mood
If this all sounds too much for those of you who lead with skillsets try a simple self-assessment Q&A when you drive home at the end of the day.
Ask yourself:
• What could I have done better today?
• What do my team-members need from me?
• What do I need to stop doing?
• What do I need to start doing?
Just the act of self-assessing will help you on the journey to developing your power skills. Enjoy the ride!
Contributed with thanks to Judy Porter from SHIIFT.
