This is something I put together some time ago for my clients. The value of soft skills cannot be emphasised enough. Hard skills (qualifications / certifications and even experience) can open doors, but essentially it is soft skills that move us along and help us to achieve higher levels. This overview is divided into 10 sections and although there is no specific section on emotional intelligence, it is an element that runs through each and every one of the 10 listed sections which are inevitably interconnected with each other. 

A Strong Work Ethic

A strong work ethic is at the core of everything we aim to do and without it nothing is possible.  Some are seemingly born with it but for others it takes effort.  An understanding and where necessary a challenge of our underlying values is central to the development of a strong work ethic.

• What are my values (personal and societal) and where does work fit it?
• Self-motivation and motivating others.
• Developing ownership in the workplace.
• Setting realistic and achievable goals as ‘landmarks’

Positive Attitude

Your attitude is infectious - especially if you are in a position to influence others. Negative attitudes tend to carry even more than positive ones so if your attitude is not right it may even have a detrimental effect on those around you.  Staying positive when it gets tough is a challenge we all face.  How do we remain positive?

• Managing expectations and disappointments.
• Dealing with failure.
• Optimism, pessimism and reality.
• Remaining positive when all around you are negative.
• Positivity is a choice – deciding takes discipline. Wearing professionalism on your sleeve rather than your (negative) emotions.
• The connection between physical energy and positive energy. Energy energises!

Good Communication Skills

When it comes to soft skills there is a significant emphasis on the communicative aspects which govern our interactions with those around us.  The focus of the training on offer is on why and how.

Why

• Analysis of statistics that make it very clear why the development of effective communicative skills is vital to both personal and professional success.
• What can go wrong, assumption is presumption, reading between the lines.
• Cross-cultural issues.

How

• A discuss of specific skills that enable effective communication which includes verbal and non-verbal aspects such as body language, use of voice, emotional intelligence, etc.
• The rapport-based approach; establishing strong connections through the building of strong relationships. Building flexibility spontaneity and creativity into our structures and relationships.
• Understanding myself; my personality does not generally change, it only develops – what are our personality strengths and how can I used them to improve my communication ability. What are my limitations and what should I not try to do?
• Candour – the key to communication if done properly. What candour can achieve and how to build it into the DNA of an organisation.
• Technology – getting your Powerpoint etc right.
• Development of specific communicative skills for different contexts – presentations, speeches / lectures, leading a class / workshop, etc.
• Managing difficult / ‘charged’ relationships through the self-development of strategies in line with improving emotional intelligence.
• Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)– understanding my programming and changing my default settings when they are wrong. This training by definition takes a very practical approach and is best done individually or in groups where strong trust relationships have already been established. When it comes to NLP I am not a fan of using it on others as that is manipulation at its base level

Time Management

Time is a precious and unrecoverable asset and to get the most out of it we must manage it as any other asset.

• Achieving a work / life balance.
• ‘Me’ time.
• Organising my time effectively, including my sleep patterns.
• The Simple Rule. Would it work for you?  Would it work for everyone?
• Meeting deadlines and avoiding overload.
• Prioritising my tasks.

Problem-Solving

Strategic and lateral thinking are key natural requisites to enable problem solving and key essential skills in the world of work.

• Developing problem solving skills through persistent challenge and drawing people out of their comfort zones.
• Owning a problem and taking responsibility when they crop up.

Team Working

• Why team – synergy; T.E.A.M (Together Each Achieves More’), 2 + 2 =5
• Case Study – ‘the Team that Failed’ an analysis of what can go wrong is a useful insight into how to get it right.
• My role, my place, my strengths.
• Leadership and Delegation. Transparency and Recognition / Credit.
• ‘Owning’ your relationships with a servant mentality.
• People management styles; task or time based?
• Behaviours – acceptable and unacceptable.
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Self-Confidence

Self-confidence when matched with true humility creates a unique dynamism that enables a person to keep going and have the courage to try and try again.  If there is no humility self-confidence is likely to become arrogance – an unattractive quality.  A lack of self-confidence inevitably inhibits the growth and development of an individual.  Self-confidence has to be built to liberate an individual from poor self-image and a sense of inferiority usually comes from a difficult social or domestic context. This may involve using NLP processes (see above) to reset a person’s defaults.

• My competences / skills the ‘Well of my Confidence’
• You are not working to impress others. Athletes aiming primarily for personal bests and then the medals follow.
• Relax and enjoy the moment. Just DO it without overanalysing.
• Practice and persevere.
• Winning can be measured through how hard you try (see also managing disappointments) and take the attitude that everything is a learning experience.
• Constantly challenge your skills sets, look to do something new and challenge your boundaries.

Teachability

Always be open to learning new skills and improving your methods.  Learn you’re your mistakes.

• Using criticism as a positive force to enable greater personal and professional growth even if poorly delivered or seemingly wrong or misplaced.
• Do not allow criticism to become personal and / or demoralising.
• Future planning – where do you want to be in a year, 5 years or 10 years. What experience / skill sets / competences / qualifications do I need to get there?  Get organised.
• Look for mentors or coaches who can offer you something. Place yourself alongside them and ‘carry their bags for them’ as you learn from them.
• Simply always be open to what you can learn from others.

Flexibility / Adaptability

Be prepared to go the extra mile or accommodate others and their plans through flexibility (fitting around others) and adaptability (an ability to go into a different or unusual situation – often outside your comfort zone).

• Be open to change your plans from time to time for the greater good.
• Enjoy going into a different, often challenging environment. It is an opportunity.
• This is not contrary to principles of Time Management and achieving an effective work / life balance as it should be based on pull-push dynamics that mean a bit of give and take.

Stress Management

Stress is fuelled by emotion and time pressure and can be paralysing unless managed effectively.  However, a little stress is good as it can be a motivating  force for good – e.g. many people need a deadline to get going.  I usually share four keys to managing stress but everyone is different and whilst these principles work they may need to be adapted on an individual basis. Be open to change your plans from time to time for the greater good.

• If it has passed it is past! No ‘what if’ scenarios can ever help.
• Remove the emotion from the situation using strategies such as de-personifying – write a list of advice or imagine somebody else is in your situation – what would you tell them to do.
• Manage your time effectively – avoid overload or poor planning.
• A relaxed body is a relaxed mind which has a calming effect and can release creativity. Find a method to relax or work out the stress physically.
• Adapt this pattern to fit your own lifestyle.

As always stay safe and well my friends