Soft Skills: Why They Matter and How To Develop Them

Soft skills help to develop competencies and keep up with new work trends.

Soft skills will help you become the life and the soul of the party and reach your career and professional goals. Researchers at Harvard University have come to the conclusion that only 15% of job success depends on professional competence. The remaining 85% depends on social and psychological traits. From this article, you will learn what soft skills are, how they differ, and how to develop them.

What Are Soft Skills?

Soft skills are non-technical skills related to personal qualities. It is therefore important not to mix them up with character traits. Soft skills are not about characteristics such as attentiveness, talkative, or responsible. They are all about actions: the ability to listen, interact, and make decisions.

Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills

Soft skills cannot be described or measured. It is impossible to measure the level of emotional stability or friendliness. And if measurement is possible, it means that we are considering professional skills — hard skills.

Another difference is that you can't acquire soft skills quickly. They are built up in childhood and developed throughout your whole life. Only focused self-development, training, and psychotherapeutic practices change personal characteristics.

Who Needs Soft Skills and Why?

Soft skills are useful in personal life: they help you connect with all kinds of people, accept changes easier, and cope with difficulties. They also help you at work:

• To be not just a specialist, but an expert — you quickly grasp new trends in the profession;
• To work in a team — you can hold a dialogue with the team, listen, hear, and speak;
• To develop flexibility — you do not suffer from prolonged stress caused by a sudden change of course or task;
• To boost your career — you are able to present yourself to a manager and show your strengths.

Types of Soft Skills

The 4 C's soft skills model is popular in Europe. It consists of four groups: critical thinking, creativity, communication skills, and collaboration. Each group includes related qualities — a list of soft skills.

Communication

It is the ability to carry on a conversation and convey information to the interlocutor in any way: aloud, in correspondence, or by gesture. Highly developed communication skills help not only to share information but also to perceive it. In particular, they help to listen and hear, work in a team, and be client-oriented.

This skill consists of two subsets: business communication and public speaking. The first one helps to build relationships in a team, maintain a business tone, and defend your position. The second subset is relevant to self-presentation: at those moments when you have to be convincing and clearly convey your thoughts to the audience.

How to Develop Them? Participate in discussions and debates. Take the negotiation initiative more often, give lectures, and make presentations.

What to Read?

Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone by Mark Goulston

Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz

How to Talk to Absolutely Anyone: Confident Communication for Work, Life and Relationships by Mark Rhodes

Critical Thinking

The ability to think critically helps to filter out the superfluous in the flow of information. It develops the habit of checking the reliability of information and finding correlations between events. These skills allow you to think sensibly, find your way out of difficult situations, and make well-reasoned arguments in disputes.

How to develop it? In order to develop critical thinking, learn to observe and think analytically. Check incoming information using the 5W + H methodology: why, what, who, when, where + how. As for the source of the information, use the IMVAIN method.

What to read?

Thought and Knowledge: An Introduction to Critical Thinking by Diane F. Halpern

Customer Focus

This is the ability to identify customer needs and meet them in a timely manner. For instance, if a coffee shop sells take-out coffee from 8 a.m., it takes care of those who are in a hurry to work.

How to develop it? Explore different target audiences: colleagues, executives, friends. Find out how to solve their problems.

What to read?

501 Ways to Roll Out the Red Carpet for Your Customers: Easy-to-Implement Ideas to Inspire Loyalty, Get New Customers, and Make a Lasting Impression by Donna Cutting

Customers for Life: How to Turn That One-Time Buyer Into a Lifetime Customer by Carl Sewell and Paul B. Brown

Project Management

Project management skills are necessary not only for company managers, but also for ordinary employees. After all, any task can be considered a project. For example, in a programmer's job, a project is a new application; in their personal life, it's organizing a holiday or vacation. This skill helps us control all the stages: we define a goal, find ways to achieve it, set tasks, save resources, predict the result, and get to it.

How to develop it? Think of each action as a project. Set the goal, deadline, and milestones. Find ways to optimize the process: how to spend fewer resources and still solve the problem.

What to read?

Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time by Jeff Sutherland

Making Things Happen: Mastering Project Management by Scott Berkun

The Deadline: A Novel About Project Management by Tom DeMarco

Mentoring and 'Mentworking'

The classical education system is not flexible. The knowledge and skills given at universities differ from those needed in a real job. In order to meet the requirements of the employer and grow as a professional, you need a coach or mentor. A coach imparts specific knowledge and skills from almost equal position. A mentor, meanwhile, does so from the position of a teacher. Both mentors and coaches share knowledge, talk about the ups and downs, and answer questions.

How to develop them? Observe mentors and coaches. How they behave, how they talk, how they think. Analyze why they do things the way they do. Interact with competent colleagues. Determine your competencies and find an apprentice.

What to read?

Game Changers: What Leaders, Innovators, and Mavericks Do to Win at Life by Dave Asprey

Nonviolent Communication

The art of nonviolent communication is the ability to convey information without prejudice to the interlocutor. That is, in a gentle and accessible way. Marshall B. Rosenberg, the author of “Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life”, stated four principles of such communication:

• Tell the interlocutor about the situation you are observing;
• Share your emotions about the situation;
• Identify the need which is the cause of the emotions;
• Make a request to meet this need;
• To avoid violent communication, use empathy and consider the other person's point of view.

How to develop it? During the conversation, keep an eye on how you convey your thoughts. Recognize the real intentions behind your interlocutor's words. At the same time, hold the conversation without evaluating, judging, or shifting responsibility.

What to read?

Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall B. Rosenberg

Say What You Mean: A Mindful Approach to Nonviolent Communication by Oren Jay Sofer

Decision-making

This skill helps you choose the best path to your goal consciously and effectively. Let's take a look at choosing a new profession: you first identify several jobs that suit you, weigh up the pros and cons of each option, and training methods. Based on this analysis, you make the right decision.

How to develop it? Keep the whole picture of what's going on in your head. Look at the problem from different angles and sides. Take into account all the possible solutions to the problem: compare them, identify the pros and cons.

What to read?

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Smart Choices: A Practical Guide to Making Better Decisions by John S. Hammond, Ralph L. Keeney, Howard Raiffa

Why: A Guide to Finding and Using Causes by Samantha Kleinberg

Problem-solving

Problem-solving skills help people overcome difficulties, achieve their goals, and attain success.

How to develop them? To practice, set yourself a task and write down a few ways to handle it. Let it not be anything abstract — take a real life problem. Set a deadline and try to deal with the matter in time. Don't get discouraged if you fail the first time. Repeat this cycle over and over until you get the result.

What to read?

The 3rd Alternative: Solving Life's Most Difficult Problems by Stephen R. Covey

Accidental Genius: Revolutionize Your Thinking Through Private Writing by Mark Levy

Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence helps you recognize and control your emotions and those of other people. It will be of use to executives, administrators, and employees who work with people: teachers, psychologists, managers.

How to develop it? Analyze how you and the people around feel in different situations. For example, you are given a new difficult task. Think about what you are feeling: fear, uncertainty, anger, or excitement? Then, determine why the situation triggers that particular emotion. If you figure out the reasons, you'll be able to manage them.

What to read?

Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves

Knowledge Management and Learning Ability

Such abilities help you acquire and apply new information. Act according to the following principle: knowledge → ability → skill.

How to develop them? Learn something new all the time. For example, if you want to improve your English for a long time, create a plan: decide how much time a day you can study, choose learning tools such as reading or watching movies in English, cards with new words. Do not accumulate information. Get down to practice as soon as possible: communicate online with native speakers.

What to read?

The Organized Mind: The Science of Preventing Overload, Increasing Productivity and Restoring Your Focus by Daniel Levitin

Ultralearning: Master Hard Skills, Outsmart the Competition, and Accelerate Your Career by Scott Young

Working Under Uncertainty

The ability to work in this mode is the ability to adjust to suddenly changing circumstances. This skill is useful for anyone who faces constant deadlines or multitasking.

How to develop it? Consider possible changes in advance and look for non-standard ways to solve tasks. Think about possible scenarios and write down your actions.

What to read?

How to Do Great Work Without Being an Asshole: (Guides for Creative Industries) by Paul Woods

It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson

Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives By Tim Harford

Lean Manufacturing

Lean manufacturing principles call for saving resources and streamlining work processes to increase efficiency. For example, to reduce the number of defective products. This approach is not only useful for manufacturing businesses. It is also used by those who deal with customers. For instance, to serve them faster and eliminate queues. Lean manufacturing also helps to save your own resources such as energy and time for tasks.

How to develop it? Arrange your workspace according to the 5S principle: get rid of unnecessary stuff, keep order, maintain cleanliness, create a workplace standard, enhance it. Thus, it will be easier to work.\

What to read?

Lean Office Demystified: Using the Power of the Toyota Production System in Your Administrative Areas by Don Tapping and Anne Dunn

The Toyota Product Development System: Integrating People, Process, and Technology by James M. Morgan and Jeffrey K. Liker

Ecological Thinking

It's the ability to appreciate what you have and take responsibility for your actions. Ecological thinking helps you enjoy not only the results, but also the process.

How to develop it? Learn to think positively. At first, you'll have to force yourself: do not respond to rudeness, look for the bright side in everything. Afterwards, though, you'll stop seeing doomsday in any problem. Instead of feeling panic and stress, focus on the solution.

What to read?

The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own by Joshua Becker

All Art Is Ecological by Timothy Morton

Self-reflection

It is the ability to analyze your actions and emotions. When interacting with a team, this skill helps you understand why the actions and attitudes of your colleagues provoke certain reactions. You feel, for example, that you are underestimated. Identify the true emotion and find out what caused it.

How to develop it? Observe yourself and analyze your actions and feelings. Start a diary or blog. Record events, your emotions, observations, and reflections.

What to read?

Mind Hacking: How to Change Your Mind for Good in 21 Days by John Hargrave

Man's Search for Himself by Rollo May

There are plenty of skills. And here are a few tips on how to define useful ones. Replay in your head the situations which give you a sense of victory: when you solved the problem effectively, signed an important contract, got a raise or promotion. Write them down in a column. In the next column, write down the qualities that helped you win. These are your soft skills.

Analyze your daily tasks — Think which skills will help you handle them more effectively.

Find your weaknesses — Find out what gets in the way of your work.
Choose one or more ways to assess your skill level. In this way, you will find out what to strive for.

How to evaluate your skills?
The Dreyfus model of skill acquisition. This model assumes that a person goes through six stages in their work: novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, expert, master. Study each stage and find out the one you are at now.

1. Free psychological tests. The website psytests.org, for example, has over 400 psychological tests. They measure the level of communication skills, emotional intelligence, and organizational skills.
2. Five-factor personality questionnaire, 5PFQ. It was developed by the Japanese researcher Heijiro Tsuji. It was translated into Russian by A. Khromov, a candidate of psychological sciences. It measures extroversion, neuroticism, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness.

Is it Difficult to Develop Soft Skills?

Soft skills depend on a person's character and are built up in childhood. Studies by Nathan W. Hudson and R. Chris Fraley (2015–2018), Ph.D. in psychology, however, confirm that personality traits tend to change. The changes depend on a person's goals.

That is, the important conditions include a conscious desire to master a skill and practice it daily. The action has to become a habit and a new character trait. This can take years.

How Do You Master Soft Skills?

1. Find a mentor or consult a coach to gain experience or outline a development plan.
2. Play board games, take part in quizzes with friends, and learn to work as a team and recognize your own and other people's emotions.
3. Think your project through — it's not the scope that matters, but the development from scratch.
4. Study new things: read books and take courses, look for new sources of information and analyze them critically, take down interesting ideas. To develop your learning ability, watch lectures on competency development. Osmi Pro, an online university of skills and professions, hosts free webinars every month on new and in-demand IT careers. It will suit both beginners and those who want to change their careers.

What Should I Know About Soft Skills?

Soft skills are built up in childhood and developed throughout your whole life. They are honed through courses, lectures, books, games, and daily task analysis.

Soft skills are even more important for career and personal life than hard skills. That is because they help to develop competencies, hold a high position in the team, and achieve success. To find out your soft skills, recall the examples of your success and failures. Think about the qualities that led to them — so you will determine your strengths and weaknesses.