7 Soft Skills of a High-Class Professional
Soft skills are increasingly becoming the hard skills these days. While your technical skills may get your foot in the door of opportunities, your people skills are what open most of the doors to come. Your work ethic, your attitude, your communication skills, your emotional intelligence and a whole host of other personal attributes are the soft skills that ensure your holistic development.
This article was inspired by a presentation made by our back-end developer Igor Komarynskyi. Today we’re breaking down seven vital soft skills that every professional needs. Enjoy!
Teamwork
Regardless of what career you pursue, you’ll probably have to work in a team. You may not be a team player as you are, but in order to succeed you have to learn to cooperate with others.
A team that works well together understands the strengths and weaknesses of each team member.
Sociability
It is a major leadership trait but other than that having a friendly and outgoing attitude, self-control, adaptability, integrity make you a great asset to employers and coworkers.
Business etiquette
There is an established set of different rules in the business world which shape your image and image of the company you represent. Good business etiquette helps to avoid mistakes or smooth them out in generally accepted ways.
Negotiation skills
Being a good negotiator allows you to build, maintain, and improve relationships. You can reach common ground faster and eradicate the friction through successful negotiation. Also, being a strong negotiator helps you to attain important goals and maneuver deals in favor of your project.
Positive thinking
Are you Mr. or Mrs. NO? Do you always criticise and see the negative in yours or other people’s ideas? If that’s the case then you’re scaring off opportunities and some great people you could meet. Learn to see the perspective of things and turn the weaknesses into strengths.
Time management
Manage your time before it starts managing you. It’s not that difficult, you just have to make it a habit and find the right tools. Start off by jotting down your daily agenda or tracking your tasks and meeting in a calendar. Make it an essential part of your life and the right tools will find you.
Stress resistance
Stress is an integral part of our lives because it is a natural response of our body to external stimuli. But it comes in different shapes and sizes.
There’s a term called “occupational burnout”. This condition is caused by chronic job stress that leads to physical and emotional exhaustion, reduced productivity and detachment.
The good news is that there are many ways you can reduce and relieve stress. Some general advice to follow are:
- have a work schedule;
- take breaks every 1–1.5 hours (stand up, go outside, exercise);
- don’t work at home (do you best in the office).
Good soft skills will help you at each stage and age of your life, not only within the office but also beyond. What other skills do you find important?
