What if we reframed soft skills as hard skills?
Our middle managers are buckling under strain from all sides right now: from customers, leadership and the people they lead. The squeeze is most keenly felt when uncertain times require everyone to do more with less in a rapidly evolving work environment.
Yet these people are our linchpin – their level of health and success is that of the whole company.
What’s the answer?
It’s no wonder that Pearson states that the top five power skills that employers are seeking today are:
- Communication.
- Customer service.
- Leadership.
- Attention to detail.
- Collaboration.
These are the skills that breed belonging, mattering and safety and this is how they show up in real life:
- Compassion and being observant of and responding to human needs.
- Creating space for honest, frank and useful feedback.
- Activity promoting high levels of physical, emotional and mental well-being.
- Knowing how infectious a positive and progressive mindset can be – and embodying it.
- Feeding an air of joint responsibility and accountability so that everyone owns the way forward.
- Being open and genuine. There’s no substitute for this.
It’s a new and exciting world we’re moving into but it’s not easy to navigate. For some, it’s going to take a radical rethink.
By raising the value of immeasurable, intangible but essential and life-giving skills, we’ll push through our difficult times and come out on top when the turnaround comes.
If you’re feeling lost and unsure how future-proof your people policy is, then we’re here to help. Drop us a reply to this email and let’s set up a time to talk.
Have a great day.