Thomas

When job qualifications are posted for a job opening, the desired skill sets often fall into the category of technical skills: How to fulfill tasks and responsibilities, how to function at an adequate level, how to contribute to the larger processes of the organization. But when individuals are looking to create upward movement in their careers, advancing from entry-level positions to management roles, it’s a different set of skills that will be invaluable in getting them there. These skills are known as soft skills.

Soft skills can be developed through education and experience, but they’re not as quantifiable as technical skills, which can often be measured through concrete analysis. Instead, soft skills all relate to your ability to manage — not just managing people, but managing problems and developing solutions through critical thinking. Soft skills also relate to professionalism in general, including your work ethic. Earning a business management degree is one way to develop a foundation of soft skills that can create management opportunities, but a personal dedication to some of these skills will be necessary to separating yourself from the pack.

While there are literally dozens of soft skills that could be useful in the course of your career, here are some that are almost universal in the business world.

Stress management

Extra responsibilities almost always create extra stress in the workplace. Managing that stress effectively is key to justifying your position in a management role. It’s important that business leaders be able to control their own reactions to stress, keep their emotions in check and help steady the stress levels of others in the workplace. When stress gets out of hand, it can actually inhibit workplace productivity and create even more stress.

Strong, clear communication with others

Part of being a manager is communicating tasks, expectations and other information to individuals all throughout the chain of command. Your bosses and your subordinates will all want to work with someone who can communicate clearly and concisely. If you struggle to relay information in a timely or accurate fashion, if you tend to be vague in communications, or if your written communications are rife with spelling and grammar errors, it can reflect poorly on you and your ability to serve in a management position.

Time management

If the workplace isn’t busy, it probably isn’t meeting its productivity goals. But productivity only works if it is efficient. Your bosses don’t want to promote someone into a position where they’ll only serve to slow down processes. You need to be efficient and concise in a variety of scenarios — not just in your own personal work, but also in communications, management meetings, and presentations. Businesses understand the monetary value of time, and the more cost-effective your services are, the better you’ll look as a prospect for a management position.

As you work to develop and refine your soft skills, keep in mind the various scenarios in which these skills will come in handy in your current position. Employing soft skills at work will help you improve these traits and put them on display for your higher-ups. Ultimately, demonstrating your soft skills could facilitate your advancement within your company’s hierarchy.

Originally posted on January 6, 2013 @ 7:32 pm