“Work is not just a necessity, it’s a passion. Find your passion and make it your work.”
—Anonymous
We all are aware of the juncture of life when we have to choose a career path which will lead us towards excellence and a better quality of life; one’s professional or corporate aspect of existence. But in order for you to get such a money-spinner job, you have to possess certain non-technical soft skills which are what make you an irreplaceable asset. In this blog, we are going to talk about these skills. So let’s begin because it’s code-red time from here onwards.
Table of contents:
- Communication skill
- Problem-solving skills and critical thinking
- Adaptability and flexibility
- Stress management and resilience
- Self-improvement
- Creativity and innovation
- Time management
- CQ (cultural intelligence)
- Emotional agility
- Ethical decision-making
Don’t underestimate or undervalue any one of the skills to the other based on the ranking, which is just a matter of personal choice. As the ranking is subjective but the significance and relevance of each of the skills is objective; as if widely accepted.
Communication skill
“The art of communication is the language of leadership.”
—James Humes
Communication skill, the gift of the gab, will continue to retain its importance as a highly desirable and increasingly sought-after skill in industries across the globe. The skill is in demand due to its perks that include nurturing relationships, ensuring customer satisfaction, conflict resolution, reducing misconstruction, and of course public speaking.
Problem-solving skills and critical thinking
“The best way to escape from a problem is to solve it.”
—Alan Saporta
In such an era where problems don’t exist in life but rather life exists in the problems, individuals possessing effective problem-solving and critical thinking skills mean a lot to their employers. I agree it sounds too simple but in actuality, the problem-solving ability itself consists of multiple layers, one being critical thinking. It could be arduous to acquire it but it’s a life-long process— actually a never-ceasing journey.
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
— Albert Einstein
Adaptability and flexibility
“The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings.”
— Kakuzo Okakura
Adaptability enables us to cultivate acceptability to the changes (or vicissitudes) of life, making one a precious asset to one’s company. It also allows you to be wide-minded enough to see through other people’s points of view, enabling you to appreciate others’ modus operandi. A flexible mind is better capable of adapting to changing situations in the workplace, for example, we just faced the COVID pandemic.
Stress management and resilience
I can bet you need it. And if not, you need to need it, bro! After the transition from dependency on offline means or sources into ubiquitous acceptance of online ways, we are witnessing a booming increase in the number of individuals sustaining stress. Stress management might not be a criterion for getting a job in industry but there is a need to exercise much stress on the word stress or for working professionals to take care of their mental health.
Self-improvement
Often the individuals found lacking this quality lag behind their competitors in this cut-throat environment. They lack the spirit of self-learning, believing that the initial requirement for learning is having an academic background or career. One just needs to realize that education is not owned by any specific university or college and also that you don’t always need to belong to any specific school or college to acquire education. Just start learning from wherever you are, with whatever you have. Self-improvement starts where you begin to realize the problems you are actually dealing with and start finding their solutions.
“The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.”
—Anonymous
Creativity and innovation
“Creativity is intelligence having fun”
—Anonymous
Creativity helps you discover extraordinary solutions to ordinary problems. This is something we are born with. Creativity is where the innovation begins. Businesses require creative employees to concoct new ideas products and services. Creative work ambiance fosters employee motivation and engagement, with creative freedom resulting in heightened productivity and efficiency.
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower”
—Anonymous
Time management
I don’t know if you have noticed or not but I feel the internet has been being approached these days for this. Effective time management and prioritization of the work is productive of further assistance in accomplishments. It assuages stress, reducing tension. As we all know that nothing in the extreme is positive therefore balance is important which is what time management allows us to attain—work-life balance.
Cultural intelligence (CQ)
“To know one’s own culture and the cultures of others is the key to working successfully in any context.”
—Anonymous
Cultural intelligence might sound odd to some people but it can also prove to be instrumental in certain circumstances and situations— particularly for those involved in fieldwork rather than office work. Cultural intelligence can foster innovation by encompassing diverse weltanschauungs( or worldviews in simple terms). It ends up being productive for one on an individual level; for self-growth. Helping individuals adapt to new cultural environments is thus also linked to adaptability enhancement.
“The single greatest barrier to business success is the one erected by culture.”
—Anonymous
Emotional agility
“Emotional agility means being flexible with your thoughts and feelings so that you can respond optimally to everyday situations.”
—Anonymous
Another term that I have rarely seen anywhere is this one. It is indispensable for individuals working in international settings. It helps ensure the enhancement of cross-cultural and trans-cultural understanding, making it crucial for impactful communication and negotiation in diversified cultural environments.
Ethical decision-making
“Ethical behavior is doing the right thing when no one else is watching—even when doing the wrong thing is legal.”
— Aldo Leopold
My favourite one is this since this is what makes you a virtuous person. Okay if it sounds too much, let’s get into its perks and needs. It ensures that you become better equipped to retain trust with customers and also your fellow employees. It is often associated with the idea of bolstering a positive reputation and brand image. It is also required for compliance with regulations. Its key constituents are the highest principles and values of the human race such as justice, integrity, fairness, accountability, self-reflective attitude and holding others in high esteem. Thus it can guarantee you being (or remaining) an irreplaceable asset to your company.
“A man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world.”
— Albert Camus