8 Soft Skills To Boost Your Career

Hi Everyone,

I recently stumbled upon a fascinating insight from Harvard University, highlighting that 85% of career success is attributed to soft skills rather than hard skills.

While hard skills may open doors, soft skills help you ascend in your career.

Drawing from my experience in managing over 150 projects and advising countless career changers, I've compiled a list of 8 crucial soft skills that I believe are key accelerators for any professional journey.

Below, you'll find a breakdown of each skill, its significance, and actionable tips to enhance these skills effectively.

1. Adaptability

   • Stay alert to new trends and embrace change.

   • Importance: The business landscape is ever-evolving, making adaptability crucial for staying relevant and resilient.

   • Development Tips:

     • View disruptions as opportunities.

     • Switch up your routine by trying new things for 30 days.

     • Reflect on past changes and assess your growth.
        

2. Emotional Intelligence

   • Cultivate self-awareness and strive for a deeper understanding of others.

   • Importance: High emotional intelligence fosters better teamwork and increases chances of success.

   • Development Tips:

     • Take a moment to think before reacting.

     • Listen actively, aiming to understand, not just respond.

     • Practice empathy and value diverse viewpoints.

   • Fact: Individuals with high emotional intelligence earn on average $29,000 more annually.
      

3. Communication

   • Communicate with clarity and impact.

   • Importance: Effective communication reduces misunderstandings and builds trust.

   • Development Tips:

     • Organize your messages with a clear 'why', 'how', and 'what'.

     • Use open-ended questions to promote dialogue.

     • Express yourself using 'I' statements to prevent blaming.

        

4. Influence

   • Motivate and uplift those around you through your actions.

   • Importance: Authentic leaders who invest in their teams gain respect and loyalty.

   • Development Tips:

     • Provide your team with autonomy.

     • Support their development and offer mentorship.

     • Regularly acknowledge their achievements.

   • Fact: Only 1 in 3 workers in the U.S. feel they are adequately recognized for their efforts.

      

5. Critical Thinking

   • Approach problems analytically and offer innovative solutions.

   • Importance: Strong problem-solving skills allow for greater innovation and value creation.

   • Development Tips:

     • Employ the 'Five Whys' to uncover root causes.

     • Test potential solutions and adapt based on feedback.

   • Fact: 70% of employers value critical thinking for workplace success.

      

6. Continuous Learning

   • Embrace lifelong learning to continuously improve personally and professionally.

   • Importance: Keeping your skills updated ensures you remain competitive.

   • Development Tips:

     • Dedicate time each week to read and learn.

     • Engage in new projects to apply and reinforce new skills.

     • Teach your skills to others to deepen your own understanding.

        

7. Teamwork

   • Achieve more by working collaboratively.

   • Importance: Collective intelligence fosters innovation and success.

   • Development Tips:

     • Respect each team member's contributions.

     • Leverage individual strengths for team success.

     • Set clear, common goals and celebrate together.

   • Fact: Highly aligned companies are 72% more profitable.

    

8. Time Management

   • Manage your priorities to enhance efficiency and reduce stress.

   • Importance: Effective time management boosts performance and job satisfaction.

   • Development Tips:

     • Work in concentrated 25-minute intervals with breaks.

     • Group similar tasks and designate specific times for them.

Develop these skills, and you will be more significant in work and life!

Know someone who might benefit from my weekly insights? Please forward them this email so they can sign up at www.projectsright.com 

1:1 PROJECT MANAGEMENT CAREER COACHING

If you want to build a project management career, learn more here on how to get started. I will provide you with the frameworks, tactics, and templates you need to build a successful project management career.

AI FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT COURSE

The number one question I get from leaders I work with today is, “How should I be using AI?” They’re already overwhelmed, and the innovation is simply too much to keep up with. Now you can earn an AI for Project Management Certification with the #1 Rated course in it's category created by LinkedIn's Top Project MGMT Voice! Seats are limited because our program includes live coaching for every participant. Enroll by April 29th to claim your seat. Click Here To Let AI Help You Lead!

Until next time,

Justin