Soft skills. No one big or small, young or old survives without soft skills in the sandbox of life. As children, we don’t get yanked out of the sandbox because we’re building castles, roads or mud pies. Nope. We get yanked out because we’re causing a ruckus by not playing ‘nice’ with the other kids.
As we grow up, the size of our sandbox changes, but the soft skills (also known as people skills) that we need to get along with others, still remain the same. While there are countless soft skills, here are my top picks. 21 soft skills I feel everyone should cultivate in the sandbox of life.
1. Positive Attitude – Having good energy, having a can-do and want-to attitude
2. Good Work Ethic – Dedicated to getting to the job done
3. Self Awareness – Knowing your strengths and weaknesses, motivators and stressors: of all the soft skills, this one is vital to our well-being
4. Team Player – Being able to work well with others regardless of personalities, situation or time constraints
5. Open/ Willing to Listen – Finding common ground instead of focusing on differences
6. Time Management – Organizing and using time wisely
7. Critical Thinking/ Problem Solving – Being able to analyze, evaluate and decide on the best solution needed at that time, a basic soft skill
8. Trustworthy – Having an inner strength of character, so people have confidence in you
9. Flexibility/ Adaptability – Dealing effectively and positively with change or challenging situations
10. Open to Learning – Consistently building and expanding your skills
11. Resourceful – Being creative and searching for the best tools to do your job
12. Accountability – Accepting and taking responsibility for your actions when something goes wrong
13. Persistent – Demonstrating a stick-to-itiveness in getting work done
14. Respectful – Being considerate and practicing the appropriate courtesies when dealing with others
15. Sensitivity/ Empathy – Concern for the well-being, wants and needs of others
16. Self-Motivated – Being able to initiate or follow-through without being asked
17. Self-Confident – Having a healthy belief in yourself that you can do the job
18. Self-Promotion – Championing what you can do in a pleasing and modest manner
19. Networking Skills – Greeting and meeting different people for learning, sharing and generating information and new ideas for mutual benefit
20. Conversation Skills – Engaging pleasantly with others in informal or casual talk
21. Communication Skills – Being able to connect and express your thoughts with clarity, ease and purpose when speaking, writing or giving presentations regardless of the audience or situation.
When a kid is yanked from the sandbox because of not getting along, it could be because the child doesn’t know any better. But, there are no excuses for grown-ups. Soft Skills can be developed anytime, anywhere. They are invaluable tools as we work and play away in the sandbox of life.
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