Building the Critical Skills that Can Boost Your Professional Demeanor and Improve Interpersonal Relationships
You might be familiar with the saying, “Under pressure, you don’t rise to the occasion — you sink to the level of your training.” That might feel like an admonishment or a warning, but you could also view it as encouraging advice, backed by data, to really brush up on the skills that help you navigate stressful situations.
Taking that view actually serves as an example of the very skills we’re discussing when we talk about soft skills.
Refining your soft skills allows you to step back, take a breath, and fully assess the situation you are in and the range of options for navigating it. It includes practicing the “people” skills that enable you to connect with others, identify and nurture their strengths (as well as your own), and ultimately keep them as teammates or allies in making your way through a complex challenge.
What are some of the more important soft skills, and how can they benefit your personal and professional relationships?
Emotional Intelligence. Awareness of emotions — your own as well as the emotions of others – is at the heart of seeing conflict in context, working through stressful situations, and moving toward a positive outcome.
Empathy. Striving to truly understand another person’s experience and situation — to put yourself in their shoes — is at the heart of moving past division toward understanding.
Positive attitude. We all know someone who approaches tough circumstances with a realistic but “glass half full” attitude. That is the person who inspires you to do and be better, and it’s the person you’d choose to be on your team every time.
Self-confidence. Though it might seem counter-intuitive, confidence is foundational to our ability to make room for others’ differences and even their mistakes. Insecurity can make us defensive — a quality that only serves to exacerbate stressful situations.
Work ethic. Demonstrating a willingness to put in more than the minimal time and effort expected of you and even to go the extra mile, especially on behalf of others, is an excellent way to build rapport with your peers and colleagues.
Cultural sensitivity. This quality complements empathy but asks you to approach interactions without assumption, and to honor and encourage different opinions, perspectives, ideas, and experiences.
Problem solving. Stepping outside the stress of a challenging situation to take the long view, invite others’ ideas, and feel out a range of potential solutions is an excellent way to stand out at work and in all of your interpersonal interactions.
Leadership. Making the effort to shore up people’s confidence, identify their strengths, and mentor them to fulfill their potential takes a great deal of time and energy, but will earn you the trust and loyalty of those around you.
Listening. The intensity and demands of our work in facility services — and in our relationships outside of work — makes it a challenge to listen, truly hear, process, and respond to others, but those same factors make listening critical.
Team building. When it comes to success, it is essential for employees to work collaboratively. Soft skills will set you apart from your peers and colleagues — even as it allows you to build stronger connections with them.
At UG2, we understand that our employees’ soft skills can prove just as valuable as their technical and industry know-how. That is exactly why we incorporate them into our many training and professional development offerings.
Do you have questions about joining or partnering with a team that appreciates the whole person when it comes to employees and customers? Get in touch with UG2 today.