Let’s talk Continuing Professional Development. Today’s world of work is ever changing, demanding more fluid, and in control professionals. For many professionals, while school may have stopped, class is always in session. This means consistent learning even on the job. Now more than ever, where hard skills may get many professionals started, there is a need to sharpen soft skills as these are what takes many through the glass ceiling to the C-suite.
What are soft skills?
Soft skills, also called emotional intelligence (EI), refer to transferable skills, traits and personal attributes that help you work and interact with other people more effectively. According to a survey by LinkedIn, 57% of senior executives in the workplace thought that soft skills were more important than hard skills due to their versatility. Little wonder that these soft skills are the most sought after by employers and organizations in today’s employment pool. As a professional, building these soft skills will go a long way in helping you stand out from your peers as well as inform career growth. Some of these soft skills include:
- Communication: The ability to express thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively through verbal and nonverbal means such as words, body language, gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact.
- Time Management: This involves being able to prioritise work and manage self and teams so that nothing interferes with other activities or gets in the way of accomplishing goals.
- Responsibility: This involves showing self-discipline and taking personal responsibility for your own actions and decisions.
- Self-Awareness: This involves showing self-discipline and taking personal responsibility for your own actions and decisions.
- Critical Thinking: his includes the ability to reason effectively and analyse information with the aim of problem-solving.
- Creativity: This involves learning to think creatively and finding innovative ways to solve tasks.
Recognizing these skill gaps and seeking solutions to bridge the gaps are what make soft skills even more important in today’s workplace. Are you a professional thinking of ways to develop your soft skills? Take a soft skills course online with VigiLearn. This course is offered in partnership with the MENA College of Management, Dubai and is a five-week blended programme where you will learn communication, cultural diversity, perception, barriers to effective listening, dynamics of interpersonal communication and conflict resolution for effective management. Students are given a certificate upon completion.
