justplainbil

Just Plain Bill

Can you teach “soft skills”?

Last week, I was reading an article from Cenage Learning regarding the need for college students to develop “soft skills”. As a college adjunct professor teaching business writing, I add my support for this need.

Looking beyond higher education, these skills that are so critical to success in the workplace have been found to be lacking in candidates seen by many recruiters. They include:

·     Dependability and work ethic

·     Communication - speaking, writing, listening

·     Problem solving and decision-making

·     Teamwork and collaboration

·     The ability to assume responsibility, be punctual, follow through, etc.

My problem is that while these skills are invaluable in the workplace, I’ve found the most important ones, such as dependability, work ethic, punctuality, and follow through are difficult to teach, or to learn on the job.

In the best of worlds, these are traits you hire for, using behavioral focused questions, such as, “Tell me about a time…” In the interview, look for concrete examples when a candidate demonstrated responsibility, such as taking over a project when a team member was not able to deliver, or even the inculcation of an organization’s culture for a new member of the team.  

By including scenarios in communication, problem solving, or managing the work of others, you can address some of these soft skills in training, especially through the use of story.  

I have a long-held belief that there would be value in teaching “Storytelling” as a separate discipline. I especially like the article From Bedtime to the Boardroom, which supports my belief and identifies why this approach is especially important for entrepreneurs.