4 Steps to Acquire Soft Skills
June 18th, 2024
By Tatiana Quiroz, Soft Skills Advisor
"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." - R. Collier.
Acquiring a habit requires decision and perseverance, humility and commitment. All soft skills can be acquired and strengthened at any time and under any circumstances. They impact professional life because they pertain to daily actions, behaviors, and responses to reality. One cannot claim to have emotional intelligence at work but leave it outside of home. Thus, there are no excuses for deciding to be better and serve better.
So, I propose four steps for acquiring soft skills that enable success:
Mirror. Who am I? I know my strengths and identify my areas for improvement. What defines me personally and professionally? I look for evaluation tools for the skills I want to strengthen (readings, podcasts, blogs, courses, seminars, coaching). I ask for feedback.
Map. I visualize my goals and define objectives for my professional future. I can support myself with a course or professional mentoring to guide me and establish concrete goals, as well as personal and professional improvement plans. I write down my goals and improvement plans for each skill.
Practice. I persevere. I persist. I restart. I review. I observe myself. I adjust whatever is necessary until I acquire the habit of that specific skill. I consider if I need professional support.
Evaluate. I ask for feedback. I resume practice and start with a new skill. I seek support networks that uplift me, challenge me, and motivate me to improve. I applaud myself for the decision to improve and for the observable changes in my behavior.