If you work on developing the skills from our list, you will become the best specialist! These skills need to be developed by children and adults.
A bit of theory
There are two categories of skills: hard skills and soft skills.
- Hard skills are professional knowledge and skills that can be measured and evaluated. They are specific to a certain activity or profession and are often supplemented by diplomas, certificates, and test scores. Examples of hard skills are: programming, foreign languages, financial analysis, medical procedures, ability to work with software.
- Soft skills are interpersonal and social skills that help you communicate effectively with people and adapt to different situations. They are universal and important in all areas of life. Examples of soft skills are: communication, emotional intelligence, leadership, conflict resolution, time management.
All these qualities can be developed anywhere: with friends, at work, at school and with acquaintances.
Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence helps to understand, manage and effectively use your own emotions and the emotions of other people.
What you need to develop the skill:
- Spend time with people and try to understand how they feel, listen to what they are talking about;
- Monitor people's emotions and analyze why they arose;
- Control your emotions and splash out aggression on the interlocutor.
This skill will help you work in a team and find common ground.
Critical thinking
This is the ability to analyze information and arguments in order to make informed judgments and make rational decisions.
What you need to develop the skill:
- Try to identify the role model of each person in the company or class;
- Ask open-ended questions that are difficult to answer in one word;
- Use the "5W + H" method, which is one of the most effective methods of critical thinking and information analysis. It helps structure data by asking key questions that start with English words: who, what, where, when, why, and how. What questions can be asked: Who is responsible for actions and decisions? What can be done to solve a problem or achieve a goal? Where can I find more information? When did the event happen or when should it happen? Why could this happen?
It helps to analyze information and make informed decisions!
Strategic thinking
With strategic thinking, you'll be able to see the big picture, predict the consequences of actions, and develop long-term plans to achieve goals. This skill is especially important for leaders, managers, and those who make decisions that affect the organization or society as a whole.
What you need to develop the skill:
- Study how our brain works, read literature on the topic and watch educational videos;
- Prioritize to understand what is really important to you and what you need to spend time and effort on;
- Analyze the situation in your head and think about how it looks from the outside. Sometimes acquaintances may not understand why you are so sad – then you should explain your feelings to them, but before that, analyze your emotions.
Thanks to this skill, you will become more honest with yourself and with the people around you.
Self-reflection
It is the process of becoming aware of and analyzing your thoughts, emotions, actions, and experiences. This skill is important for personal and professional growth, as it allows you to better understand yourself, your motives, and behavior.
What you need to develop the skill:
- Set goals and think about how you can achieve them – this way you can sensibly assess your strength and analyze how long it will take to complete the plan;
- Keep a journal to reread your entries and analyze your actions, emotions, and behaviors;
- Thank something or someone every day. Keep a separate notebook where you note everything that made you a little happier.
This way you will learn to analyze your emotions and be able to understand what makes you happy or disappointing.
Decision-making
Decision-making involves choosing the best possible option to achieve the set goals. This is an important skill both in personal life and in professional activities.
What you need to develop the skill:
- Look for different solutions. This will develop your imagination, and you will understand that a way out can be found even in the most difficult situation;
- Prioritize: what is important to you, you will do first, and what is less important you will leave for later;
- Go to your loved ones, your boss or teacher, and not only with a problem, but with solutions! Sometimes it is better to see from the outside which path to choose.
Work on thinking, knowledge and behavior every day, because this will help you understand yourself better, and others will only appreciate such a purposeful person.
