{"id":315,"date":"2018-05-05T09:13:28","date_gmt":"2018-05-05T17:13:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.sandiego.edu\/character\/?p=315"},"modified":"2018-05-09T09:27:43","modified_gmt":"2018-05-09T17:27:43","slug":"the-hard-part-about-soft-skills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.sandiego.edu\/character\/blog\/2018\/05\/05\/the-hard-part-about-soft-skills\/","title":{"rendered":"THE \u201cHARD\u201d PART ABOUT \u201cSOFT SKILLS\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
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THE \u201cHARD\u201d PART ABOUT \u201cSOFT SKILLS\u201d<\/strong>
\nBy Ed DeRoche<\/p>\n

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\n“Hard skills” are often thought of as the occupational skills necessary to complete the tangible elements of a job….”Soft skills” can be seen as the behavioral ways in which people go about their occupational tasks. Leadership requires a sophisticated approach to both. Brian Evje, Inc., Nov. 8, 2012<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Those of you who read my monthly blogs know that I am enthusiastic about teaching students social skills, emotional skills, thinking skills, and positive character traits.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Over the past few years, business people have been talking and writing about the skill development of employees focusing on the need for developing their \u201csoft skills.\u201d I read that CEOs are starting to talk about wanting employees who are trustworthy, empathetic, adaptable, who can manage their emotions (self control), and have the skills to be better decision-makers. It has been reported that 85 percent of those who lose jobs do so because of inadequate social skills, and that children who scored high on social skills were four times as likely to graduate from college than those who scored low.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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In early April, Phil Blair, co-founder of Manpower San Diego, wrote an advice column in the Business Section of the San Diego Union Tribune (4-9-18) titled \u201cTurning Your Soft Skills Into Your Strongest Talents.\u201d Blair noted that business executives reported that among the \u201ctechnical\u201d talents employees bring to their work and the workplace, there is a need for employees to learn and demonstrate \u201csoft skills\u201d \u2013 behavioral attributes such as \u201cadaptability, cultural competence, empathy, intellectual curiosity and 360-degree thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Graduate School at the University of Cincinnati compiled a list of the 10 top soft skills that employers seek (with definitions not included here).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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1. Dependability\/Reliability
\n2. Motivation\/Initiative
\n3. Communication
\n4. Commitment
\n5. Creativity
\n6. Flexibility
\n7.<\/span>Problem Solving
\n<\/span>8. Teamwork
\n<\/span>9. Leadership
\n<\/span>10.Time Management<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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https:\/\/grad.uc.edu\/student-life\/news\/soft-skills.html<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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In addition, there have been numerous discussions about students and employees learning and using \u201c21st century skills.\u201d There are an abundance of skill lists. A couple of examples will give you the \u201cskill picture\u201d of the future.\u00a0One group\u2019s list includes:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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