How “Soft Skills” Can Save Your Company

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I just spent the last 30 minutes on the phone with my cable-telecom provider’s customer (dis) service center.  The experience was awful.  I had a simple question about my bill that went unanswered, unresolved and left me unsettled.  

As a communication expert and business transformation keynote speaker, I pride myself on the ability to hold a polite, patient, and productive conversation.  And as it turns out, this “soft skill” — the ability to communicate clearly in a productive way — can make the difference between your company succeeding or failing:  A recent LinkedIn survey of 291 hiring managers found the lack of soft skills is limiting their company’s productivity.  

In addition, a recent Wall Street Journal survey of nearly 900 executives in leadership positions found that 92% said soft skills were equally important, or more important, than technical skills.  Unfortunately, 89% also said that they have a very difficult time finding candidates with these very desirable, and critical, soft skills.  

So what are the most sought-after soft skills that positively impact an organizations performance?  

  1. The ability to communicate clearly;

  2. Good organizational skills;

  3. Great capacity for teamwork;

  4. Punctuality;

  5. Critical thinking;

  6. Social savvy;

  7. Creativity;

  8. Adaptability;

So whether you are looking to get promoted and jump start your career or hire the best managerial candidate, take a soft skills inventory:  Are you a clear communicator with social savvy?  Are you organized and a good team player?  Are you flexible, adaptive, and creative?  What other soft skills do you possess or do you covet in finding and hiring your next high-potential Millennial?  

Because if you don’t pay attention to these very critical soft skills, you may end up like my cable-telecom provider — losing a long time customer to a competitor.  

For more ideas on how to make better decisions that lead to exquisite soft skills, check out my website:  https://michaelveltri.com/business-keynote-speaker  And if you have any questions, leave a comment below or hit me up on Twitter @mpveltri.  I’ll be sure to get back to you right away!