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?
The ability to communicate clearly;
Good organizational skills;
Great capacity for teamwork;
Punctuality;
Critical thinking;
Social savvy;
Creativity;
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!