The Hard Fact of Soft Skills Why Subject Matter Expertise Isn’t Enough

Kathleen D. Johnson Director, Undergraduate Education & Program Planning

Copyright, Regents of the University of California, Kathleen D. Johnson, 2012

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

• Soft skills is a sociological term relating to a person's "EQ" (Emotional Intelligence Quotient)

Cluster of personality traits that characterize relationships with other people

• Social graces • Communication • Language • Personal habits • Friendliness • Optimism

Do they matter?

• Soft skills complement hard skills (part of a person's IQ), which are the occupational requirements of a job and many other activities.

Social Habits

• Respects rights and property of others

• Respects authority

• Works and plays well with others

• Expresses emotions with control

• Accepts correction

• Shows self-confidence

Work Habits

• Follows directions • Completes work • Works independently • Shows consistent effort • Work is neat • Listens without interrupting • Controls talking • Assumes responsibility • Has adequate attention span

Fast forward several years

Food Service Coordinator

• Maintain excellent relationships

• Have excellent communication skills

• Possess the personal characteristics of professionalism, credibility, commitment to high standards, innovation, discriminating judgment and accountability

Building Maintenance Worker

• Provide customer service in an efficient, effective, and professional manner to students, staff, faculty and guests

• Work as a team member to ensure delivery of quality customer service

Licensing Officer

• Ability to negotiate

• Good management skills

• Strong interpersonal skills

Port Engineer

• Strong leadership skills to function effectively under pressure

• Proven organization, problem solving, negotiation and decision making skills with expertise in clarifying and resolving conflict situations and developing attainable solutions

Principles of Community

• We affirm each individual's right to dignity and strive to maintain a climate of justice marked by mutual respect for each other.

Principles of Community

• We promote awareness through education and constructive strategies for resolving conflict.

Principles of Community

• We affirm the right to freedom of expression at UCSD. We promote open expression of our individuality and our diversity within the bounds of courtesy, sensitivity, confidentiality, and respect.

Where do I start?

Need one of these

Core Competencies

• Communication – Active Listening – Providing Feedback – Oral Communication – Oral Presentation – Written Communication

• Diversity Awareness

– Awareness – Legal Knowledge

• Critical Thinking – Decision making – Delegation – Planning & scheduling – Organizing – Strategic problem-

solving – Judgment (including

political acumen) – Administrative Controls – Initiative

Core Competencies

• Emotional Intelligence – Self Development – Adaptability/stress

tolerance – Self-control – Trustworthiness – Achievement orientation – Building strategic

relationships

– Conflict management – Leadership/influence – Interpersonal

sensitivity/empathy – Team/interpersonal

support – Collaboration

Reframe your thinking

• Being right isn’t enough

• Acknowledge and consider what matters to the other person

• Challenge the win/loss mentality

Develop Emotional Intelligence

• Adaptability and willingness

• Stress processing and tolerance

• Manage conflict

• Practice collaboration

• Practice active and demonstrated listening

• Seek out the perspectives of others

• Take responsibility for what others hear

Subject Matter Expertise alone won’t save you

Start here

• Respond to inquiries (phone, electronic)

• Act as a responsible citizen in your work environment

• Complete tasks as agreed or communicate in real time

• Remember that even the best ideas cannot be implemented without the permission of others

Work together and reap rewards

Thanks to the CSW Women’s Conference