List of soft skill

Assertive
Attentive
Business Trend Awareness
Collaborating
Communication
Competitive
Confidant
Conflict Resolution
Cooperative
Courteous
Creative Thinker
Critical Thinker
Crisis Management
Critical Observer
Critical Thinker
Deal Making
Deal with Difficult Situations
Deal with Office Politics
Deals with Difficult People
Decision Making
Dedicated
Delegation
Dependable
Design Sense
Desire to Learn
Disability Awareness
Dispute Resolution
Diversity Awareness
E - G
Effective Communicator
Emotion Management
Emotional Intelligence
Empathetic
Energetic
Enthusiastic
Entrepreneurial Thinking
Ergonomic Sensitivity
Establish Interpersonal Relationships
Experience Dealing with Difficult Personalities
Experience
Facilitating
Flexible
Follow Instructions
Follow Regulations
Follow Rules
Friendly
Functions Well Under Pressure
Giving Feedback
Good at Networking
Good Attitude
H - O
High Energy
Highly Organized
Highly Recommended
Honest
Independent
Influence/Persuasive
Innovator
Inspiring
Intercultural Competence
Interpersonal
Interviewing
Knowledge Management
Leadership Skills
Make Deadlines
Management Skills
Managing Difficult Conversations
Managing Remote Teams
Managing Virtual Teams
Meeting Management
Mentoring
Motivated
Motivating
Negotiation Skills
Organized
P - R
Patience
Perform Effectively in a Deadline Environment
Performance Management
Perseverance
Persistence
Persuasion
Physical Communication
Planning
Positive Work Ethic
Possess Business Ethics
Presentation
Problem-solver
Process Improvement
Proper Business Etiquette
Public Speaking
Punctual
Quick-witted
Read Body Language
Reliable
Research
Resilient
Resolving Issues
Respectful
Respectable
Results-oriented
S - U
Safety Conscious
Scheduling
Self-Awareness
Self-directed
Self-monitoring
Self-supervising
Selling Skills
Sense of Humor
Stay on Task
Strategic Planning
Stress Management
Successful Coach
Supervising
Take Criticism
Talent Management
Team Building
Team Player
Technology Savvy
Technology Trend Awareness
Thinks Outside the Box
Time Management
Tolerant of Change and Uncertainty
Train the Trainer
Trainable
Training
Troubleshooter
V - Z
Value Education
Verbal Communication
Visual Communication
Well Groomed
Willing to Accept Feedback
Willingness to Learn
Work Well Under Pressure
Work-Life Balance
Writing Experience
Writing Reports and Proposals
Writing Skills
A - D
Able to Listen
Accept Feedback
Adaptable

1. Growth mindset Looking at any situation, especially difficult situations, as an opportunity for you to learn, grow, and change for the
better. Focusing your attention on improving yourself instead of changing others or blaming anyone.
2. Self-awareness - Knowing and understanding what drives, angers, motivates, embarrasses, frustrates, and inspires you. Being able to
observe yourself objectively in a difficult situation and understand how your perceptions of yourself, others, and the situation are driving
your actions.
3. Emotion regulation Being able to manage your emotions, especially negative ones, at work (e.g. anger, frustration, embarrassment) so
you can think clearly and objectively, and act accordingly.
4. Self-confidence - Believing in yourself and your ability to accomplish anything. Knowing that all you need is within you now. Those
who believe in themselves have access to unlimited power wisdom from Kung Fu Panda
5. Stress management- Being able to stay healthy, calm, and balanced in any challenging situations. Knowing how to reduce your stress level
will increase your productivity, prepare you for new challenges and supports your physical and emotional health, all of which you need for a
fulfilling, successful career.
6. Resilience - Being able to bounce back after a disappointment or set back, big or small, and continue to move onward and upward.
7. Skills to forgive and forget- Being able to forgive yourself for making a mistake, forgive others that wronged you, and move on without
mental or emotional baggage. Freeing your mind from the past so you can focus 100% of your mental energy on your near and long-term
career goals.
8. Persistence and perseverance Being able to maintain the same energy and dedication in your effort to learn, do, and achieve in your
career despite difficulties, failures, and oppositions.
9. Patience Being able to step back in a seemingly rushed or crisis situation, so you can think clearly and take action that fulfills your long
term goals.
10. Perceptiveness Giving attention and understanding to the unspoken cues and underlying nuance of other peoples communication and
actions. Often times, we are too busy thinking about ourselves and what we are saying, we leave little room to watch and understand others
action and intentions. If you misinterpret others intention, you can easily encounter difficulties dealing with people and not even know
why.
Soft Skills List People Skills
People Skills address how to best interact and work with others so you can build meaningful work relationships, influence others
perception of you and your work, and motivate their actions. I have split them into two sections Conventional and Tribal
Conventional List of people skills you can find in most job descriptions and you will be assessed on some or all of these in your
performance reviews depending on your level.
1. Communication skills Being able to actively listen to others and articulate your ideas in writing and verbally to any audience in a way
where you are heard and you achieve the goals you intended with that communication.
2. Teamwork skills Being able to work effectively with anyone with different skill sets, personalities, work styles, or motivation level to
achieve a better team result.
3. Interpersonal relationship skills Effectively at building trust, finding common ground, having empathy, and ultimately building good
relationships with people at work and in your network. This skill is closely related to Communication Skills. As Maya Angelou said I
have learned people will forget what you said. People will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you make them feel.
4. Presentation skills Effectively presenting your work results and ideas formally to an audience that captivates their attention, engage their
input, and motivates them to act in accordance to your desired outcome. While presentation skills is a form of communication skills, I
decided to list it separately given the ability to present plays a huge role in any business profession especially as you move up in your career.
5. Meeting management skills Leading a meeting to efficiently and effectively reach productive results. At least 50% of meetings today are
a waste of time.
6. Facilitating skills Being able to coordinate and solicit well represented opinions and feedback from a group with diverse perspectives to
reach a common, best solution.
7. Selling skills - Building buy-in to an idea, a decision, an action, a product, or a service. This is not just for people in sales.
8. Management skills Creating and motivating a high performing team with people of varied skills, personalities, motivations, and work
styles.
9. Leadership skills Defining and communicating vision and ideas that inspires others to follow with commitment and dedication.
10. Mentoring / coaching skills - Providing constructive wisdom, guidance, and/or feedback that can help others further their career
development
Tribal List of people skills that you will not find in any job descriptions. They are also essential to your career success. I call it
tribal because they are more insider knowledge that you gain from work experience or from mentors. Some people can go through
their entire career and not be aware of some of these skills.
11. Managing upwards Proactively managing your relationship with your boss, his expectations of your work, and his perception of your
performance. Whether you are challenged, given opportunities, or recognized at work heavily depends on your ability to communicate,
manage expectations, and build a good relationship with your boss.
12. Self-promotion skills Proactively and subtly promoting your skills and work results to people of power or influence in your organization
and network. It is not enough that your boss knows you do great work. You need to subtly build your reputation with all key people that
can influence your performance review. This is because hard work alone does not guarantee success.
13. Skills in dealing with difficult personalities Being able to still achieve the work result needed while working with someone whom you
find difficult.
14. Skills in dealing with difficult/unexpected situations Being able to stay calm and still are effective when faced with an unexpected or
difficult situation. This includes being able to think on your feet and articulate thoughts in an organized manner even when you are not
prepared for the discussion or situation you are in.
15. Savvy in handling office politics Being able to understand and proactively deal with the unspoken nuances of office and people dynamics
so you can protect yourself from unfairness as well as further your career. Office politics is a fact of life. If you dont choose to play, it can
play you.
16. Influence / persuasion skills - Being able to influence perspectives or decision making but still have the people you influence think they
made up their own minds.
17. Negotiation skills - Being able to understand the other sides motivations and leverage and reach a win-win resolution that you find
favorably, satisfies both sides, and maintains relationships for future interactions.
18. Networking skills - Being able to be interesting and interested in business conversations that motivates people to want to be in your
network. The bigger and stronger the network you have, the more easily you can get things done (e.g., find a job, get advice, find business
partners, find customers, etc)
19. Math.
2. Safety.
3. Courtesy.
4. Honesty.
5. Grammar.
6. Reliability.
7. Flexibility.
8. Team skills.
9. Eye contact.
10. Cooperation.
11. Adaptability.
12. Follow rules.
13. Self-directed.
14 Good attitude.
15. Writing skills.
16. Driver's license.
17. Dependability.
18. Advanced math.
19. Self-supervising.
20. Good references.
21. Being drug free.
22. Good attendance.
23. Personal energy.
24. Work experience.
25. Ability to measure.
26. Personal integrity.
27. Good work history.
28. Positive work ethic.
29. Interpersonal skills.
30. Motivational skills.
31. Valuing education.
32. Personal chemistry.
33. Willingness to learn.
34. Common sense.
35. Critical thinking skills.
36. Knowledge of fractions.
37. Reporting to work on time.
38. Use of rulers and calculators.
39. Good personal appearance.
40. Wanting to do a good job.
41. Basic spelling and grammar.
42. Reading and comprehension.
43. Ability to follow regulations.
44. Willingness to be accountable.
45. Ability to fill out a job application.
46. Ability to make production quotas.
47. Basic manufacturing skills training.
48. Awareness of how business works.
49. Staying on the job until it is finished.
50. Ability to read and follow instructions.
51. Willingness to work second and third shifts.
52. Caring about seeing the company succeed.
53. Understanding what the world is all about.
54. Ability to listen and document what you have heard.
55. Commitment to continued training and learning.
56. Willingness to take instruction and responsibility.
57. Ability to relate to coworkers in a close environment.
58. Not expecting to become a supervisor in the first six months.
59. Willingness to be a good worker and go beyond the traditional eight-hour day.
60. Communication skills with public, fellow employees, supervisors, and customers.
20. How many soft skills do you possess?

Part II: How to improve your soft skills
21. The author is a career management consultant and corporate trainer.
Communicating
This is perhaps the most common entry on person specifications for job vacancies, and for good reason. Skilled
communicators get along well with colleagues, listen and understand instructions, and put their point across
without being aggressive. They can change their style of communication to suit the task in hand this can be
invaluable in many different situations, from handling conflict to trying to persuade a customer of the benefits of
buying your product. If youve got good communication skills you should be able develop constructive working
relationships with colleagues and be able to learn from constructive criticism.
Making decisions
There are different styles of decision making, but the important thing is to be, you guessed it, decisive. Gathering
all the important facts, seeking advice, looking at the big picture, considering alternatives, being aware of
repercussions these are all things that go into making a good decision. Things to be wary of are indecision and
making snap decisions.
Showing commitment
Employers want people who are dependable, reliable, enthusiastic, and enjoy hard work. Employees that are
committed need very little supervision or motivation to do their best and get the job done.
Flexibility
We live in rapidly changing times in the workplace, so if youre adaptable and flexible, youll be able to change with
the times. Its a great asset if you are able to step outside your comfort zone and try your hand at something you
havent done before. Employers like people who are positive, upbeat and have a can-do attitude.
Time management
When deadlines are looming, good time management is about prioritising the most important tasks, and then
deciding which actions will produce the maximum output with the minimum effort. Are you a good juggler - can
you work on several different projects at once?
Leadership skills
Even if youre not managing staff yet, leadership qualities are valued by employers. They look for people who lead
by example, constantly look to improve, motivate themselves, are positive, and know when to follow instructions
and when to show initiative.
Creativity and problem-solving skills
The ability to apply both logic and creativity to solve problems is highly valued by employers. If you are the kind of
person who tries to see the solution as well as the problem, this will stand you in good stead.
Being a team player
A good team player has the team goals clear in their mind and works with others to achieve them. They are open
and honest, and offer constructive suggestions and listen to others.
Accepting responsibility
Employers are on the lookout for people who take pride in their work, and are confident enough to put their name
to it. They also respect people who can hold their hands up when things go wrong, and dont pass the buck.
Everyone makes mistakes - its how you react and learn from them that counts.
Ability to work under pressure
Whether youre trying to hit a challenging deadline or an urgent job has just landed in your lap, employers want to
know you can put the stress to one side and focus on the job in hand. Can you decide quickly which approach will
achieve the maximum results in a short period of time, and then get the job done?
1. Self awareness Knowing and understanding what drives, angers, motivates, embarrasses, frustrates, inspires you, and can observe
yourself objectively in a difficult situation.
2. Emotion management Being able to manage any of your negative emotions like anger or frustration so you can think clearly and at
your optimum and act accordingly.
3. Self-confidence Believing in yourself and your ability to accomplish anything All you need is within you now. (Those who believe
in themselves have access to unlimited power wisdom from KungFu Panda)
4. Stress management Being able to stay healthy, calm, and balanced in stressful, overwhelming situations
5. Resilience Being able to bounce back from a misstep in your job or career
6. Skills to forgive and forget Being able to move on without baggage from a past mistake or something in your career that wronged
you
7. Persistence and Perseverance Being able to overcome challenging situations and obstacles and maintain the same energy
8. Patience Being able to step back in an emergency to think clearly or the ability to pause and wait when you are in a rush or want to
rush others.
Soft Skills People Skills
1. Communication skills - Skills to listen and articulate your ideas in writing and verbally to any audience in a way where you are heard
and you achieve the goals you intended with that communication.
2. Presentation skills Ability to maintain attention and achieve your desired outcome from presenting to an audience
3. Facilitating skills Ability to coordinate and solicit well represented opinions and feedback from a group with diverse perspectives to
reach a common, best solution.
4. Interviewing skills Ability to sell your skills as an interviewee or accurately assess others ability or extract the needed
information as an interviewer
5. Selling skills This is not just for people in sales. This is the ability to build buy-in to an idea, a decision, an action, a product, or a
service
6. Meeting management skills At least 50% of meetings today in corporate america are a waste of time. This is the skill to efficiently
and effectively reach productive results from leading a meeting
7. Influence / persuasion skills Ability to influence perspective or decision making but still have the people you influence think they
made up their own mind.
8. Team work skills Ability to work effectively with anyone with different skill sets, personalities, work styles, or motivation level
9. Management skills Ability to motivate and create a high performing team with people of varied skills, personalities, motivations,
and work styles.
10. Leadership skills Ability to create and communicate vision and ideas that inspires others to follow with commitment and dedication.
11. Skills in dealing with difficult personalities Ability to work well or manage someone whom you find difficult
12. Skills in dealing with difficult situations Ability to stay calm and still be effective when faced with an unexpected difficult situation.
13. Ability to think / communicate on your feet (under pressure) Ability to articulate thoughts in an organized manner even when you
are not prepared for the question or situation you are in
14. Networking skills Ability to be interesting and interested in business conversations that motivates people to want to be in your
network.
15. Interpersonal relationship skills Ability to build trust, find common ground, have empathy, and ultimately build good relationships
with people you like or in positions of power/influence.
16. Negotiation skills Ability to understand the other sides motivations and leverage and reach a win-win resolution that you find
favorably, satisfies both sides, and maintains relationships for future dealings
17. Mentoring / coaching skills Ability to provide constructive wisdom, guidance, and/or feedback that can help others further their
career development
18. Organizing skills Ability to organize business gatherings to facilitate learning, networking, or business transactions
19. Self-promotion skills - Ability to subtly promote your skills and work results to people of power or influence in your organization.
This will build your reputation and influence.
20. Savvy in handling office politics - Office politics is a fact of life in corporate america. This is the ability to understand and deal with
office politics so you can protect yourself from unfairness as well as further your career.
1. Math.
2. Safety.
3. Courtesy.
4. Honesty.
5. Grammar.
6. Reliability.
7. Flexibility.
8. Team skills.
9. Eye contact.
10. Cooperation.
11. Adaptability.
12. Follow rules.
13. Self-directed.
14 Good attitude.
15. Writing skills.
16. Driver's license.
17. Dependability.
18. Advanced math.
19. Self-supervising.
20. Good references.
21. Being drug free.
22. Good attendance.
23. Personal energy.
24. Work experience.
25. Ability to measure.
26. Personal integrity.
27. Good work history.
28. Positive work ethic.
29. Interpersonal skills.
30. Motivational skills.
31. Valuing education.
32. Personal chemistry.
33. Willingness to learn.
34. Common sense.
35. Critical thinking skills.
36. Knowledge of fractions.
37. Reporting to work on time.
38. Use of rulers and calculators.
39. Good personal appearance.
40. Wanting to do a good job.
41. Basic spelling and grammar.
42. Reading and comprehension.
43. Ability to follow regulations.
44. Willingness to be accountable.
45. Ability to fill out a job application.
46. Ability to make production quotas.
47. Basic manufacturing skills training.
48. Awareness of how business works.
49. Staying on the job until it is finished.
50. Ability to read and follow instructions.
51. Willingness to work second and third shifts.
52. Caring about seeing the company succeed.
53. Understanding what the world is all about.
54. Ability to listen and document what you have heard.
55. Commitment to continued training and learning.
56. Willingness to take instruction and responsibility.
57. Ability to relate to coworkers in a close environment.
58. Not expecting to become a supervisor in the first six months.
59. Willingness to be a good worker and go beyond the traditional eight-hour day.
60. Communication
So, what are these critical employability skills that employers demand of job-seekers?

Communications Skills (listening, verbal, written). By far, the one skill mentioned most often by employers is the ability to listen, write, and
speak effectively. Successful communication is critical in business.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Exceptional listener and communicator who effectively conveys information verbally and in writing.

Analytical/Research Skills. Deals with your ability to assess a situation, seek multiple perspectives, gather more information if necessary, and
identify key issues that need to be addressed.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Highly analytical thinking with demonstrated talent for identifying, scrutinizing, improving, and streamlining complex work processes.

Computer/Technical Literacy. Almost all jobs now require some basic understanding of computer hardware and software, especially word
processing, spreadsheets, and email.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Computer-literate performer with extensive software proficiency covering wide variety of applications.

Flexibility/Adaptability/Managing Multiple Priorities. Deals with your ability to manage multiple assignments and tasks, set priorities, and adapt
to changing conditions and work assignments.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Flexible team player who thrives in environments requiring ability to effectively prioritize and juggle multiple concurrent projects.

Interpersonal Abilities. The ability to relate to your co-workers, inspire others to participate, and mitigate conflict with co-workers is essential
given the amount of time spent at work each day.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Proven relationship-builder with unsurpassed interpersonal skills.

Leadership/Management Skills. While there is some debate about whether leadership is something people are born with, these skills deal with your
ability to take charge and manage your co-workers.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Goal-driven leader who maintains a productive climate and confidently motivates, mobilizes, and coaches employees to meet high performance
standards.

Multicultural Sensitivity/Awareness. There is possibly no bigger issue in the workplace than diversity, and job-seekers must demonstrate a
sensitivity and awareness to other people and cultures.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Personable professional whose strengths include cultural sensitivity and an ability to build rapport with a diverse workforce in multicultural
settings.

Planning/Organizing. Deals with your ability to design, plan, organize, and implement projects and tasks within an allotted timeframe. Also
involves goal-setting.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Results-driven achiever with exemplary planning and organizational skills, along with a high degree of detail orientation.

Problem-Solving/Reasoning/Creativity. Involves the ability to find solutions to problems using your creativity, reasoning, and past experiences
along with the available information and resources.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Innovative problem-solver who can generate workable solutions and resolve complaints.

Teamwork. Because so many jobs involve working in one or more work-groups, you must have the ability to work with others in a professional
manner while attempting to achieve a common goal.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Resourceful team player who excels at building trusting relationships with customers and colleagues.

Personal Values Employers Seek in Employees

Of equal importance to skills are the values, personality traits, and personal characteristics that employers seek. Look for ways to weave examples
of these characteristics into your resume, cover letters, and answers to interview questions.

Here is our list of the 10 most important categories of values.

Honesty/Integrity/Morality. Employers probably respect personal integrity more than any other value, especially in light of the many recent
corporate scandals.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Seasoned professional whose honesty and integrity provide for effective leadership and optimal business relationships.

Adaptability/Flexibility. Deals with openness to new ideas and concepts, to working independently or as part of a team, and to carrying out
multiple tasks or projects.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Highly adaptable, mobile, positive, resilient, patient risk-taker who is open to new ideas.

Dedication/Hard-Working/Work Ethic/Tenacity. Employers seek job-seekers who love what they do and will keep at it until they solve the problem
and get the job done.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Productive worker with solid work ethic who exerts optimal effort in successfully completing tasks.

Dependability/Reliability/Responsibility. There's no question that all employers desire employees who will arrive to work every day -- on time --
and ready to work, and who will take responsibility for their actions.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Dependable, responsible contributor committed to excellence and success.

Loyalty. Employers want employees who will have a strong devotion to the company -- even at times when the company is not necessarily loyal to
its employees.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Loyal and dedicated manager with an excellent work record.

Positive Attitude/Motivation/Energy/Passion. The job-seekers who get hired and the employees who get promoted are the ones with drive and
passion -- and who demonstrate this enthusiasm through their words and actions.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Energetic performer consistently cited for unbridled passion for work, sunny disposition, and upbeat, positive attitude.

Professionalism. Deals with acting in a responsible and fair manner in all your personal and work activities, which is seen as a sign of maturity and
self-confidence; avoid being petty.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Conscientious go-getter who is highly organized, dedicated, and committed to professionalism.

Self-Confidence. Look at it this way: if you don't believe in yourself, in your unique mix of skills, education, and abilities, why should a prospective
employer? Be confident in yourself and what you can offer employers.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Confident, hard-working employee who is committed to achieving excellence.

Self-Motivated/Ability to Work With Little or No Supervision. While teamwork is always mentioned as an important skill, so is the ability to work
independently, with minimal supervision.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Highly motivated self-starter who takes initiative with minimal supervision.

Willingness to Learn. No matter what your age, no matter how much experience you have, you should always be willing to learn a new skill or
technique. Jobs are constantly changing and evolving, and you must show an openness to grow and learn with that change.

Sample bullet point describing this skill:
Enthusiastic, knowledge-hungry learner, eager to meet challenges and quickly assimilate new concepts.

Final Thoughts on Employability Skills and Values
Employability skills and personal values are the critical tools and traits you need to succeed in the workplace -- and they are all elements that you
can learn, cultivate, develop, and maintain over your lifetime. Once you have identified the sought-after skills and values and assessed the degree
to which you possess, them remember to document them and market them (in your resume, cover letter, and interview answers) for job-search
success.

See also our Transferable Job Skills for Job-Seekers.

Sources of More Information about Employability Skills
Skills Employers Seek, reporting on annual results from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) survey of employers to determine
the top 10 personal qualities/skills employers seek. From the Career Development Center at Binghamton University.
Skills Employers Seek, from Loughborough University.
Skills Employers Seek, from Psych Web.

1. Empowered mindset
2. Self-awareness
3. Emotion regulation
4. Self-confidence
5. Stress management
6. Resilience
7. Skills to forgive and forget
8. Persistence and perseverance
9. Patience
10. Perceptiveness
11. Communication skills
12. Teamwork skills
13. Interpersonal relationship skills
14. Presentation skills
15. Meeting management skills
16. Facilitating skills
17. Selling skills
18. Management skills
19. Leadership skills
20. Mentoring / coaching skills
21. Managing upwards
22. Self-promotion skills
23. Skills in dealing with difficult personalities
24. Skills in dealing with difficult/unexpected situations
25. Savvy in handling office politics
26. Influence / persuasion skills
27. Negotiation skills
28. Networking skills
Action step: A vital key to goal achievement. The fundamental unit of progress for goal achievement. In
addition to outcomes, goals should be measured in action steps.
Related terms: habits.
Tip: People tend to focus on outcomes instead of behaviors, which are actions. Most influence and behavior
experts believe that this is a ineffective and suggest that the focus should be on specific behaviors and
actions steps. Thats where improvement occurs.

Active Learning: A process whereby learners engage in activities, such as reading, writing, discussion, or
problem solving that promotes critical thinking and the utilization of learning content.
Tip: Active learning is not a skill per se, it is, however, a crucial part of skills development. Active learning
plays a role in hard skill and soft skill development.

Adaptability: Able to change or be changed in order to fit or work better in some situation or for some
purpose.
Related terms: character, positive mental attitude.
Tip: Adaptability is one of the best tools a leader can have. According to the Harvard School of Business,
adaptability is the new competitive advantage for companies This applies to individuals as well. You cant
have an adaptive company without adaptive employees.
Example of an Adaptability Assessment:
Emotional Competence Inventory (ECI) tests adaptability on four scales:
Openness to new ideas.
Adaptation to situations.
Handling of unexpected demands.
Adapting or changing strategy.
Related terms: adaptive leadership, leadership agility

Attitude: A settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in
a persons behavior.
Tip: Your attitude about your work and life plays a big role in how people perceive what you do. In many
cases, your attitude determines how people feel about your actions and skills. Most people feel like a
persons attitude provide insight into a persons character and future behaviors.
Watch Duncan Nugget #10: According To Your Attitude


B.


C.
Character: The mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.
Related term: personality
Tip: The mental aspects of character, often referred to as performance values, include abilities such as grit,
curiosity, and self-control. The moral aspects of character include attributes such as honesty, fairness, and
responsibility.

Character Education (Character Development): Thus far, a universally agreed upon definition of
character education has yet to emerge. Here is a definition from the U. S. Department of Education:
Character education teaches the habits of thought and deed that help people live and work together as
families, friends, neighbors, communities and nations. US Dept. of Education, Character EducationOur
Shared Responsibility
Related terms: personal development, self-improvement
Tip: Character education is divided into moral character education and performance character education
(performance values). The latter is the part of character education that directly relates to soft skills.

Character Skills: See Soft Skills.

Character Strengths: Positive psychological traits of human beings.
Related terms: character traits, performance values
Tip: Character Strengths and Virtues is probably the most comprehensive and authoritative book on
character strengths. It identifies six classes of virtue made up of twenty-four measurable character
strengths.
The FAQ for the VIA Institute On Character explains that character strengths:
Have individual differences. Each is distinct from one another.
Are plural, meaning they interact and influence each other.
Are generally stable, but they can change over time.
Are shaped by context. They do not operate in isolation from settings, proximal and distal, in which
people are found. Character strengths are within people and people are within settings. Settings cannot fall
to the background when focusing on character strengths.
Duncan Nugget #47: Focus on your strengths, manage your weaknesses.
Strengths based coaching, training, and development has proven to be effective in helping people attain
greater levels of success and happiness.

Coaching: A training or development process via which an individual is supported while achieving a specific
personal or professional competence result or goal.
Related term: mentoring
Tip: Regardless of how successful they are, many top performers from all walks of life, seek some type of
coaching in specific areas. The right coach is a powerful asset.

Collaboration: To work together, especially in a joint intellectual effort; to build collaborative relationships
with colleagues and customers; be able to work with diverse teams, negotiate and manage conflicts.
Related terms: diversity, teamwork, team building
Tip: According to research by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, Collaboration/Teamwork
in one of the most in demand skills in the job market.

Communication: The exchange of information between people by means of speaking, writing, or using a
common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.
Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient. The communication process is
complete once the recipient has understood the sender.
Verbal communication: To articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively; have public speaking skills.
Written Communications: Write memos, letters and complex technical reports clearly and effectively.
Tip: Communication is arguably the most important soft skill. Its not even possible to master most soft
skills without effective communication skills.

Compassion: Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.
Related term: empathy
Tip: Weve all heard stories about mean-spirited successful people so, compassion is not a prerequisite for
success, but success gained without compassion is often short lived. People dont like mean people.
On the other hand, however, too much compassion can turn into excuse making on the behalf of others.
Have compassion, but people have to also help themselves.
Legendary motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar, once said, You can have everything in life you want, if you will
just help other people get what they want.
Conventional wisdom, religious and philosophical texts, and scientific research all come to the same
conclusion as Zig:
What goes around comes around.
You reap what you sow.
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Competitive Advantage: The ability gained through your performance and your resources to thrive in
personal and professional settings.
Tip: The term competitive advantage was originally a concepts relating to businesses and organizations. In
order to make this valuable concept applicable to individuals, Al Duncan developed the concept of an
individuals competitive advantage from the original business concept. The definition that is listed is for
individuals, not businesses.

Conflict Management: To minimize the negative outcomes of conflict while promoting the positive
outcomes of conflict with the goal of improving learning, especially in an organization.
Related term: conflict resolution
Tip: According the 2013 Executive Coaching Survey by Stanford University/Miles Group, conflict
management is the #1 soft skill CEOs work on or want to work on.
In their article, Leading In The Heat Of Conflict, Maccoby and Scudder identify five steps to managing
conflict.
Anticipate Take time to obtain information that can lead to conflict.
Prevent Develop strategies before the conflict occurs.
Identify If it is interpersonal or procedural, move to quickly manage it.
Manage Remember that conflict is emotional
Resolve React, without blame, and you will learn through dialogue.
NOTE: Conflict management and conflict resolution are not synonymous. In many organizational settings the
focus is pn conflict management because there can be many positive benefits to conflicts and resolution may
not be possible.

Conflict Resolution: The process of ending a disagreement between two or more people in a constructive
fashion for all parties involved.
Related term: conflict management

Concentration: The ability to give your undivided attention to a single object or activity.
Related term: focus

Conscientiousness: Very careful about doing what you are supposed to do; concerned with doing
something correctly.
Related terms: diligence, grit.
Tip: Along with grit, curiosity, perseverance, self-regulation, and optimism, conscientiousness is one of the
six non-cognitive skills that are most associated with performance values or performance character. Paul
Toughs How Children Succeed has greatly contributed to the re-surging popularity of helping children
develop character strengths.

Creativity: Demonstrate originality and inventiveness.
Related terms: industrious, innovative.
Tip: In many industries, like gaming and computer programming, being creative and innovative are highly
valued skills that can help you build a competitive advantage.
Sir Ken Robinsons classic TED talk, Do Schools Kill Creativity? not only fueled the international debate about
modern education reforms, it also made the term education revolution a buzz word.

Critical Thinking: Critical thinking is the art of analyzing and evaluating your thinking with the intent of
improving it. It is a process that leads to skills that can be learned, mastered and used.
Related term: problem solving
Tip: The above description of critical thinking indicates that it is a skill central to the development of most
other soft skills. Here are of 3 examples soft skills in action where critical thinking skills can help to improve
the other skills:
1. Deciding how you should respond to something that is said to you. (communication, Emotional
Intelligence)
2. Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of team members. (Teamwork, Team Building)
3. Making better decisions and solving problems. (decision making, problem solving)

Curiosity: A strong desire to know or learn something. Curiosity is often associated with problem-solving
ability and high performance in both academic and professional settings.
Tip: Along with grit, conscientiousness, perseverance, self-regulation, and optimism, curiosity is one of the
six non-cognitive skills that are most associated with performance values or performance character. Paul
Toughs How Children Succeed has greatly contributed to the re-surging popularity of helping children
develop character strengths.
Three things about curious people:
They have a continuous, intrinsic interest in both their inner experience and the world around them.
They are rarely bored. Curious people tend to be attracted to whats new: people, things, and
experiences.
Curious people are often considered good listeners and conversationalists.
Famous quote: Curiosity killed the cat. Curiosity without self-discipline and effective decision making can
lean to disastrous results.


D.
Decision Making: The process of making a choice.
Tip: The word decision originally comes the Latin decidere which literally means to cut off. Making a
decision doesnt necessarily mean that you have cut off all other options, but it does mean that you have
chosen to pursue a specific path of action or inaction.
Decision making is consistently in the top ten most indemand soft skills.
Considering that for most people, the only way that they improve their decision making is by making bad,
and sometimes costly, decisions. It would be wise for you to decide to study decision making models and
pick one that works well for you.

Delegation (Sharing leadership & authority): the act of giving control, authority, a job, a duty, etc., to
another person.
Tip: Knowing when and how to delegate leadership and authority is a tricky balancing act for leaders. If you
dont do enough work and take on enough responsibility, people will be disgruntled. If you try to do to
much, take all the credit and blame others, people will be disgruntled.
To succeed at this balancing act, two of requisites are:
1. Accurate assessment of strengths and weaknesses of ALL team members, including the leader.
2. Trust in the abilities of ALL team members, including the leader.
In his classic book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell provides a law of leadership that
specifically relates to developing others.
The Law of Empowerment (12): Only secure leaders give power to others.

Deliberate Practice: to engage in a highly structured activity which provides immediate and effective
feedback with the primary purpose of improving performance.
Tip: Be it hard skills or technical skills, skill acquisition and development, are significantly improved, and in
many instances, only possible with deliberate practice.
Duncan Nugget #176: Exceptional performance is not the result of talent and natural
abilities. Exceptional performance is primarily the result of exceptional practice.
Research shows that the quality of your practice is just as important as the quantity. Deliberate practice
allows for repeated experiences in which you can attend to the vital aspects of the situation and
incrementally improve your performance based on either results, feedback, or both from a coach/teacher.
In a paper titled The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance (1993), Ericsson,
Krampe, and Tesch-Romersaid concluded that:
Only a few exceptions, most notably height, are genetically prescribed. Instead, we argue that the
differences between expert performers and normal adults reflect a life-long period of deliberate effort to
improve performance in a specific domain.

Determination: firmness of purpose.
Related terms: volition, willpower
Tip: Determination is more of a state of mind than a skill. It helps you to remain steadfast and use your
skills even in the face of adversity.

Diligence: careful and persistent work or effort.
Related terms: grit, perseverance, work ethic

Diversity: Learn from and work collaboratively with individuals representing diverse cultures, races, ages,
gender, religions, lifestyles, and viewpoint.
Related terms: collaboration, teamwork, teambuilding
E.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify, assess, and control the
emotions of oneself, of others, and of groups. It can be divided into ability EI and trait EI.
Related term: emotional self-efficacy, social-emotional learning
EQ Assessments/Measures: http://www.eiconsortium.org/measures/measures.html

Emotional self-efficacy: a persons belief that he or she possesses empathy and assertiveness as well as
elements of social intelligence, personal intelligence, and ability emotional intelligence.
Related terms: Emotional Intelligence, social-emotional learning

Empathy: including a feeling for others, sympathetic reactions to their feelings, and imaginative
involvement in how the other person might be feeling.
Related term: compassion

Enthusiasm: intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.
Related term: passion
Tip: If you believe that success is equal parts achievement and fulfilment then the passion and enthusiasm
are a must on your journey.

Ethics: moral principles that govern a persons or groups behavior.
Related term: character
Tip: Ethical behaviors such as honesty and integrity consistently rank in the top characteristics.


F.
Fail-Forward: Improving skills & increasing knowledge while experiencing failure.
Related terms: diligence, grit, perseverance, resilience

Fixed Mindset: People with a fixed mindset believe that their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent,
are simply fixed traits.
Related term: growth mindset
Tip: The terms growth mindset and fixed mindset were coined by renowned psychologist, Carolyn
Dweck. Dwecks research has show that people with a fixed mindset tend to adopt self-defeating behaviors
that show a lack of self-confidence, self-efficacy, and persistence. It is extremely challenging to experience
long term growth and success if you have a fixed mindset.

Flexibility: See Adaptability.

Focus: A point of concentration or directed attention. Focus is also a state of mind or condition which blocks
out all distractions and facilitates clear perception and understanding.
Related terms: concentration
Tip: Check this video and activity - Duncan Nugget #103: Focus On The Task At Hand


G.
Global Competence:

Goal setting:

Grit:

Growth Mindset: People with a growth mindset are more likely to continue working hard despite setbacks
and failure. They believe that effort and practice, not talent, are the keys to high performance.
Related term: fixed mindset
Tip: People with a growth mindset are more likely to continue working hard despite setbacks. I believe that
having a growth mindset is one of the vital keys to developing grit and self-motivation.


H.


I.
Influence:

Initiative:

Innovation:

Integrity:

Interpersonal:

Intrapersonal:


J.


K.


L.
Leadership: Leverage the strengths of others to achieve common goals; use interpersonal skills to coach
and develop others

Leadership Agility: leaders must be able to proficiently move, change and evolve the organization. Agile
leaders are creative thinkers with a deep sense of purpose. They show a propensity and ability to move into
action and make decisions, and their implementation often results in greater learning.
Related term: adaptive leadership
Further reading: Agility:The Ingredient That Will Define Next Generation Leadership (Forbes.com)


M.
Mentoring: The process of teaching and/or giving help and advice to a less experienced and often younger
person.
Related term: coaching
Tip: Key leaders in business, philanthropy, government, religion, and education continuously laud the
positive impacts of mentoring. And research justifies their praise and advocacy.
Regardless of the industry, great mentors are an excellent source of crucial, but often unknown, nuances
and information about the skills necessary for the advancement of your career and personal development.
Motivation:


N.
Networking:
Non-cognitive skills:


O.
Optimism:
Organizational skills: the ability to plan, prioritize, and organize your work.


P.
People skills:
Performance values: see character education.
Perseverance:
Personal Branding:
Personal Development:
Personality:
Persuasion:
Philosophy:
Planning Skills: See Organizational Skills.
Positive Mental Attitude: Positive mental attitude (PMA) is the philosophy that having an optimistic
disposition, regardless of the circumstances, attracts positive changes and increases achievement.
Tip: There is still a great deal of debate about whether or not the effects of PMA or positive thinking are real.
There is research to support both sides of the debate so,
Positive Youth Development (PYD): The Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs, a collaboration
of twelve federal departments and agencies of the U.S. govenment that support youth, has created a
definition of positive youth development:
Positive youth development is an intentional, pro-social approach that engages youth within their
communities, schools, organizations, peer groups, and families in a manner that is productive and
constructive; recognizes, utilizes, and enhances youths strengths; and promotes positive outcomes for
young people by providing opportunities, fostering positive relationships, and furnishing the support needed
to build on their leadership strengths.
Related terms: youth development, youth empowerment
Tip: Although positive youth development is not a soft skill, it is a discipline that greatly values and heavily
focuses on soft skills development.
Another definition of youth development that I have found helpful is from Karen Pittman, co-founder of The
Forum For Youth Investment:
the ongoing growth process in which all youth are engaged in attempting to (1) meet their basic personal
and social needs to be safe, feel cared for, be valued, be useful, and be spiritually grounded, and (2) to build
skills and competencies that allow them to function and contribute in their daily lives.
Problem Solving:
Professionalism: Demonstrate personal accountability, effective work habits, e.g., punctuality, working
productively with others, and time and workload management.
Professional Development:
Pro-Social Behavior:
Public Speaking:


Q.


R.
Resilience:
Resourceful:


S.
Self-Control: the disciplined ability to choose to do one thing at the cost of not doing another (perhaps
more tempting thing).
Related terms: self-discipline, self-regulation
Self-Discipline: See self-control

Self-Efficacy: A persons belief in his/her ability to produce desired results by his/her own actions.
Related term: self-confidence
Tip: Self-efficacy is the foundation of human motivation and accomplishment. Unless people believe they
can produce desired outcomes by their own actions, they have little incentive to act or persevere in the face
of difficulties. Albert Bandura
Duncan Nugget #52: Motivation will only last if a person believes that their is a beneficial
relationship between his/her behavior and his/her desired outcome.
Ways of Developing Self-Efficacy:
1. Mastery
2. Social modeling
3. Social persuasion
4. Managing physical and emotional states
Self-efficacy and self-esteem are often confused. Self-efficacy has to do with your beliefs about your
abilities. Self-esteem has to do with your belief about your self-worth and value.

Self-Improvement: Be able to continuously acquire new knowledge and skills; monitor ones own learning
needs; be able to learn from ones mistake

Self-Reflection: self-reflection is a process of giving serious thought to our lives and our decisions by
examining our character, our actions and our motives and/or motivations. Sometimes we make decisions
and then reflect on our choices, other times we reflect before making choices.
Related Term: Self-Assessment
Self-Regulation:

Social Responsibility: Demonstrate integrity and ethical behavior; act responsibly with the interests of the
larger community in mind.

Social Emotional Learning:

Storytelling:


T.
Team Building:

Teamwork: Build collaborative relationships with colleagues and customers; be able to work with diverse
teams, negotiate and manage conflicts.

Team Player:

Time Management:

Training:


U.


V.
Volition: the faculty or power of using ones will.
Related terms: determination, willpower
Tip: Volition also known as willpower is a not a skill per se, but it is a vital factor in determining how much
effort an individual puts forth during deliberate practice or real performance.
Research shows that glucose is the fuel of willpower.


W.
Willpower: see volition.

Work ethic: a value based on smart work and diligence. Its the ability to demonstrate personal
accountability, effective work habits such as punctuality, working productively with others, and time and
workload management.
Related term: diligence
Tip: A strong work ethic is only possible with high levels of competency in the skills of grit, diligence,
perseverance, and organization (especially punctuality).
5 Behaviors Of On Individual With Strong Work Ethic:
1. Show up on time. Period.
2. Get your work done. Period.
3. Do what you are supposed to do when and how you are supposed to do it to the best of your ability.
4. Put forth extra effort.
5. Have a positive attitude.

- See more at: http://duncannuggets.com/2014/01/list-of-soft-skills.html#sthash.mmcMsGgZ.dpuf