8 Most important Soft Skills You Need To Succeed in Life and Career
Having good skills for success at is essential people work and in life. These skills (also known as “soft skills” or “emotional intelligence”) can make all the difference. Here are a few you need to develop.
1. Active listening
Active listening involves listening very carefully to what the other person is saying without interrupting them. Then, taking your time to think and respond, rather than just answering as quickly as you can so you can say what you want to say.
2. A sense of humour
Humour is a great way of diffusing a tense situation. And being able to see the funny side of things can often help make the environment more pleasant and relaxed.
3. Empathy
Having an ability to relate to others and understand how they’re feeling is a key skill. Empathy allows you to create relationships. It can also give you an insight into people’s motives, which can help you predict responses.
4. Flexibility
It’s important to have opinions and ideas, but you also need to be able to respond to changes. When the situation transforms, you need to be able to adapt.
5. Persuasive powers
Knowing how to persuade people to do things is a key skill in life and business. This often involves having a clear idea of who you’re talking to and their specific needs. This will allow you to focus on any potential benefits for them.
6. Patience
No one likes a hothead, so it’s good to be able to keep a level head in stressful situations. The key to being patient is to wait and observe, and know when to act, rather than just jumping in without considering your options.
7. Knowing your audience
Knowing what, when and how to say something is critical; above all, it involves understanding exactly who you’re talking to. For example, if you’ve just been away on holiday while your colleagues have been stuck in the office, it probably isn’t a good idea to start talking about your two-week trip to the beach.
8. Body language
Body language makes up around 80% of the meaning in the messages we communicate. So, being aware of what your gestures, expressions and voice are actually saying can really help. And understanding other people’s body language may tell you what they’re really feeling or thinking. Start developing your people skills now. You need them!
Learn more:
- 120 English Phrases for Everyday Life Part 1
- 120 English Phrases for Everyday Life Part 2
- 120 English Phrases for Everyday Life Part 3
