Communication, empathy, collaboration, conflict resolution, these are critical skills to succeed at the workplace or in life. Sounds fairly obvious, right? Wrong. For a long time, these abilities were undervalued and even dismissed as so-called “feminine skills”.
Now, even as AI disrupts many professions and replaces key roles, soft skills seem to matter more than ever. Turns out, if you want to stay ahead of the game, you need to complement specialised skills with soft skills.
A study published in the Harvard Business Review in August backed the continued development of soft skills. After analysing 1,000 occupations and hundreds of skills, it found that those who had broad foundational skills did better than those with only specialised skills like coding.
Foundational skills such as collaboration, problem solving, and adaptability help individuals navigate organisational changes and offer a base to learn new skills. Such professionals learn faster, earn more, move into advanced positions, and prove more resilient amid market changes, the study showed.
At Ladies Who Lead, our focus is on building a platform that helps women prepare for the future and stay ahead of the curve. We offer our members access to a vibrant community where they can interact and gain insights from fellow leaders, find mentors and collaborators, and constantly expand their knowledge.
Going ahead, such skills will determine our ability to transition into different professions or roles, and how we work in interdisciplinary teams. And qualities such as empathy, the ability to motivate a team and resilience will make all the difference in whether we succeed as entrepreneurs and leaders or not.
While the topic is open for debate, a long-term focus on soft skills coupled with specialised ones could certainly transform society and workplaces for the better.