Soft Skills Leaders Guide

Welcome and Introductions 3 min

What are soft skills ?

“Is it something that I said?”/Did?

Allow 1 min

Top 10 Soft Skills• Strong Work Ethic • Positive Attitude• Good Communication• Time Management• Problem Solving Skills • Acting As A Team Player • Self-Confidence • Ability To Accept And Learn From Criticism • Flexible/Adaptable• Work Well Under Pressure

Ask your self if you have any one or all of these skills .Can you have one without the other? The next few slides will help you discover where you are with your soft skills .

Allow 2 min

Strong Work Ethic

• Are you motivated and dedicated to getting the job done, no matter what? Will you be diligent and do your best work?

Think for a moment before you answer these questions. Are you a clock watcher ? Are you willing to stay later if needed? If you answered yes ,the next question is; Is it A. motivation ,passion and drive that makes you stay? Or is it B. pay? If it is A you are well on your way.

Allow 2 min

Positive Attitude

• Are you optimistic and upbeat? Will you generate good energy and good will?

Optimistic: Positive ; Confident ; Cheerful

Pessimistic: Negative ; Cynical ;Unenthusiastic

Have Participants fill in the blanks: Is it possible to be to be optimistic all the time? Does our human nature do tend to be pessimistic on occasion. The answer to this is look at your self and make a choice, if the situation is not so idea can it be reversed? Can you find a win win in it? Is it ok sometimes to agree to disagree? Allow 2 min

Good Communication Skills

• Are you both verbally articulate and a good listener? Can you make your case and express your needs in a way that builds bridges with colleagues, customers and vendors?

Give the Read and Do Test . Allow no conversation during this exercise .Allow only 3 minute complete give little to no directions only the sheet. Watch as participants discover if they are good at following directions which is a part of good communication. Allow 3 Min for discussion. How did people feel after this exercise? How well did they do?

Allow 10 min

Time Management Abilities

• Do you know how to prioritize tasks and work on a number of different projects at once? Will you use your time on the job wisely?

Questions To ask yourself:• If your start time @ work is 8:00 are you just walking in the door @ 8 or are you

ready to work @ your proper location?• Do you welcome interruptions if you are working on a specific task? i.e. Fred

comes in with a new project and you are currently working on something with a dead line. Do you hear Fred out or do you become frustrated and sulk at the thought of being overwhelmed?

Keys to good time management: • Do you plan your day ,allowing for the What If’s? • Do you have a method of Time Management such as a Planner / At A Glance Daily

Calendar /Palm Pilot ? Allow 3 min

Problem-Solving Skills

• Are you resourceful and able to creatively solve problems that will unavoidably arise? Will you take ownership of problems or leave them for someone else?

This question goes hand in hand with time management. If you can prioritize there is plenty of room for creativity /problem solving and taking ownership and allowing time for corrections if things have grey areas and needs modification. When we tend not to allow time for this it is ease to try to pass the blame on someone else. Allow 2 min

Acting as a Team Player

• Will you work well in groups and teams? Will you be cooperative and take a leadership role when appropriate?

Talk about the illustration in this slide. Get comments if any.Allow 1 min

Self-Confidence

• Do you truly believe you can do the job? Will you project a sense of calm and inspire confidence in others? Will you have the courage to ask questions that need to be asked and to freely contribute your ideas?

Read this question and allow your audience to think for a minute. And answer the question on their own? No discussion needed for this one. Allow 1 min for this task.

Ability to Accept and Learn From Criticism

• Will you be able to handle criticism? Are you coachable and open to learning and growing as a person and as a professional?

Read this question and allow your audience to think for a minute. And answer the question on their own? No discussion needed for this one. Allow 1 min for this task.

Talk about the illustration in this slide. Get comments if any.

Flexibility/Adaptability

• Are you able to adapt to new situations and challenges? Will you embrace change and be open to new ideas?

Read this question and allow your audience to think for a minute. And answer the question on their own? No discussion needed for this one.

Allow 1min

Working Well Under Pressure

• Can you handle the stress that accompanies deadlines and crises? Will you be able to do your best work and come through in a pinch?

• Give Stress Management test • This scale shows the kind of life pressure that you are facing. Depending on your coping skills or

the lack thereof, this scale can predict the likelihood that you will fall victim to a stress related illness. The illness could be mild - frequent tension headaches, acid indigestion, loss of sleep to very serious illness like ulcers, cancer, migraines and the like. All are things that can affect your daily work routine.

• LIFE STRESS SCORES• 0-149 Low susceptibility to stress-related illness• 150-299 Medium susceptibility to stress-related illness. • 300 and over High susceptibility to stress-related illness• Ask participants to close there eyes and relax as you read : All I ever needed to know

Allow 15min

Soft Skills

• When job-hunting, focus on the skills most likely to interest the prospective employer and learn to demonstrate these skills through your resume, in an interview or in dealing with potential employers at career fairs or industry association gatherings.

• For example, tell a story of how you successfully handled a crisis or challenge at your company. Mention honors you received or even bring along letters of thanks or commendation from an employer or customer.

 • Remember, whether you are applying for a service position or a

technical job, it's your combination of core and soft skills that will set you apart from the crowd!

Allow 2 min

Q & A

Quotes and materials used from various sources including the following:Career Builders : Kate Lorenz EditorAOLQuint CareersReddiff.comCartoonStock.comNextel Wireless new-mind.com Robert Fulghum Workforce Partnership Staff :Retention Career Advisor :Donna Bradley –CrissCareer Center Coordinator : Sheridan MyrickSite Manager : Don Baston

Rev.2/28/2008 DBC

Allow 5 min