Think of modern economic progress with its business empires and corporate establishments, and you can’t but help think of the modern day workforce. Qualified, experienced professionals, equipped to bring results! However, today’s organizations are looking for more than just domain expertise in their people. The focus is on skills and traits that make people invaluable team members no matter their role or experience, thereby, making the workforce more holistic and productive.

Listed below are 6 such golden skills.

  1. Curiosity lies in the boundless capacity to be interested in and embrace learning opportunities. If you have the willingness to know more, seek information and ask questions about what captures your attention, you are set! An analogy to remember is that being curious removes our blinders!
  2. Contribution is the commitment to owning one’s role and ensuring impact. When collaborating at work, we each are responsible for a piece that is part of a bigger whole. Being steadily accountable for that piece is crucial here.
  3. Creativity is about producing something new that is of significant value, personally or professionally. A beginner’s mind is said to be the most fertile ground for this skill. The ability to constantly come up with new solutions to problems is considered highly creative. As is the ability to be spontaneous.
  4. Connection symbolizes a deeper form of relationship-building. To empathize, by understanding the need and desire of the other person, captures its essence. A question that allows this skill to shines is, “What would make this interaction most meaningful?”
  5. Communication goes beyond one’s verbal skills. Our tone, body language, energy and choice of words are some key components. Two skills closely supporting communication, are curiosity and connection.
  6. Competence rests at the core of all growth. The skills and expertise we have are our own tool kit. The ownership lies on us individually, to add new tools when needed. Keeping the tools at their functional best is equally essential. This self-directed learning to keep abreast of trends, is much sought after.
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As much as these skills are intangible,everyone has them. Honing them is all that is needed. Just like we’d sharpen a pencil, to ensure its effectiveness. They might sound commonplace, but there is a strong call to embody such soft skills. It’s a professional movement!

The good news is that these skills are intricately inter-dependent. As a result, if you focus on even one of them, you are sure to strengthen a couple more. Ready to shine your light?

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