Soft Skills are in High Demand

The #1 skill lacking in the U.S. workforce is Interpersonal Skills, also known as People Skills, Soft Skills or Emotional Intelligence Skills; all are related to the way we communicate and interact with others. Strong Interpersonal Skills are essential for succeeding in today's workplace. The only problem is they are difficult to find in employees. In a recent survey conducted by LinkedIn of 291 hiring managers in the U.S., it was revealed that 59% of managers believe that soft skills are the most difficult to find.

Being 'HIP' Isn’t Always Necessary

Several years ago, I received a call from my agent telling me I had lost a speaking engagement to another speaker because of a word I used in my video demo tape. In the opinion of the client’s meeting planner, the word I had spoken was an “out dated” term. I guess by using this supposedly out-of-date word, I wasn’t on the cutting edge of the latest and greatest "fad" in management.

Great Advice Has No Value - Unless Followed

I try and look on advice this way; why experience the pain or frustration of doing something wrong, when someone can “ADVISE” me as to the best, quickest, and easiest way to do it. I am all for taking advantage of those who have done it before and I am happy to “go to school” on what they have learned. Following good advice is a great way to shorten your learning curve. It should also be noted: the best advice usually comes from those who have been through the most.

The Power of an APOLOGY

It took me years to learn: Sometimes the first to apologize wins. Conflict resolved. Tension removed. You feel better. Life goes on. The definition of an APOLOGY is: an admission of error or discourtesy accompanied by an expression of regret and should not reference mitigating or extenuating circumstances. If you reference those mitigating or extenuating circumstances, you just flipped from an APOLOGY to giving an EXCUSE. And, as Benjamin Franklin said: “Never ruin an apology with an excuse.”

A Better Version of You

Would you believe that there is an organization in America today that lists 90 traits, characteristics, and soft-skills they want their employees to have? Well, there is. My first thought when I saw the list was … these folks are nuts! But, after reviewing the list, I changed my mind. All of them are doable and warrant our attention. Success is all about constantly becoming a better version of ourselves. But, what do we have to go by? How do we grade ourselves?

Silence is a Powerful Statement

“A wise man once said nothing.” What a great quote we should all make note of. Silence is a powerful statement, a smart tactic, and many times, a wise choice. Meaningless silence is always better than speaking meaningless words. Maybe we should give some serious thought to the fact that we have a mouth that we can close and ears that we can’t close.