In my last post, I mentioned how I never worked 9-5, and how I acquired skills along the way.
However, in our homes in the Catholic suburb of Bandra, our parents emphasized what we call soft skills nowadays.
Getting the Technical Skills vs Soft Skills
I have always believed that life was more than just making money. Thanks to my dad, I was unknowingly trained in soft skills or human skills at a very young age.
I know, I am the mutant Indian. I did not become a doctor, engineer, or IT professional.
I became a coach, educator, and linguist.
I agree we need to have a Tr. in front of our names as teachers.
Dad Was My Inner Voice
I guess hearing my dad say multiple times, “You cannot take it with you.” resonated and became my inner voice.
Money was a non-issue in my home. And so was the pursuit of the dollar.
What was more important to this Bible-believing man was what was in my heart and soul.
So, more than acquiring the skills I would need to make money, I tended to focus on the inward skill set.
Or, the human skills according to Simon Sinek.
Now, I am not going to say I acquired this flawlessly.
Quite the opposite in fact.
Acquiring a set of unquantifiable skills like these takes years.
You do not pick it all up in high school or college.
And, there are no degrees or accolades.
Although high school is a good place to start acquiring skill sets ,it is really life itself that is the best teacher.
Hiring Professional Search for Soft Skills
More and more, hiring professionals and managers are looking for certain skills in the workforce.
This phrase is being thrown around for the last few years – soft skills.
What are soft skills?
Soft skills I may dare to say are skills that you learn in the sandbox.
Were you a team player as a kid?
Did you build that sandcastle nicely with your sibling?
Or were you a bully?
In fact, some are skills that are taught at home.
Learned behavior from parents.
A Better Education than Ivy League
I may dare say that soft skills are better learned if you respond well to the hard blows life deals.
As educators and parents, we can look out for and encourage soft skills in our mentees.
How does my child resolve a conflict?
Do I choose to have uncomfortable conversations?
Am I raising an empathetic child?
How do I teach her to achieve the balance between compassion and being walked on?
It takes a certain kind of bravery to initiate the conversation and to be a recipient as well.
How do I as a parent guide the conversation?
How do I impart my values to her without sounding preachy?
Diplomacy Flies Out the Window
I was once told that I should have been a diplomat. I was not sure how to take that comment.
I certainly am no diplomat at home, believe me!
I tend to say it like it is.
But, aside from diplomacy, having the ability to gain someone’s trust is important.
How do I as a role model achieve trust?
Soft Skills vs Hard Skills
Simon Sinek talks about human skills. He does not like the term soft skills.
He believes these skills should not be in opposition to each other.
He says listening and empathy are valuable human skills.
Coaching is more about listening and facilitating. And as we educators say, modeling.
I have discovered as a mother, that my child will soak up my attitude, behavior, and responses to life.
She will then make them her own.
So if she sees me being an empathetic listener, she will turn into one as well.
She has just picked up the human skill.
Quite often we focus on education, schooling, college, and picking up the technical skills to survive in life.
But, what about the other skills?
We are in trouble as a nation because we have no time to train our kids in the skills of being trustworthy, empathetic, and listener.
Just watch social media.
It is all about being a talker. Or a doer.
