Soft skills or otherwise the skills that make us more "soft" and adaptable

The soft skills is a term that often confuses people as to what exactly it entails. He has come to Greece for about the last decade. One might say that it still remains unclear why soft skills are useful in our lives.

Has the moment come for them to graft and flourish in the personality of each of us? Let's go explore them slowly together!

Let's start by defining this concept…

So these are skills that are not based on learned knowledge. For example, learning to create algorithms or analyze texts from Latin and Ancient to Modern Greek. Instead, they are an amalgam of social, interpersonal and personal abilities for complete adaptation and smooth integration with our fellow human beings in any relationship condition, e.g. friendly, work, love, family, etc.

It is also said that soft skills are related to Emotional Intelligence (EQ).

The way one recognizes and manages both one's own emotional world and that of others, but also with the general way of organizing and approaching life. So one would say that they are not primarily learned knowledge. More elements of our character, elements that already exist within us and depending on the degree to which we have them, we are called to get to know them, develop and evolve them in order to conquer them at the level we seek and need in every given moment and circumstance of our lives.

But what are the benefits of developing soft skills and why are these skills that "soften" us and make us more adaptable?

Essentially, training on and around them as well as our personal effort to shape them, helps us manage difficult situations and relationships in a more flexible way. It helps us to have more constructive relationships at any level. And to smoothly resolve situations that make our daily life dysfunctional.

Let's look at some examples of soft skills to better understand what they are about:

Communication skills.

Here we talk about verbal, non-verbal and para-verbal communication. More illustratively, depending on one's needs and personal pursuits one can focus on skills for correct pronunciation and management of speech and body kinesiology in a presentation environment both at a professional and academic level, but also in simple everyday social situations which may make it difficult for us to manage them, to recognize various messages from body language in any situation (e.g. speech monitoring, customer service, conversations with friends, partners, family, superiors, subordinates, etc.).

Here we could also talk about the skill of active listening. We train ourselves to really listen to our interlocutor, to give him the appropriate space and time to express his personal experience. Then, without blinkers and a critical mood, but with full empathy, let's try to understand his position (not necessarily accept), see the situation through his own eyes and develop a fruitful and constructive dialogue with him.

How many times do we think we have heard what our interlocutor is telling us, but in fact we have understood something completely different from what he conveyed to us? Or how many times have we interrupted our interlocutor wanting to share our own point of view with such passion that we leave no room for free expression to the other person? Maybe you need some practice on this part? Think about it!!!

Making decisions.

Another skill that is often observed to be lacking in a multitude of people. The process of making a decision or otherwise the difficulty of taking responsibility for the decision we have to make!!!

Every day we go through a wide range of decision-making, from the easiest to the most difficult and time-consuming. For example, what we will eat for breakfast, what we will put in our work, on our walk for coffee but also which school we will choose as the next step after school, which course we will choose for this semester, which job we will send our resume, what job we like to do, etc. The only thing that is certain is that whatever decision we make, it is our decision. No one can tell us whether it is right or wrong. Will we always gain something and lose something?

Self-Motivation.

Many times people say that they feel the lack of motivation for something that they had initially undertaken with all zeal and impatience. The rhythms of life have become so fast that the truth is that many times we end up becoming "robots" and not realizing what exactly we are doing at the moment we are doing it and why we have found ourselves doing it. Here, the personal mental resilience/endurance that everyone has in the face of fluid reality and any change is very important. Especially at a time when everything around us is constantly turning and changing!

Problem solving skills.

Creative thinking as a skill also contributes to this skill, so that the person is equipped with techniques that will push him to smooth landings from the problems of everyday life. Let's liken a problem to an airplane trying to land in high wind conditions. People who have this skill are able to land the plane with the least possible turbulence and deliver the passengers unharmed or otherwise keep the psyche and mood of the passengers (those involved in the problem) as calm as possible.

Time management (time management).

How many times have we heard around us say: "I can't make it", "I'll be a little late, don't wait for me", "when will I make it all?", "will I be a thousand pieces?".

Of course, we are not talking about special cases here. Which is really impossible by nature to manage time properly or in exceptional and unique cases when something urgent and out of schedule will happen to us. Included here are cases where there is a recurring difficulty with planning and good time management. In them, if a more realistic and careful assessment of the data had been made, the person would have often avoided being in the difficult position of the above phrases.

So we saw a very short and short in explanation list of examples of social and interpersonal skills (soft skills). Each of the above is a separate topic in itself for discussion and deserves specific explanation and deepening.

So in conclusion, these are skills that do not concern a specialized field or only our professional path. They are skills that with personal effort and search come to be applied in many cases of our daily life. From a coffee walk to our most important presentation or discussion in a work environment.

As Aristotle said, 'man is a political animal'. It is in its nature to search, to communicate, to reconcile.

But to do all this in a functional way, it is important that he tries to evolve and equip his quiver with the right tools. Thus, he can enjoy the results of every encounter with other beings. To learn aspects of himself and make the necessary changes where necessary. A raw piece of wood needs to be carved/worked with proper technique and tools so that it does not injure others but also so that it does not wear out and is easy to use.

Accordingly each of us could think of himself. Like something raw! He lacks the appropriate tools (soft skills) and training in appropriate techniques for applying these tools. So that he can process and cultivate his character, develop into the best version of himself, discovering new aspects of his personality or changing others.

We are what we think, what we say and what we do and that is why we strive for the best version of ourselves. Because we love each other!!!

Let's fill our quiver with as many tools/supplies as we can! Evolution is waiting around the corner for us to meet and help us in return to explore where we can go. What do you think; Shall we begin?

If you want more topics about soft skills and their development practices, send me an email and your voice will be heard ?

Of course you can contact me for any question or additional information you need regarding the topic of today's article.

Thank you for your time.

Michaela