Are you afraid of becoming soft? π» and an exclusive subscriber preview just for you
Are you soft?
When I was promoted to a manager role I was scared.Β Scared that I would suddenly have to change my personality, become 'soft' because to be a manager you had to do all that 'people stuff'.
Luckily I quickly realised that this was not the case, being a manager is so much more than 'people stuff' and the skills required are so much broader.
So no, I didn't need to "become soft" or change my personality.Β I needed to reframe my thinking and understand what good really looked like to me, and the people I worked with.
One of the biggest challenges in this career transition to management is the shift from technical 'hard' skills, where the outcomes and answers are clear, to the more intangible and subjective 'soft' skills of management.
[PS. Last year I wrote this articleΒ challenging what we determine as hard and soft skills and the value we place on them.]
The World Economic Forum published this list of the top 10 skills for 2020 - the ones needed to succeed in the 'fourth industrial revolution'...
1) Complex problem solving
2) Critical thinking
3) Creativity
4) People management
5) Coordinating with others
6) Emotional intelligence
7) Judgement & decision making
8) Service orientation
9) Negotiation
10) Cognitive flexibility
(The list and further details can be found here).
This is not a list of technical skills that are easy to measure, but a list of skills that create huge change and help us navigate today's ever-changing landscape.
These are the new soft skills.
For all of us, whether you're transitioning to management or have been around the block a few times, these skills are equally relevant.Β To be effective and impactful managers and leaders we need to consistently be building and challenging ourselves in these domains.
Three things to try
1) Ask for feedback - make this habit part of your weekly routine.Β Ask your team, your managers, your clients how you're doing.Β Invite a constructive conversation and just listen.Β Build you self-awareness and EQ and keep your ego in check.
2) Constantly challenge - especially your own methods and perceptions.Β Who else can you bring into a project or brainstorming session who will have a new take on a problem?Β How can you use principles from other fields or departments to make things better?
3) Learn - especially from people you don't think you have anything to learn from.Β Make learning a non-negotiable in your week, set time aside to read an article, listen to a podcast, watch a video or go for coffee with someone new.
Bottom line - get comfortable in discomfort.Β If you can't remember the last time you were uncomfortable, ask yourself what you're missing and do something different... today.
Subscriber preview:Β Free discovery call
As the February $150 90-minute Troubleshooting Sessions offer endsΒ next week, I'm excited to open up new spaces for coaching clients in March.
And as my newsletter subscribers and friends you get earlyΒ access to these sessions, starting today.
To kick off I'm offering *free* 15 minute 'discovery' sessions to find out if coaching is the right intervention for you.
Β
Book your FREE 15 minute session here.
This is a great opportunity to test the water,Β find out more about coaching and howΒ we can work together to overcome your challengesΒ at workΒ and come "unstuck".
What others are saying...
"...I was planning a team day and wasnβt sure where to begin. I knew what I wanted to get out of the day but not sure how to guide my team there in a way that would be engaging and meaningful. By the end of my 90 minute session I not only had a plan for the day I felt confident with, I was able to articulate the type of leader I want to be and the qualities I need to develop. I also really felt that the content came from me, Steph was able to ask the right questions to help me to get them from ideas into a workable agenda."Β
90 minute troubleshooting client, Feb 2018
Quick Tip:Β Yes and...
Next time someone gives a suggestion in a meeting and you want to give a different perspective, instead of saying 'yes BUT' (and especially instead of saying 'NO but'), try sayingΒ 'yes AND'.
This small change in phrasing stops you devaluing or dismissing the idea that your colleague presented and allows you to add to it instead.Β You never know where this more creative, innovative and inclusive approach could lead...
Want more?Β Β Here's a fun TED talk that brings this to life with some great examples.
Want to see your management or leadership challenge addressed with helpful advice and resources?Β Email me at steph@stephclarke.com and let me know what topics you'd like me to include in future newsletters.
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