The Hard Fact of Soft Skills
Why Subject Matter Expertise Isn’t Enough
Kathleen D. Johnson
Director, Undergraduate Education & Program Planning
Copyright, Regents of the University of California, Kathleen D. Johnson, 2012
From Wikipedia
the free encyclopedia
• Soft skills is a sociological
term relating to a person's
"EQ" (Emotional
Intelligence Quotient)
Cluster of personality traits that characterize
relationships with other people
•
•
•
•
•
•
Social graces
Communication
Language
Personal habits
Friendliness
Optimism
Do they matter?
• Soft skills complement hard skills (part of a
person's IQ), which are the occupational
requirements of a job and many other
activities.
Social Habits
• Respects rights and property of others
• Respects authority
• Works and plays well with others
• Expresses emotions with control
• Accepts correction
• Shows self-confidence
Work Habits
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Follows directions
Completes work
Works independently
Shows consistent effort
Work is neat
Listens without interrupting
Controls talking
Assumes responsibility
Has adequate attention span
Fast forward several years
Food Service Coordinator
• Maintain excellent relationships
• Have excellent communication skills
• Possess the personal characteristics of
professionalism, credibility, commitment to
high standards, innovation, discriminating
judgment and accountability
Building Maintenance Worker
• Provide customer service in an efficient,
effective, and professional manner to
students, staff, faculty and guests
• Work as a team member to ensure delivery
of quality customer service
Licensing Officer
• Ability to negotiate
• Good management skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
Port Engineer
• Strong leadership skills to function effectively
under pressure
• Proven organization, problem solving,
negotiation and decision making skills with
expertise in clarifying and resolving conflict
situations and developing attainable
solutions
Principles of Community
• We affirm each individual's right to dignity
and strive to maintain a climate of justice
marked by mutual respect for each other.
Principles of Community
• We promote awareness through education
and constructive strategies for resolving
conflict.
Principles of Community
• We affirm the right to freedom of expression
at UCSD. We promote open expression of our
individuality and our diversity within the
bounds of courtesy, sensitivity, confidentiality,
and respect.
Where do I start?
Need one of these
Core Competencies
• Communication
–
–
–
–
–
Active Listening
Providing Feedback
Oral Communication
Oral Presentation
Written Communication
• Diversity Awareness
– Awareness
– Legal Knowledge
• Critical Thinking
Decision making
Delegation
Planning & scheduling
Organizing
Strategic problemsolving
– Judgment (including
political acumen)
– Administrative Controls
– Initiative
–
–
–
–
–
Core Competencies
• Emotional Intelligence
– Self Development
– Adaptability/stress
tolerance
– Self-control
– Trustworthiness
– Achievement orientation
– Building strategic
relationships
– Conflict management
– Leadership/influence
– Interpersonal
sensitivity/empathy
– Team/interpersonal
support
– Collaboration
Reframe your thinking
• Being right isn’t enough
• Acknowledge and consider what matters
to the other person
• Challenge the win/loss mentality
Develop Emotional Intelligence
• Adaptability and
willingness
• Stress processing and
tolerance
• Manage conflict
• Practice collaboration
• Practice active and demonstrated listening
• Seek out the perspectives of others
• Take responsibility for what others hear
Subject Matter Expertise
alone won’t save you
Start here
• Respond to inquiries (phone, electronic)
• Act as a responsible citizen in your work
environment
• Complete tasks as agreed or communicate
in real time
• Remember that even the best ideas cannot
be implemented without the permission of
others
Work together and reap rewards
Thanks to the
CSW Women’s Conference