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Marketable Soft Skills to Develop Now

Soft skills, like delegation, creativity, and adaptability, turn good leaders into great leaders. And while some soft skills might come easily to you, you might have to work at others. For those skills you haven’t quite mastered yet, now is the perfect time to develop your professional skillset and secure a stronger position in tomorrow’s workplace.

So what are the most marketable soft skills you can master right now to turn yourself into a great (or even greater!) leader?

Empathy

Great leaders have high emotional intelligence: the ability to understand and manage their own emotions as well as the emotions of others. Empathy and social skills are big components of emotional intelligence. These skills are important to defuse employees’ stress, anxiety, and uncertainty, with understanding, hope, and stability. Encourage your team members to come to you with questions or concerns, and try to get ahead of anxieties with comforting words and insights.

Honesty

Now more than ever, your team will look to you for transparency. You can use honesty to strengthen trust and communication, or you can destroy your professional relationships by hiding information and skirting questions. Just remember, no one will trust you if you are dodgy. Share what facts you can, when you are able to share them. If you’re not able to share something, or if you don’t know an answer, say so. Your team will appreciate you for it.

Collaboration

“Return to work” looks a little different for all of us, with many companies selecting a hybrid schedule or forgoing the office altogether. Most workplaces just aren’t the water cooler of activity they once were. Fostering your team’s collaborative spirit, encouraging cross-functional teamwork, and just generally encouraging everyone to support one another will go a long way toward bolstering productivity, motivation, and creativity.

Adaptability

We’re all still adapting to a changed (and still-changing) work scene; now is not the time to be rigid or unforgiving. Successfully adapting to change starts with an open mind, and successfully leading others requires a willingness to embrace and champion that change. What are some ways you can do things differently? What are some strategies to tackle a problem? If something isn’t working, how can you pivot?

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