In the fast-paced technological workplace of today, there are several key skills one should develop and hone to be successful. In this essay, I will focus on the ones I feel will best benefit the person and the institution or business. These are not specific trade skills or the capability to work on equipment or with special instruments. These are general skills that no matter the job or workplace can be applied in order to produce results.
Listening is an overlooked skill one must learn to practice. If you only hear what someone is saying, you are not listening. When you truly listen, you not only hear what the other person is saying to you, but you retain and think about the information they have provided. I am sure you have heard the phrase, “You hear, but you don’t listen”. Listening includes hearing and being attentive to what someone is saying. This is a key skill that saves everyone time in the workplace. If you listen the first time someone tells you something, it is less likely you will have to ask about it again. This means it is also less like the other person will have to spend additional time repeating it. This makes the workplace run with increased efficiency.
Two valuable skills are critical thinking and problem-solving. These are two separate skills that go hand in hand. If a person is not a critical thinker, they will not be a good problem solver. To understand complex problems and even simple problems, one must think to be able to come up with a possible solution. The more critical someone thinks about a problem, the more likely the solution they develop and decide on will work. This reduces the trial and error time period to overcome the problem and back on schedule or to production.
The next job skill necessary for success is work ethic. One could argue this is not a skill, but I truly believe it is a learned skill from the time you are a child through adulthood. Diligence and focus are key attributes of a work ethic that both take effort and practice. Having a good work ethic will show your employer, colleagues, and customers that you care about your job and how well it is done. This can lead to consistent and high-quality outputs in the workplace.
And the final skill I will discuss is leadership. There are many references that state to be a good leader you must first learn to be a good follower. Aristotle put it this way: “He who cannot be a good follower cannot be a good leader”. Having leadership can be as simple as supporting those in charge during difficult or complex times. Additionally, leadership is the ability to teach, coach, and mentor those equal, below, and above you. The trick is approaching problems as discussed in the previous paragraph and presenting them with tact. Make the solution a team solution, get everyone’s buy-in, and then be the first to drive in. This will develop trust in the way forward and get everyone working towards the same goal or outcome. To be productive and successful, it is a must in the workplace. Having good followers that can become or take on leadership responsibilities is very important in today’s workforce.
In conclusion, these are developed and practiced skills that are not technical in nature and applicable to the total workforce. By listening you can think critically about problems, develop solutions, apply diligence and focus on them, and get everyone to work together towards the desired outcome. If you can master these five skills and apply them effectively in today’s workforce you will be successful.