In 2017 I wrote two love letters...

On 14th February 2017 I wrote two love letters:

1. “Dear Human being” which I signed off “with love from your soft skills”
2. “Dear Organisation ” which I signed off “with love from Procurement”

The love expressed in these letters is still as strong today as it was then, and having recently shared the content from the second letter , I wanted to share highlights from the first.

Reflect for a moment – if your soft skills were to write to you, what would they say?

Would your 'Values' be inspired; or would 'Goal setting' know where it’s headed?

Would 'Change Management' talk of resistance or openness; or would 'Confidence' even be, well, confident?

That was the task I set myself when, back in 2017, I wrote a love letter from our soft skills – a letter that reminded us of other words, written on postcards, sent over the years from our soft skills asking for our support.

Here are three of those postcards:

Dear Human Being,

When you woke this morning did you notice the seeds from yesterday starting to develop - or perhaps they're now little saplings from the other month?

You have a choice in every moment whether the seeds you give attention to - and allow to flourish - are those that support you achieving your goals...or those that don't.

Too often though it seems like you believe there is no choice, and that instead you take action on what is sowed for you by others, or are a whirlwind of action trying to keep every seed alive. Whether those seeds are helpful or not.

What seeds will you send out today, what seeds will you let pass by, and what seeds will you nurture in order that they may become the oaks of tomorrow?

With love from your Behaviours

in Trentham gardens with the big dandelions full of seeds (and fairies too)?

Dear Human Being,

We had such a great time at Jupiter Artland today, and we particularly loved this sculpture.

We also had time to consider your own reflections – those where other people are mirrors for you. That is, what you see in others – positive or negative – are as true for you as it is the person you’re observing.

Not so easy to hear we know, but you can’t see it in another unless it’s also true for yourself.

We don’t mean the judgements you make of others that are said in a matter of fact - take it or leave it - sort of way, but the “Wow aren’t they fabulous?” or the “Crikey, how arrogant was he?” sort of way.

The challenge in these moments, is noticing this judgement of another, and using that insight as a key to unlock your own potential – either through accepting your own strengths, or by working on and releasing your not so strengths.

'Values' said they’d send a card from the beach, and we know they have a lot to do with what you judge as positive or negative in another. We will therefore leave it for them to explain more.

With love from your Judgements?

Dear Human Being,

You’d have laughed if you’d seen us yesterday – some of us noticed the right-hand side of the beach and were busy talking about not wanting to sit there as it was dismal and cold. Whilst the rest of us saw the left-hand side and were chattering on about how lovely it would be to sit on the warm beach.

Once we realised we were talking about the same solution, just viewing the benefits differently, we had our picnic on the left-hand side of the beach.

Yes values are like that – some want to move towards something, and others want to move away from something else.?

Whilst we were there, 'Adventure' went in for a paddle, with 'Safety' shouting after them to be careful as it was still very cold, and “you can never be too careful about sinking sand”. 'Amiable' sat there chatting to anyone who would listen all afternoon, whilst 'Contemplation' just closed their eyes and meditated for the duration.

Funny that you can all find your passion for life from such different things. Although 'Peace' did have to break up a disagreement when 'Contemplation' got very annoyed at 'Amiable'’s “incessant chattering” and “Disrespect”.?Which upset 'Amiable', as the last thing they’d ever wish to be accused of doing was being like 'Disrespect'! Just as well 'Respect' wasn’t there!

Hope you’ve not been too demotivated and lacklustre without us.

With love from your Values (AKA your Motivations)?

There are other postcards in what became known as The Soft Skills Toolkit written from rapport, language, communication, influencing, creativity, conflict resolution, creativity, change management, problem solving, goal setting and beliefs.?

If you’d like to see any of these other postcards drop the name of the soft skill in comments and I’ll DM you the postcard.

What would your soft skills say to you?

If you’d like a little help in getting you or your team’s soft skills a little more aligned with the outcomes you want then 121 or group coaching, and facilitated sessions to larger groups are available so do get in touch.