Seven Ridiculously Simple and Practical Soft Skills to Become a Truly Fascinating Data Scientist!

There is a fascination test link at the end of this post.   Take it and you’ll be surprised with yourself!

 Many people agree that being a data scientist is not only very fashionable but also challenging.  Of course, the definition of “what a data scientist is” has not been entirely decided.  Some people think a data scientist is some kind of a technically gifted “geek” ready to use a magic wand and transform legacy systems into a fascinating set of perfectly usable and well-coordinated set of new technologies like big data, in-memory application, nosql, cloud, etc. that will bring instant value to the organization. Great!

However, there is a catch.  You, as a data scientist, will need soft skills beyond the technical skills to make these dreams come true…. let’s say fascinating!  Those soft skills include: setting expectations properly, understanding the environment both technically and politically, creating a compelling vision, getting alignment between different groups, influencing your audience, building trust, and educating people with different backgrounds on new technologies.

 Setting expectations

 Are the expectations clear? Are you planning to involve others in setting up the expectations?  Like in a “What do you propose model”?  Or are you directing others based on a decision previously made.  Those are important considerations when setting up expectations. Core values should be used such as: providing valid and complete information, and allowing for free and informed choices.  It is absolutely unfair to demand some sort of team performance when expectation have not been made absolutely clear.

 What gets defined and measured gets done.  Thinks about your objectives.  What do you want to achieve?  How will you measure success? What kind of indicators could you use? How will you know the objective is reached? Who do you want to fascinate? Think about the benefits.  What will it bring? What will it serve?  What value will be there that was not there before?

 Are you listening? – from active listening to fascination listening.

 It is easy to stop listening when we think we know it all. The problem with this behavior is that other people are expecting you to listen.  Active listening means to listen with all your senses.  Fascination listening means to go beyond active listening into formulating smart questions with the intent to understand the human side. This the power of fascination listening.

 It is critical to lead by questions. This way you may understand better the nature of the situation.   Key questions:

1. What are successes? What did you achieve?
2. How do you perform against your targets? – on, below, above
3. What do you need to improve? Where can you stretch yourself?
4. How can I support you?

Create vision – from solution to fascination value

 Let’s redefine the challenge: how can you develop vision without consuming yourself, your team and your environment?

 How to create vision? Consider some activities: Act with a sense of purpose. Feeling aligned, show yourself truly connected with ones-self and others. Radiate positive fascinating energy. Imagine and inspire a higher vision.  Reconcile performance and fulfilment in a sustainable way.

 What can help you, and your team, to develop a truly connected, inspired and fascinated way of leading yourself, others, and your environment or project? Could it be “know how” (understanding), through state-of-the-art concepts, or “show how” (behaving), through workshops and role plays, or “be how” (living), through ‘experientials’ and symbols, or  a combination of all the above?

 Get alignment –

 As a data scientist, you may sense that the people around you are not fully engaged emotionally on the journey. They are not fascinated! They seem like passengers; some are even disenchanted... You sense that there is need to align the organizational processes with the business model.  The people with the journey. You know all the classic recipes - such as setting directions for your teams, establishing a strategic plan, defining performance indicators, putting processes in place, communicating with stakeholders... And yet, what happens when all of this has been done, and you still sense something is missing from the equation?  Are you being fascinating enough?

 Influencing an audience – be fascinating!

 Make the most effective use of preparation time by clearly identifying the objectives of your communications. Master public speaking tools. Transform a ‘hearing’ into a ‘listening’ audience – one which is mobilized and fascinated. 

 Good communication does not come naturally to everyone.

Each of us uses words, expressions and attitudes which are unique to ourselves and which do not necessarily carry the same meaning for another person. Misunderstandings are therefore, in a sense, ‘normal’. We also make mistakes using media.  The wrong font, the slide that nobody can read.

 Every message takes place on two levels: content & relationship

All communication conveys two kinds of information. One concerns facts, feelings and opinions: ‘content’. The other expresses something about the rapport between the people involved: ‘relationship’. This relationship often dominates the content.

 The results of communication lie in the response we receive.

The reactions to our communication help us evaluate its appropriateness. If our primary expectations are not met, it is up to us, as communicators, to select a different mode of expression and a better way to fascinate the audience.

 Building trust – how to do this …

 Trust comes from delivering what you promised.  You can build trust by fascinating others with your past performance, track record of delivering results you commit to delivering, track record of your accomplishments.  Also, your experience in the business or a related one, your technical expertise, educational background, language, speech, patterns of speech, appearance, dress, grooming.  Don’t forget your personality, demeanor, and your professionalism demonstrated by your punctuality, organized approach, and manners.  Include as factors for fascination, the associations you have - company, contacts, other customers, clients.  Finally, the honesty, sincerity, and team player approach you exhibit.  Those are just a few factors involved in building trust.

 Last but not least -- Educating

 A critical component in data science projects is the need to educate audiences in technologies that are increasingly complex.  This is not easy to do.  For instance, comparisons between SAS, R, Python, Perl.  Or discussion on how to turn unstructured data into structured data.  What is the best model a star schema or snow flaked schema?  What kind of statistical method to use logistic regression versus decision trees, or neural networks?

 Often times, knowledge transfer takes the form of a continuous collaboration.  This helps the learning process because it is not a one-time shot.  Learning hardly ever happens in a single session! 

Understanding and transferring knowledge are complementary actions and are mutually enriching. Being a mentor could be a powerful launch pad for your learning and personal development. 

 Here is the link to the free fascination test. You’ll be surprised with yourself!

https://howtofascinate.com/get-my-profile

Hope these ideas are useful to you!  Please like the post or better yet share it.  Let me know what your fascination profile is.  All the best.