Is it Time to Audit Your Soft Skills?

Search for the term “soft skills” and you will learn that they are personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people. The term, coined in 1972 from a U.S. Army training manual, is a buzz term in the 21st century, used routinely in professional and leadership development.

Soft skills are a combination of social skills working together. These skills include, but certainly aren’t limited to, people skills, social skills, communication skills, character traits, attitudes and career attributes. For maximum performance and goal achievement, you should have a handle on all of these if you want to lead and succeed. In fact, at times soft skills are in higher demand than credentials or a degree.

So… do you work well with others? Do you know how to gain trust and respect? Can you communicate appropriately in different situations? Do you consistently perform well?

What makes up your soft skill set? Have you done a personal audit lately?

Kelly Duggan is an executive presence consultant and personal brand strategist. Her certified company is an award winning member of the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI).