How to Improve Soft Skills

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culled from:www.articleworld.com

1) Develop communication skills: Your aim should be to connect clearly through written, oral, and nonverbal communication. Start simply by being aware of how others feel when they are around you or are talking with you.
•    Make eye contact
•    Monitor your body language
•    Practice speaking
•    Develop your writing skills
2)  Practice active listening skills: Listening needs focus and self-discipline. We listen for many different reasons: to be aware of instructions, to understand with another individual, or to critic whether a plan is good or not. Regardless of the reason you are listening, there are several things to keep in mind.
•    Summarize and ask questions to learn more about what someone is telling you. This demonstrates interest and focus. It also helps you understand the circumstances.
•    Take notes when suitable. This shows that the subject topic is important to you. Practice taking notes in team meetings or staff training sessions.
•    Do not disrupt other people. Respect them by letting them stop saying what they are saying.
•    Pay concentration to the other person's body language. Observe their posture, tone of voice, eye contact (or lack thereof), gestures, and facial expressions.
3) Build relationships: Interpersonal skills are important in the place of work, especially since so many organizations are designed around teams and departments. Seek to build friendships with peers, supervisors, clients, and business partners.
•    Befriend colleagues
•    Learn to handle conflict in a healthy way
•    Network with people inside and outside your organization
4) Practice leading: Leadership is simply influence other people. As such, leadership skills can be used by any employee at any level in the association.
•    Observe your own supervisor and note how that individual lead your team. Find positive things that person does and emulate them in your own work.
•    Practice leading in small group consideration by asking your teammates questions and bringing quieter members into the conversation.
•    Set the example for others by displaying a positive attitude in difficult situation. Remain calm in moments of calamity. Talk about concerns one-on-one with your supervisor instead of in front of the whole team.
5) Take initiative: Demonstrate responsibility and interest for your job by determined to go the extra mile. This starts by finishing work without constant reminders from your supervisor.
•    Do tasks without being asked by someone else. Look around, see what needs to be done, and do it. If a coworker has a large project and you have some time on your hands, volunteer to help.
•    Seek more challenging work. Try hard to develop your technical skills. Learn more about your organization. Ask a coworker about their department. Take a class, read a blog, or subscribe to a magazine in your field of work.