HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | APRIL 29, 2024 27
Opinion & Commentary
Biz Starts
EXPERT'S CORNER
Why soft skills might just be your team's superpower
By Jeremy Szechenyi
I
magine we're in a team decathlon.
You might be able to jump high,
run fast or have excellent coordi-
nation. These skills are awesome and
set the team up nicely to tackle the
demands of the decathlon's events.
But here's the thing, no matter our
skills, we're kind of just
jogging in place, while
other teams zoom past
us. Then it clicks, it's
their soft skills, like
being a good listener,
cooperating with others
and being flexible.
It's giving them superpowers.
Ok, so they're not actual super-
powers, but think of these skills as
the secret sauce that makes every-
thing click. Sure, it's awesome to nail
your part of the decathlon, but you
can't win without smoothly handing
off the baton to your teammate, right?
Sounds easy enough, but when
things get hectic, even the simple
stuff gets tricky without the right soft
skills. It's all about working together,
understanding each other and
staying flexible. That's where the
magic happens.
And guess what? There's data to
back it up.
McKinsey found that companies
are doubling down on the importance
of soft skills like empathy and adapt-
ability, showing just how much they
value these human touches .
The best part is that soft skills can
be learned and improved just like any
other skill.
Investing in these soft skills can
pay off big time. When everyone gets
along, listens and supports each
other, teams become unstoppable.
They collaborate more seamlessly,
coming up with better ideas, getting
stuff done faster and feeling more
satisfied with the work.
Plus, when people feel valued for
who they are, not just what they do,
they tend to stick around longer.
Team success vs. failure
Is employee retention important to
you? That's a rhetorical question, it's
important for everyone.
In fact, 97% of employers agree
that soft skills are crucial, but almost
half of new hires struggle because
they're missing these key skills . Left
unchecked, that disconnect will result
in higher turnover.
Now, imagine a team that's ready
for anything. They're the game-
changers, always learning, adapting
and pushing forward. When you
focus on building up those soft skills,
you're giving your team superpowers.
LinkedIn's research backs this up,
pointing out that soft skills can be the
difference between succeeding or
failing in a job role.
So, what's next? After seeing
how crucial these soft skills are for
nailing our jobs and being great team
players, it's time to think about how
we can get better at them.
It's like knowing you have this
secret weapon, and now you're
figuring out how to use it.
And here's a bonus: these skills
aren't just useful at work. They make
life outside the office better, too.
Being a good listener, under-
standing other people's feelings and
being able to work through tough
times are superpowers in friendships
and families as well.
So, how do we make our teams into
these superhero squads? Encourage
everyone to learn and improve their
soft skills. Offer workshops, training
sessions, team activities and daily
practice opportunities so your current
and new staff can level up.
Remember our team decathlon?
Running fast and jumping high are
important, but we win the race by
passing the baton, cheering each other
on and crossing the finish line together.
That's what focusing on soft skills
is all about — making sure we're a
team that wins golds together, not
just a bunch of hotshots.
Investing in soft skills takes time,
patience and attention. But when you
have a strong, happy team that can
take on anything together, the last
thing you'll be doing is thinking about
the cost of that investment.
When we blend the practical with
the personal, we create workplaces
where people can do their best work
and feel like they belong. It's the
blend of unique talents and human
connections that push us forward.
Why not invest in making that better?
Jeremy Szechenyi is the
chief marketing officer at the
MetroHartford Alliance.
Jeremy
Szechenyi
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