Soft Skills Training


Book Description

I was hired by a major university to teach recently released offenders how to become employed. I walked into my first class intending to follow the lead of all the other job training programs in the city, which was teaching the students to properly fill out applications, write resumes, facilitate mock interviews, and locate employment opportunities. After the first couple of classes, most of the students were either not paying attention or sleeping. I quickly realized my presentation needed to be interesting, challenging, beneficial, and actually guide the participants on how to remain employed. However, I was unable to find any published material for teaching new hires the soft skills necessary to keep a job. This workbook is a compilation of the soft skills class material I have developed over an eighteen year period. I have used this material with great success and have taught soft skills in schools, inner-city church programs, nonprofits, and government funded job training programs. It is a unique collection of essays, exercises, quotes, and maxims that will give students a realistic perspective on work-related expectations and the expectations of the supervisors who hire them. It will help students develop their problem solving skills, guide them in making appropriate decisions, and create a desire to plan out goals and achieve them. The workbook style is challenging and playful, serious and engaging and a stepping stone to developing the cognitive skills necessary to quash unproductive thinking and self-defeating emotional behaviors.




Educational Games for Soft-Skills Training in Digital Environments


Book Description

The book explores advances in soft-skill training through the adaptation of traditional psycho-pedagogical methodology to digital and online settings. Several educational techniques are explored, such as role-playing, psychodrama and rule and drama-based games. The experiences reported in the book are the synthesis of several European projects, coordinated by the authors, aimed at applying known psycho-pedagogical training models to on-line, technology enhanced learning contexts in a broad range of applications and target groups. The specificity of such a psycho-pedagogical methodology, applied throughout all the discussed EU projects, is mainly represented by the importance of feedback and debriefing processes that can be conveyed to learners through different means, such as online group or individual chat with tutors, automatic reports and a psychologically informed scoring system. Tutors, either real or artificial, are seen as the key factor facilitating the training process. The ultimate objective of this book is to offer a theoretical framework where real examples, direct experiences and possible indications on how rule and drama-based multiplayer and single player games can support traditional practice for enhancing soft skills to a wide community of trainers, coaches, HR advisors, consultants and psychologists.




Soft Skills for the Workplace


Book Description

Soft Skills for the Workplace is a nontraditional approach to learning basic employability skills needed in today's workplace. Well-developed soft skills help an individual find a job, perform well in the workplace, and gain personal success in life and career. By studying this text, you will learn the soft skills that employers recommend, and require, of employees. Learning how to interact professionally with customers, coworkers, and employers is one sure way to prepare for your future. In today's workplace, it is necessary to have job-specific skills to perform on the job as well as know-how to interact with coworkers and customers. You may be the most qualified person in your field in terms of hard skills, but if you lack soft skills, you may have a challenge finding and retaining employment. No matter your career choice, Soft Skills for the Workplace will help you help you jump-start your future. In today's competitive work environment, well-developed employability skills can help you stand out in the crowd Soft skills are the new hard skills for the 21st century.




Learning How to Learn


Book Description

A surprisingly simple way for students to master any subject--based on one of the world's most popular online courses and the bestselling book A Mind for Numbers A Mind for Numbers and its wildly popular online companion course "Learning How to Learn" have empowered more than two million learners of all ages from around the world to master subjects that they once struggled with. Fans often wish they'd discovered these learning strategies earlier and ask how they can help their kids master these skills as well. Now in this new book for kids and teens, the authors reveal how to make the most of time spent studying. We all have the tools to learn what might not seem to come naturally to us at first--the secret is to understand how the brain works so we can unlock its power. This book explains: Why sometimes letting your mind wander is an important part of the learning process How to avoid "rut think" in order to think outside the box Why having a poor memory can be a good thing The value of metaphors in developing understanding A simple, yet powerful, way to stop procrastinating Filled with illustrations, application questions, and exercises, this book makes learning easy and fun.




Bridging the Soft Skills Gap


Book Description

Solve the number one problem with today's young workforce—the soft skills gap The number one challenge with today's young talent is a problem hiding in plain sight: the ever-widening soft skills gap. Today's new, young workforce has so much to offer—new technical skills, new ideas, new perspective, new energy. Yet too many of them are held back because of their weak soft skills. Soft skills may be harder to define and measure than hard skills, but they are just as critical. People get hired because of their hard skills but get fired because of their soft skills. Setting a good example or simply telling young workers they need to improve isn't enough, nor is scolding them or pointing out their failings in an annual review. However you can teach the missing basics to today's young talent. Based on more than twenty years of research, Bruce Tulgan, renowned expert on the millennial workforce, offers concrete solutions to help managers teach the missing basics of professionalism, critical thinking, and followership—complete with ninety-two step-by-step lesson plans designed to be highly flexible and easy to use. Tulgan's research and proven approach has show that the key to teaching young people the missing soft skills lies in breaking down critical soft skills into their component parts, concentrating on one small component at a time, with the help of a teaching-style manager. Almost all of the exercises can be done in less than an hour within a team meeting or an extended one-on-one. The exercises are easily modified and customized and can be used as take-home exercises for any individual or group, to guide one-on-one discussions with direct-reports and in the classroom as written exercises or group discussions. Managers—and their young employees—will find themselves returning to their favorite exercises over and over again. One exercise at a time, managers will build up the most important soft skills of their new, young talent. These critical soft skills can make the difference between mediocre and good, between good and great, between great and one of a kind.




Soft Skills Revolution


Book Description

Soft skills are the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that characterize relationships with other people. In increasingly competitive environments, soft skills training can be a vital resource. Soft Skills Revolution offers trainers, organizational leaders, and HR professionals a handy guide for building their soft skills through a variety of methods including individualized exercises and activities and structured training programs, as well as informal learning, mentoring, and coaching. The book offers readers information on the background of soft skills development, and suggestions for enhancing soft skills through traditional learning programs as well as informal learning approaches. Soft Skills Revolution contains practical guidance for creating an engaging learning experience that highlights such important concepts as: Components for Clear Communication The Power of Yes Listening and the Language of Acceptance A Nine-Step Model for Problem Solving Interventions for Moving a Team to Results Giving Helpful Feedback Moving from Conflict to Cooperation In addition, The Leader's Connection section is designed for upper level management and facilitators who want to help organizational leaders integrate the book's important concepts and skills into their interactions with team and staff members. "Kamin's engaging writing style, deep and down to earth at the same time, makes this book an easy learning experience of the 'hard' soft skills we all need to master. By developing these soft skills we can make our world a better place!" Isabel Rimanoczy, Legacycoach, Director Minervas, Women Changing the World and author of Big Bang Being "Kamin has mastered the challenge of bringing soft skills to life. Her simple definitions, clear examples, references to seminal authors, focused questions, conceptual frameworks, and helpful hints invite and encourage the reader to make these soft skills her/his own." Ernie Turner, president, LIM LLC and author of Action Reflection Learning




Leader Interpersonal and Influence Skills


Book Description

This edited volume explores different models, conceptualizations, and measures of leader interpersonal and influence "soft skills" that are so necessary for effective leadership. These include the communication skills, persuasion skills, political savvy, and emotional abilities used by leaders to inspire, motivate, and move followers toward the accomplishment of goals. The book emanates from the two-day-long 21st Kravis-de Roulet leadership conference, which brought together top scholars working in this area. The intent of the conference and this edited volume is to increase understanding of the interpersonal and influence skills, or "soft skills," of the leader, to highlight state-of-the-art research on the topic, and to provide clear, research-based guidelines for the development of leader skills.Chapter authors are recognized experts in their respective areas, and each section of the book will be introduced by an editor-authored chapter reviewing the specific topic area in brief.




SOFT SKILLS PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT FOR LIFE SUCCESS


Book Description

This high-impact book has been written by an experienced industry professional with a corporate perspective. The author is a Master Trainer who approaches the soft skills training from the point of view of a corporate soft skills training. Written in a business storytelling format, the training in the book is imparted by a skillful industry leader. This has not been written as the theoretical exercise. No boring theory, no wasted time! Rather, each chapter has been approached as a working session: Imparting soft skills by solving real problems and discussing workable solutions which the reader can apply immediately and keep for life. The structure of the book is in the form of a Personal Development Compass developed by the author. Just as a compass guides travelers through their journey and helps them to reach their destination, in the same way, the Personal Development Compass too guides the reader to navigate their way through the maze of the different soft skills and help them to polish their personalities. The methodology applied is `Learning-By Doing': This approach can be summed up as follows: `Educate Briefly-Then Train at Length'- On other words, less focus on theory, more real-world action, and solutions. The training imparted in the book starts with the Personality Development objective in mind and then facilitates and demonstrates methods to achieve those objectives.VERTICAL 1: Theme: CONFIDENCEHeadings: RELATIONSHIPS & WELL-BEINGThis vertical helps the reader in gaining the mental strength, motivation & confidence to approach their lives with a Positive Mental Attitude. The ability to be optimistic even in dire situations enables them to develop Emotional Intelligence and have meaningful relationships with their peers and colleagues, paving the way for the next level of Competence.VERTICAL 2: Theme: COMPETENCEHeadings: COMMUNICATION & CAREERGood Communication is a huge demand from recruiters and employers today. In fact, it is a pre-requisite for success. Effective Communication helps the reader to get a head start in their careers. They are able to think fast and creatively, impress and convince others of their point of view, they develop good listening skills thereby gaining an edge over others. They become the candidates of choice for promotion and progress.VERTICAL 3: Theme: COURTESYHeadings: ETIQUETTE & HABITSThere is a popular saying: The First Impression is the last Impression. A good first impression is created through effective habits and an ability to say the right thing at the right time to the right person. To develop these skills, the reader learns to exhibit appropriate behavior in all situations: personal and professional. Sustained behavior becomes a habit. This then becomes part of the reader's basic nature. A Good professional need to have strong Language skills. Recognizing this need, the book has a section in every chapter that highlights important words and Business phrases used in the corporate industry along with their meanings.ContentsSoft Skills: An OverviewEmotional IntelligenceSelf-Image ManagementTeam building and cooperationTime Management and Goal SettingCommunication SkillsVerbal Communication Part 1Verbal Communication Part 2Non-Verbal CommunicationLevel 2: CareerLevel 3: Courtesy & HabitsResume Writing & Job ApplicationsGroup DiscussionPersonal Interviews and Interactions




Proving the Value of Soft Skills


Book Description

A Step-by-Step Guide to Showing the Value of Soft Skill Programs As organizations rise to meet the challenges of technological innovation, globalization, changing customer needs and perspectives, demographic shifts, and new work arrangements, their mastery of soft skills will likely be the defining difference between thriving and merely surviving. Yet few executives champion the expenditure of resources to develop these critical skills. Why is that and what can be done to change this thinking? For years, managers convinced executives that soft skills could not be measured and that the value of these programs should be taken on faith. Executives no longer buy that argument but demand the same financial impact and accountability from these functions as they do from all other areas of the organization. In Proving the Value of Soft Skills, measurement and evaluation experts Patti Phillips, Jack Phillips, and Rebecca Ray contend that efforts can and should be made to demonstrate the effect of soft skills. They also claim that a proven methodology exists to help practitioners articulate those effects so that stakeholders’ hearts and minds are shifted toward securing support for future efforts. This book reveals how to use the ROI Methodology to clearly show the impact and ROI of soft skills programs. The authors guide readers through an easy-to-apply process that includes: business alignment design evaluation data collection isolation of the program effects cost capture ROI calculations results communication. Use this book to align your programs with organizational strategy, justify or enhance budgets, and build productive business partnerships. Included are job aids, sample plans, and detailed case studies.




Essential Soft Skills for Lawyers


Book Description

This Special Report offers a research-based view into the importance of soft skills for modern lawyers and how law firms develop essential soft skills - whether to comply with SRA rules, to lead productive teams, to provide the best service to clients or to grow their practice. This report is the guide to developing the skills needed to get ahead and stay ahead in your legal career.