What Are Soft Skills and Do Your Employees Need Them?

What Are Soft Skills and Do Your Employees Need Them?

What are soft skills and do your employees need them?  LinkedIn named “soft skills” as the most needed skill set by companies in 2018. 

LinkedIn surveyed over 2000 leaders and asked them about the soft skills they would suggest employees learn and use. The top four are:

Leadership 

Communication

Collaboration

Time Management

Soft skills may be defined as social skills, business etiquette and character traits. 

 What Are We Hearing from HR and CEO’s?

According to LinkedIn, 57% of leaders say soft skill are more important than hard skills. Surprisingly, even leaders from tech companies agree, like Facebook’s Sheryl Sandburg  and former Google executive, Eric Schmidt. As I speak with HR managers and leaders of sales organizations, it is a resounding theme to receive a request for relationship building skills…”Can you teach and show my team how to connect with clients and of course their co-workers”.  My most popular module has definitely become “The Art of the Human Connection”.  This module was created based upon a need by companies that are experiencing growth both in clients and employees. Human managers and executives realize the importance of a team that is not only polished but likeable.  

I certainly agree with LinkedIn’s top four soft skills mentioned above. I would also like to add the following to the list.  As I receive requests for a business etiquette training session, this is what I am discussing and teaching participants:

Body Language and First Impressions

Empathy

Conversation Skills

Adaptability

Creativity in the Workplace

About Lisa Richey, The American Academy of Etiquette

I bet you know first-hand the issues that many companies are facing in the workplace. The lack of conversation skills, maybe an employee doesn’t understand they have a certain reputation and need guidance to tweak and change it, or employees are not living up to the stated dress code. You may have a strong desire for your staff to be “likeable “or want them to connect with the many generations that are your vendors, employees and clients.

HR professionals and sales organizations, contact me to speak on topics such as personal branding, how to build stronger and better relationships with clients and colleagues, ways to connect the multi-generations that make up the workforce and of course how to dine with ease and grace during a business meal.

Many of my clients comment that my delivery is engaging, informative and makes an immediate difference within an organization.

From Portland, Oregon to the Middle East, I have delivered my popular programs to hospitals, financial firms, universities and management consulting companies. I have helped thousands of people to become more polished, professional and powerful.

My broad base of clients includes Deloitte, Ernest & Young, Siemens, Starz Channel and The Ministry of Bahrain. The audiences have ranged from a group of 12 up to 250. I am available for corporate in-house training or conferences.

If you are interested in learning more about a business etiquette training session for your team, I invite you to have a conversation. You may use this link to schedule a call me.

Praise for The American Academy of Etiquette

Lisa came into our organization and provided our professionals with an excellent, relevant and interactive presentation as it relates to professionalism, dressing for success, and bringing etiquette back into our everyday lives, both personal and professional. Lisa has great energy and really captivates her audience during her presentation.Deloitte and Touche

~ Maureen O’Reynolds, Senior Manager, Deloitte and Touche, Stanford, CT

Lisa was fantastic! She brought to life the importance of relationship development in the workplace and provided practical guidance to our team in how to best develop meaningful relationships with clients and prospects. Lisa has a warm and engaging personal presence and has made a real impact on our team.

~ David Crossed, Navigate Consulting, Wayne, PA

Lisa’s training was a great investment for our team and a fantastic person to work with. In addition to basic manners, Lisa raised our awareness on how our behaviors shape how we are perceived and how to master the art of human connection. In a business where relationships mean everything, Lisa provided our team with very practical tools to develop a polished, professional and authentic personal brand. I highly recommend Lisa’s program.

~ Amy Weeden, Managing Partner & Co-Founder, Propeller. Portland, OR

The workshop was very valuable for my both personal and professional aspects of life. Lisa Richey provided us with an excellent, relevant and interactive presentation. It was AWESOME and such a great learning experience

~ K. Al-Matter, Senior Training Specialist, ASAS, Saudi Arabia

The business etiquette training offered by the American Academy of Etiquette is perfect for any company aspiring for greatness through professionalism. Lisa was effective, likable, and relatable. Favorite Topics include:d dining etiquette and improving your personal brand. We highly recommend this training

~ Gary Osorno, President, Accutrans, New Orleans, LA

Lisa Richey recently presented an etiquette workshop for students at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. The workshop was very detailed, very well presented, and allowed students hands-on experience practicing their new skills in dining etiquette. Lisa was a confident, accomplished, and charismatic presenter and I’d recommend her highly.

~ Heather KrasnaAssistant Dean and Director Office of Career Services Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, NY

Have you read our article on Adaptability in the Workplace? Click here to learn more.