London District Construction Association, Feb 2024

If you want to advance your career, you need more than just technical expertise. You also need to develop your soft skills; the abilities that help you interact effectively with others, analyze information, and solve problems.

What are soft skills and why they are important.

Soft skills are often contrasted with hard skills, which are the specific knowledge and abilities required for a particular job or task. For example, hard skills for a skilled trades person would include tools knowledge, knowledge of safety standards physical dexterity and basic math skills. Soft skills, on the other hand, are more general and transferable across different domains and situations.

Some examples of soft skills are:

• Communication: The ability to express yourself clearly and concisely, listen actively, and adapt your message to your audience and context.
• Analytical: The ability to collect, process, and interpret data, identify patterns and trends, and draw logical conclusions.
• Interpersonal: The ability to build rapport, trust, and cooperation with others, empathize with their perspectives and emotions, and resolve conflicts constructively.
• Critical thinking: The ability to evaluate information objectively, question assumptions and biases, and challenge the status quo.
• Problem-solving: The ability to define a problem, generate and evaluate possible solutions, and implement the best one.

Soft skills are important no matter how you support the construction industry.

It does natter if you work on the tools or play a supporting role in the industry, soft skills are important for several reasons. First, they help you perform better in your current role by enabling you to work more efficiently and effectively with your colleagues, clients, and stakeholders. Second, they help you adapt to changing circumstances and demands by allowing you to learn new things quickly and cope with uncertainty and ambiguity. Third, they help you advance your career by making you more competitive in the job market and more likely to get promoted or hired for leadership positions.

How can you measure your soft skills? Here are some ways:

• Use self-assessment tools: There are online tools that allow you to assess your own level of soft skills such as communication, analytical, interpersonal, critical thinking, or problem-solving skills. Some examples are the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the StrengthsFinder 2.0, the Emotional Intelligence Test (EQ-i), or the Critical Thinking Assessment Test (CAT). These tools can give you a general idea of your strengths and weaknesses in different areas of soft skills.
• Use peer assessment tools: There are also online tools that allow you to get feedback from others on your soft skills such as communication, analytical, interpersonal, critical thinking, or problem-solving skills. Some examples are the 360-Degree Feedback Survey (360), the Teamwork Assessment Scale (TAS), or the Collaborative Problem-Solving Assessment (CPSA). These tools can give you a more objective and comprehensive view of how others perceive your soft skills. There are some free test versions available, some will have a cost associated.
• Use performance indicators: You can also use performance indicators such as grades, test scores, awards, certifications, projects completed, goals achieved, customer satisfaction ratings, or employee engagement scores to measure your soft skills such as communication, analytical, interpersonal, critical thinking, or problem-solving skills.

These indicators can give you a concrete and quantifiable measure of how your soft skills impact your outcomes.

What if my soft skills need improvement?

How can you improve your soft skills? Here are some tips:

• Seek feedback: Ask for constructive feedback from your manager, peers, mentors, or coaches on your strengths and areas for improvement. Be open-minded and receptive to their suggestions and use them to set specific goals for yourself.
• Practice self-reflection: Review your actions and outcomes regularly and ask yourself what went well, what didn't go well, and what you can do differently next time. Identify your blind spots and gaps in your knowledge or skills and seek ways to fill them.
• Learn from others: Observe and emulate people who have strong soft skills in your field or industry. Watch how they communicate, collaborate, analyze, think critically, and solve problems. Ask them questions about their strategies and techniques and try to apply them to your own situations.
• Take courses or workshops: Enroll in online or offline courses or workshops that focus on developing specific soft skills such as communication, analytical, interpersonal, critical thinking, or problem-solving skills. Look for opportunities that offer practical exercises and scenarios that simulate real-world challenges.
• Seek opportunities to practice: Look for opportunities to practice your soft skills in your work or personal life. For example, you can volunteer for a project that requires teamwork or leadership, join a club or organization that interests you, or participate in a debate or discussion group.

Soft skills are essential for professional development and career success. By following these tips, you can enhance your soft skills and become a more effective and valuable employee.

Visit the LDCA online at www.ldca.on.ca/elearning to find out about the soft skills essentials’ courses offered to LDCA members through our training partner BuildForce Canada.