How to Improve Your Soft Skills in 4 Steps

Are you ready to take action?  If you are reading this article, then you are already ahead of the game.  Here are four steps you can take today to improve your soft skills

Step 1: Understand Soft Skills Basics.  You are already done with this step if you are on this page and read all of the Soft Skills 101 pages.  You now know what soft skills are, why they are important to your career, and anyone can learn soft skills.

Step 2: Decide which soft skills you need to develop.   There is a famous Chinese saying “you cannot eat a whole cow in one bite.”  In the same notion, you cannot hope to develop all 28 soft skills in one step.  So let’s prioritize,

1. Go to the Soft Skills List article and read through the 28 soft skills and why they are key to your success
2. Create a prioritize list of skills you need to develop first, second, and third.

Step 3: Get Leverage.  It is not enough to just think “I SHOULD develop these two soft skills.”  What that translates to is “I will do it when I have time.”  Frankly no one has time these days.   We only have priorities.  If you don’t make investing time for your career a priority, then it will not happen on its own.  To make your career development a priority, you must know why you are doing it – how developing these skills can empower you and change your career for the better.   So do the following

1. Write down 3-5 reasons why you MUST develop these soft skills for your career.  For example, you can say, “I am tired of not getting the credit I deserve for my work.  I need to develop the skills to manage upwards and self promote today, so that I am recognized and rewarded for my efforts. ”  “If I wait another year and do nothing, I will feel ….”
2. Sharing your reasons with close friends or mentors.  This is critical as it keeps you accountable.   We all need other’s support in our efforts to improve yourself.  Find supporter in your life to motivate you to take action for your career.  Also feel free to share your reasons on this page in the comments below.

Step 4:  Take action to learn and practice over time.   Here is where you to start.

1. For immediate action, read this article how to improve any soft skills.  This article provides tips you can use at work today on the soft skill you decided to improve.
2. Sign up for Soft Skills Gym.  Just like physical muscles, you need to practice often to develop your “soft skills muscles.”  This is why I created the Soft Skill Gym, a place for you to get answers, take actions, and be empowered in your career.    You don’t have to be alone on this journey.  With the Soft Skills Gym, we are there every step of the way.  
   Sign Up
3. Bookmark this website – use it as a resource whenever you encounter any challenges related to your soft skills and career advancement.

Best wishes to your career success. I look forward to taking this journey with you. I am always in your corner.

-Lei