Soft Skills - Ask a Wharton MBA
Develop Soft Skills – Work Smart & Live More
Life can be unpredictable, much like a turbulent flight. We often plan meticulously, but sometimes, unexpected bumps force us to reflect on what truly matters. This is a story about finding gratitude and meaning amidst the uncontrollable, inspired by a recent flight that was both luxurious and turbulent. ...
I grew up believing “If I cannot do it well, I shouldn’t do it at all.” Perhaps this is a typical Asian upbringing and teaching. I am not even sure my parents actually said that to me. However after receiving many “talks” from my dad about how I could have gotten a better grade on a test (e.g, 100 points vs 93), I think I told myself the above as I don’t want to “disappoint” my dad or get an extra long lecture. ...
I don’t know about you, but I no longer like coming up with S.M.A.R.T goals for my new year resolutions. This is mainly because goals like “I want to lose 6 pounds in six months” or “I want to launch a product manager bootcamp by x date.” are both rigid and demotivating as the year goes on. It also doesn’t get at the heart of WHY I want these goals. ...
I just paid $699 for an upgrade to a business class seat from SFO to Newark. It’s the first time I ever paid so much for an upgrade “I don’t need.” I had a “perfectly practical” economy class window seat near the front of the cabin. Splurging a little on myself was actually a difficult action to take for me. I have been frugal and practical all my life. ...
For over four weeks now, an unwelcome guest has lodged itself into my life – health issues. It wasn’t a cold, nor was it Covid. Figuring out what it is has been the real problem.
It all started with an incident that seemed like food poisoning. My husband and I shared a lovely meal at our favorite restaurant, and not long after, I found myself hunched over, losing my dinner. My initial guess was the cheese on the burger; after all, we both had some and felt a bit off. However, while he bounced back, I didn’t. ...
Maya Angelou had a timeless saying ““People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This is true now as it ever was.
This is why even if you carefully researched the facts and had all the logic in the world in your communication, you still only have 25% chance of success in influencing the listener. That is because words and logic alone is not enough to be an effective communicator. There are 3 additional communication elements that will increase your chances to be heard and to be supported. ...
This story is not about work, but I think it can apply to many aspects of work and life. My kids has been wanting a dog since the pandemic started. Dogs love them and they love hanging out with all the neighborhood dogs. We have been casually making a list of all the dog types we want. I have even searched the web for where the puppy breeders are. However, we haven’t gotten a dog yet. ...