Gary Vaynerchuk’s Post

Unpopular opinion: Emotional intelligence is more important than IQ. Skills you can learn. Being a decent human being not so much.

Agreed. As a Research Lead and Mentor, I emphasize the paramount importance of soft skills, particularly effective communication and presentation abilities, in nurturing research students. In today's dynamic and interdisciplinary research environment, mastering these skills is crucial for conveying complex ideas clearly and engaging diverse audiences. As the research project progressed, I witnessed the increase of confidence, managerial skills, team collaboration, and engagement amongst the students. To that end, mentoring in these areas has garnered substantial positive feedback from students, who have found these skills indispensable for their academic and professional growth.

Really? I’m amazed at how so many people agree with anything on this platform nowadays, its become ridiculous. The cornerstone of soft skills are arguably, COMMUNICATION, TIME MANAGEMENGT, TEAMWORK & ADAPTABILITY. If you have a modicum of emotional intelligence, do things when you say you will do them, can collaborate with people you like, and those you may not, and are open to change and new ideas, your pretty much covered for all of the above. Communication especially is the one most businesses and individuals have an issue with, but its actually the easiest one to get right, and the one which will elevate you the most on a business and personal level. It may be an unpopular opinion, but we now seem to accept anything as being “hard” as society is being dumbed down. Tasks that were simple years ago, are now deemed as hard or stressful in this day and age. It’s actually frightening how simple things are now clasified as hard tasks, and things like time management are seen as “outstanding performance” when they are achieved. Are soft skills actually hard, or are people just lazy?

I like to call them our power skills. The human assets that everyone has, no matter where you come from in society or the world, where you were educated or how much money you have. We all have access to this power. But sadly our upbringing, education and company cultures have conditioned us to think they are a weakness. Vulnerability, kindness, empathy and humility are superpowers that will move mountains. We just need to be given permission to tap into them! I like to call this a #ReturnOnHumanity #ROH

Wow

 While technical skills might get you the interview, it's the soft skills that often land you the job and propel you forward in your career. Think about it:    Communication: Being able to articulate your ideas clearly, concisely, and persuasively is essential. It's not just about what you say, but how you say it. Active listening and understanding different communication styles are also key for building strong relationships.    Leadership: Whether you're in a formal leadership role or not, the ability to inspire and motivate others is a huge asset. Delegation, giving constructive feedback, and fostering collaboration are all crucial aspects of effective leadership.    Teamwork: The days of the lone wolf are pretty much over. Businesses thrive on collaboration, and being able to work effectively with a diverse group of people is essential. This involves compromise, empathy, and a willingness to learn from others.    Problem-solving: Things don't always go according to plan. The ability to think critically, identify solutions, and adapt to changing circumstances is a valuable soft skill.    Time management: Juggling multiple priorities, meeting deadlines, and staying organized all require strong time management skills.

I can say entrepreneurship is something that can teach you so much about yourself and dissolve those limitations that keep us in line with the social norms. Life is truly beautiful after breaking free.

In the IT industry in particular, there is (for obvious reasons) a lot of emphasis on technical skill, but then there's a problem when it comes to promoting within that space. Being good at your job =/= being a good leader. You need the "soft" skills for that. Too often I see people being promoted to leadership positions because of their technical skills, and then those same people fail hard because they don't know the basic "soft" skills to run a team effectively. If there was a more wide-spread understanding of how difficult/hard "soft" skills are, it would get the respect it deserved and would be taken into consideration more when promoting people.

Thought-provoking. I've never seen it from this perspective

Agreed, in a world of automation this is more important than ever.