{"id":4221,"date":"2022-02-17T18:01:20","date_gmt":"2022-02-17T18:01:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rtgsolutionsgroup.com\/?p=4221"},"modified":"2022-02-17T18:20:33","modified_gmt":"2022-02-17T18:20:33","slug":"power-skills-whats-all-the-fuss-about","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rtgsolutionsgroup.com\/power-skills-whats-all-the-fuss-about\/","title":{"rendered":"Power Skills: What’s All The Fuss About?"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row][vc_column width=”3\/4″][vc_single_image image=”4224″ img_size=”1110×500″][vc_column_text]You\u2019re probably familiar with \u201csoft skills,\u201d but have you ever heard of power skills? What if we told you they\u2019re the same thing? Yep. It turns out that soft skills aren\u2019t \u201csoft\u201d at all, and the working world is taking notice!<\/p>\n

Over the last couple of decades, there\u2019s been a clear distinction between \u201chard skills<\/a>\u201d and \u201csoft skills.\u201d Hard skills are typically associated with technology, math, and science. They\u2019re strictly learned abilities \u2013 nobody is born with the ability to code (at least not yet!). Things like proficiency in a software and the ability to perform mathematical operations would fall into this category.<\/p>\n

In contrast, the things we\u2019ve been calling \u201csoft skills\u201d are generally associated with behavior, personality traits, and social skills. They include things like adaptability, communication, empathy, problem-solving abilities, collaboration, etc. Historically, they\u2019ve been considered a plus or something that\u2019s just \u201cnice to have\u201d when hiring, while hard skills have been the make-or-break criteria.<\/p>\n

But this is all changing. Why? The skills gap<\/a> \u2013 or the gap between employers\u2019 needs and the workforce\u2019s abilities \u2013 is widening. And, surprisingly, research<\/a> has shown that the most sought-after skills are actually soft skills.[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”MOVE OVER, \u201cSOFT SKILLS\u201d – WELCOME POWER SKILLS” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_single_image image=”4225″ img_size=”1110×500″][vc_column_text]As organizations rediscover the importance of things like resilience, writing, and critical thinking, a need to rebrand these abilities has become glaringly obvious.<\/p>\n

After all, how can you argue that someone is a \u201cstrong\u201d candidate, when their best qualities are supposedly \u201csoft?\u201d How can you convince executives that they need to invest in making their employees \u201csofter?\u201d<\/p>\n

Words matter. And, in this case, the words are just all wrong! The current terminology is an obstacle to closing the skills gap<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Enter the new term: power skills.<\/p>\n

The term \u201cpower skills\u201d is meant to erase the false hierarchy implied by the distinction of hard vs. soft skills. It is intended to capture that these skills are actually very influential in work environments.<\/p>\n

Consider this example. Imagine a furniture business is putting together an app for customers to shop online using augmented reality. They hire a dream team of developers and software engineers to create their very first application. Individually, they are great at writing code \u2013 they meet all the criteria.<\/p>\n

However, they do not work well as a team. They\u2019re used to working independently, so they struggle to collaborate. As a result, deliverable dates get pushed back, the project goes on much longer than intended, and the budget balloons. One of the developers even quits the team.<\/p>\n

Additionally, once the app is done, they can\u2019t communicate what the app can and cannot do in layman\u2019s terms. Because they cannot concisely and thoroughly explain the functionalities of the app, the marketing team has to devote additional time and resources to learning how the app works through trial and error. This further postpones the launch date of the app and inflates the budget.<\/p>\n

These are the types of challenges that businesses run into when they prioritize hard skills at the expense of power skills.<\/p>\n

Businesses must ensure that employees have adequate levels of both skillsets. Without appropriate power skills, it is more challenging \u2013 if not impossible \u2013 to translate hard skills into business success.[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”IN-DEMAND POWER SKILLS AND WHY THEY MATTER” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_single_image image=”4226″ img_size=”1110×500″][vc_column_text]So why is it that, all of a sudden, companies are expressing a heightened interest in power skills?<\/p>\n

Well, it\u2019s no secret that the pandemic increased our dependence on technology in the workplace<\/a>. What is interesting, though, is that the pandemic simultaneously highlighted the importance of power skills.<\/p>\n

Almost overnight, the economy and our everyday lives were turned on their head. This created a series of unprecedented challenges for businesses and employees.<\/p>\n

Although technology has been helpful for navigating these challenges, power skills have proven equally necessary for surmounting these obstacles and adapting to the new technologies.<\/p>\n

Below, we highlight 3 power skills that are in high demand among businesses and why they matter.<\/p>\n

COMMUNICATION<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Communication has always been vital to business success.<\/p>\n

Communication is the vehicle through which company culture<\/a> is conveyed. It\u2019s the tool that aligns daily operations with strategic goals. It\u2019s a means for solving problems and executing tasks. To put it simply: communication is central to business health.<\/p>\n

However, in the age of decentralized offices and working from home, strong communication abilities are more important than ever.<\/p>\n

Knowing what to communicate, to whom, through which channels \u2013 all of this is imperative in remote work environments.<\/p>\n

Think about it: prior to the WFH movement, communication happened all the time, incidentally, without much effort. Now, all communication must be intentional, and it has to overcome the barrier of distance.<\/p>\n

Additionally, embedded within the power skill of communication is the ability to be a good listener. Most of us have to be constantly plugged in to multiple devices at a time.<\/p>\n

This means that, at any given point, the person we are talking to has to compete for our attention with notifications, messages, and incoming calls \u2013 in addition to whatever is going on in our physical space.<\/p>\n

Therefore, the capacity to tune out distractions and be attentive to whoever is speaking to us is a must-have power skill.<\/p>\n

Want to learn more about the power of communication in a business? Check out <\/em>this article<\/em><\/a>!\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

TEAMWORK<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Similar to communication, teamwork and collaboration have always been crucial workplace skills.<\/p>\n

Teams that work well together are better at solving problems. They\u2019re more efficient. They\u2019re more innovative.\u00a0 They are more likely to transfer knowledge to one another and teach each other new skills.<\/p>\n

Also similar to communication, teamwork is a power skill whose demand has skyrocketed in digital environments.<\/p>\n

In fact, remote work settings require a whole new subset of teamwork abilities! In order to work effectively with others in the digital age, employees need to understand collaboration tools and how to use them effectively with others. This includes things like:<\/p>\n