ave you ever cried out in frustration, "You're just not listening to me!"

... only for the other person to respond, "I am!"

It's moments like these that we may realize that communication is far more than just speaking, or typing out a quick email.

Communication and listening are two examples of soft skills that are essential in the workplace. And we often overestimate our competence in these skills, and other soft skills.

Imagine if your whole team were experts in communication and listening - how would that transform the way you work?

By learning communication and listening skills, we can become effective, persuasive and respectful colleagues, reducing conflict and misunderstandings.

In this blog, we break down the mystery around soft skills, and share five top courses to help boost your team’s soft skills.

What are soft skills?

Soft skills are essential interpersonal and personal management abilities. They are the intangible ways that we think, that inform the ways that we act. They impact how we approach and overcome challenges, from social situations, to day-to-day management and personal wellbeing.

Soft skills are the invisible glue that help teams to run effectively and efficiently. They are often learned through experience working for businesses and in teams.

Because soft skills are so essential and powerful in the workplace, some industry leaders have pushed for soft skills to be renamed as “Power Skills”.

The opposite of soft skills is hard skills. Hard skills refer to a person’s technical ability to complete a task, use a piece of software or hardware, or complete a process.

Hard skills can quickly go out of date, as software and hardware are continuously updated or replaced, and tasks and processes are often iterated. By comparison, soft skills never go out of date.

Examples of soft skills

There are many soft skills that a person can be proficient in, and people can be more proficient in some than others.

Examples of soft skills include:

• Communication and listening
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Time management
• Goal setting
• Life-long learning
• Resilience and wellbeing
• Problem-solving
• Leadership
• Empathy
  

These are just a few examples of soft skills. You may be able to think of more!

The top 5 courses for improving soft skills

Some people take years to learn basic soft skills in the workplace, and it is often assumed that experience is the only way to learn them. However, this assumption is wrong.

Power skills can be taught. With the right training, every situation, conversation or disagreement can be a chance to build these critical capabilities.

With the help of guided instruction from digital courses, teams can get quick, bite-sized insights into better practices in soft skills. Combined with practice and reflection, employees can improve their soft skills in just days or weeks instead of years.

Here are five courses available from HowToo to kickstart your team’s training in less than an hour.

Grow your communication

Duration: 15 minutes

Communication is essential for teamwork, but poor communication can easily derail or delay projects. As workplaces undergo constant change, this module will introduce you to communication skills that will prepare you to adapt and prosper in the digital workplaces of tomorrow.

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Mindful listening

Duration: 15 minutes

Applying mindful listening to conversations doesn't just boost productivity, it also results in a more respectful and collaborative office culture. Effective listeners, both in the office and virtually, are essential to thriving in the modern digital workforce. This module will help you discover the benefits of being a mindful listener, understand the impacts of ineffective listening, and overcome barriers limiting your potential.‍

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The game of persuasion

Duration: 15 minutes

Persuading others is so much more than just presenting the benefits of your perspective. Challenge yourself to play the game of persuasion by learning techniques for bringing others around to your point of view. Whether you're convincing a customer, colleague or manager, persuasion is a powerful skill for improving your communication.

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Be your brand

Duration: 15 minutes

Brands are so much more than a logo. By keeping your brand in the limelight of your digital communications, you can give your customers a powerful collective experience. This module will challenge you to explore your company’s brand strategy and identity, and help you to communicate in line with their branding guidelines.

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Be a storyseller

Duration: 15 minutes

Stories have incredible power to evoke emotions and change understandings. By telling effective stories at the right time, you can form a deeper connection with your customers, build trust, and create a shared experience through the power of storytelling. Discover how to master the art of storytelling to improve your relationships with customers, manage expectations and boost your selling power.

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Start learning soft skills now

Soft skills are essential for team cohesion and productivity, and for individual career development.

If you’re ready to start equipping your team with these skills today, get started with our Empower Skills package. Get all five courses for just $2500 (ex. GST) - that’s a saving of over 30%!