People skills are some of the soft skills that will get you promoted because for you to succeed as a leader you need to be apt when dealing with people.
There’s a writer who said hiring doesn’t stop the day you land your job and get an offer letter. Even if you’re weeks old in your job you need to think about your promotion. This will only happen when you develop or acquire soft skills that will get you promoted.
As much as it’s good to be content with what you have and where you are, settling will work against your career growth. That’s why you should aim for the next level by actively and intentionally working on your soft skills. They will give you the edge that will encourage your bosses to entrust you with more responsibility, authority, and money.
Let's explore some of the soft skills that will get you promoted
1. Problem-solving
This is the art of looking at a problem, analyzing it, and coming up with the easiest cost-effective ways to solve it. You certainly don’t want to be the source of problems at your workplace. But you need to resolve to become a serial problem solver and create a reputation at work that you are a resource. Your promotion will be on its heels chasing after you thick and fast.
Sometimes when you realize your colleagues are stuck take some time out and brainstorm on how to solve those problems. Use your innovativeness and creativity to give ideas that can help your department save time and money.
If you notice that your boss is facing a challenge with a certain client or project, reach out to them and ask how you can help. Timing is key and is everything. Target a time when they’re in high spirits or haven’t been exhausted by the activities of the day.
To become a serial problem solver you need to study and expose yourself to different materials. This will open your mind to a world of possibilities and train your brain to see opportunity in every problem you encounter.
2. Communication skills
Endeavour to increase the effectiveness of your communication. Communication is both oral and written.
-
Oral communication
As you make your presentations during meetings, you need to speak with clarity. Ensure that your messages are both precise and concise. Think before you talk and practice the art of listening to understand before you react.
Pay close attention to your audience so that you can customize how you talk to them. Remember to be mindful of your tone because how a message is passed is as important as the message itself. When talking be confident and audible. You don’t want people dreading every time you speak because they’ll strain to listen to you because you speak in low tones. This sets you apart and marks you among your peers in the office.
-
Written communication
You’ll find yourself writing a lot of emails, reports, or text messages. Ensure that your grammar is always on point and that the punctuation marks are well placed. Don’t take good written skills lightly. They’ll come in handy when your seniors are appraising you for a promotion.
Be aware of redundancies such as “Repeat again” or “the more better option would be to do abc…” In the first sentence, repeat doesn’t need to be reinforced by the word again. It’s enough to communicate on its own. In the second phrase, more and better can’t go together. Simply because they’re accomplishing the same task. That’s a redundancy. Better is more than enough on its own.
One common mistake that people keep making in written messages is using the word “Am” in place of “I’m”. For instance “Am coming” instead of “I’m coming”. I’m coming is accurate and correct because it’s the short form of the words I am.
Appreciation for such seemingly small details will set you apart. It shows that you pay attention to details and you’d be trusted to make written statements on behalf of the company.
3. Interpersonal skills
People skills are some of the soft skills that will get you promoted because for you to succeed as a leader you need to be apt when dealing with people. Are you difficult to work with? Imagine if your boss promotes you but your colleagues lament because working with you is a complete nightmare.
Empathy is the ability to see things from the other person’s perspective. In essence, before you form a conclusion about something, you need to consider your coworker’s point of view or reality. With empathy, you’ll be in a position to make more balanced, informed, agreeable decisions that affect everyone else in the team.
Humility and the ability to cooperate as a team player are other interpersonal skills that can be categorized as part of the soft skills that will get you promoted. If you’re arrogant and always insist that your way is the best way, people will repel you and dread working with you because you will not come to any consensus.
You need to always have a great attitude and be respectful even when you’re disagreeing or correcting your teammate. In return, you need to work on your shocks when you receive correction or constructive criticism. Adopt a great attitude and make the changes that you need to make without too much drama.
4. Adaptability and flexibility
Change is a part of life and a key ingredient for growth. If you’re rigid and arrogantly stick to one way of doing things, the promotion you desire will be elusive. A candidate that is prime for promotion is someone who has proven their willingness to learn and adopt new ways of doing things regardless of the discomfort that comes with it.
It’s one of the important soft skills that will get you promoted. It takes courage and divorcing your comfort zone to do things out of the norm so that you can grow as a person. Your team and surrounding environment will grow as a consequence. Be ready to embrace new technologies when your company adopts them. Do everything you can to learn the ropes.
Be willing to try different strategies if the ones that you’ve been working with haven’t been yielding desired results.
In conclusion
When you master these soft skills, you’ll get your promotion faster than you expected to the amazement of everyone. It only takes willingness, intentionality, and the boldness you need to acquire these soft skills that will get you promoted.
