Living Well, Working Smart

Education and experience–those quantifiable “hard” skills on your resume that “validate” your suitability for a certain job or career,–are important to achieving professional success. But the benefits of education and experience can be neutralized if not complemented by another, just as essential skill set–that of “soft” skills. Soft skills are those that, when acquired and applied, influence attitude, behavior, and character in a positive way. They work synergistically with hard skills to create a powerful vehicle that moves you toward your goals. However, while hard skills are easily measured, soft skills are more difficult to assess and sometimes perceived as open to interpretation–a common rationale used by those who tend to apply these skills on a sliding scale. In this book, the authors remove any ambiguity surrounding the validity and application of soft skills. For each soft skill they cite–forty-one in all, ranging from leadership and managing anger to developing trust–they present a clear picture of the responsibilities and rewards inherent to each skill. The wryly humorous Mistakes to Avoid and the introspective Steps to Success accompanying each skill add both spice and specific guidelines for making these skills your own.