Every employee brings their own innate, unique set of skills into the workplace. An effective leader can identify and nurture additional skills each person can master. Providing this kind of support and professional development for your employees will better prepare them for the future in addition to strengthening their sense of loyalty to your business. Here are eight skills worth teaching your employees.
[Read More: Solve Your Business's Talent Crisis With Reskilling and Upskilling]
Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence, also known as emotional quotient (EQ), is a valuable professional skill that facilitates positive client and team interactions. The ability to tune into how people are feeling and anticipate what they might need is essential to good workplace relationships; therefore, emotional intelligence should be cultivated, modeled, and rewarded.
To encourage EQ in the workplace, start by defining a clear code of conduct that highlights respect for everyone regardless of their background. Additionally, devote time to check in with employees and receive feedback from them. They may have questions or encounter specific scenarios that they want your input on.
Problem-solving
Every company encounters problems that need to be solved. Employees with strong problem-solving skills won’t be discouraged by these challenges and will think critically to present solutions to their managers and team members. To encourage problem-solving in your employees, frame every setback as a learning opportunity and encourage your employees to view issues with the same mindset.
Employees with strong problem-solving skills won't be discouraged by challenges.
Project management
Depending on the size of your business, it can be very easy to lose track of projects or have tasks fall through the cracks. Having someone with strong project management skills — including the ability to delegate, communicate clearly, and pay attention to detail — on the team is a strategic way to ensure the operation runs smoothly while giving yourself peace of mind.
A great first step for teaching project management is through team-building activities and games. You can find a variety of these for free online, or you can purchase more business-focused options. If you have a team member who excels at project management, you can have other team members shadow them to study their methods.
[Read More: What Are Project Management Methodologies? The Basics of Agile, Scrum & More]
Cross-cultural competence
To maintain a safe, successful workplace, you need leaders who possess cross-cultural competence. These leaders understand and are sensitive to the fact that everyone comes from different religious, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. They are respectful and understanding of differences instead of being resistant to them.
Make your office one where everyone is encouraged to be themselves and differences are embraced. Host employee training seminars conducted by experts on various topics that relate to cultural sensitivity and diversity.
Resilience and adaptability
Resilience in the workplace is the ability to adapt to difficulties or setbacks and not become discouraged, upset, or surrender. Employees with this skill are not flustered when things don’t go as planned. Instead, they adapt and find a way to keep moving forward.
To encourage adaptability in your employees, create an environment in which it is recognized that setbacks will occur but that everyone is capable of rising to the challenge. Seek out ideas, especially from the people working for you, about how they feel the company could be improved.
Digital literacy
In today’s technology-driven world, minimal digital literacy, such as using video conferencing and word processing tools, is a basic requirement in many fields. However, someone with true digital literacy can help themselves and their coworkers troubleshoot technology issues.
Since technology is always evolving, digital literacy training for your employees cannot be a one-time thing. Train employees during their onboarding period with the tools most frequently used by your company, whether those programs are Outlook, Google Suite, or design apps. From there, you can offer technology training “lunch and learns” to keep everyone up to date. You can turn to your own tech department or a hired external consultant to lead these sessions.
Public speaking
Most employees will speak in front of others at some point or another, whether that is delivering a presentation at a conference to hundreds of people or pitching an idea to a client. Public speaking skills, such as making eye contact, using an even-paced tone, and speaking with a clear voice are crucial for explaining complex topics to people or persuading them to take a certain action. Foster strong public speaking skills in your employees by providing opportunities in team meetings.
Conflict resolution
Conflict resolution is the ability to de-escalate, seek understanding, and find compromise on an issue. People adept in conflict resolution expertly navigate conflict and can help mediate situations for others. Develop a formal system for peer mediation and conflict resolution through your human resources department.
[Read More: 5 Leadership Skills To Learn: Train Yourself to Lead]
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