Thinking back on your career: what has been the most impactful soft skill you picked up and where did you learn it from?

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VP of Legal5 months ago

The most impactful soft skills (which I did not pick up; these are my strengths but I learned to exploit and harness them) in my opinion are woo and relationship building that culminate into high performing communication. Understanding that colleagues, friends, and family all come to work and relationships with their own ways and methods, our style may conflict or be the opposite of how they may wish to process or receive information. Given the 4 communication styles, I became aware of them and then learned how to work with them, and the colleagues who I work with. Game changer because information is better received and perceived. Remember that a good part of your working day is spent managing relationships and other people's egos, under the guise of office politics and culture. So any tool that supports you in building better relationships and communication, means that you are contributing factor to fostering and building a positive foundation for a high performing and authentic corporate culture. Alisia Grenville

Director of Legal in Services (non-Government)5 months ago

Putting the interests of others before my own. This is the soft skill that I think created the most impact on my leadership and on the performance of my entire leadership team. It actually impacted our overall company culture. When someone you're leading knows that you genuinely care about their success, it not only motivates them to give their all, but it also enables them to receive correction or criticism in a truly constructive way. This concept is captured in two great books: "Leadership and Self-Deception" and "The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict." They were written by The Arbinger Institute. They're written in the form of a story, so they're actually entertaining to read!

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Legal Analyst4 months ago

Building strong relationships is crucial for fostering trust with your clients. By investing time and effort to understand their perspectives and needs, you create an environment where clients feel comfortable discussing any issues openly with you. Establishing this level of trust encourages transparent communication, enhancing the effectiveness of your collaboration.