Episode 35

full
Published on:

11th Jan 2021

Soft skills by any other name....

Soft skills by any other name.... are still as powerful!


In the English language there are some misnomers that make you shake your head…. Words like:

·     gravy train – that have nothing to do with gravy or with trains but rather a source of easy money that has most likely not been worked for. 

·     the red panda, a raccoon that is found from the Himalayas to China that has nothing to do with Pandas…

·    the fact that now there is no coat in coat of arms, and neither are there arms as a coat of arms refers to some type of symbolic emblem.

·     killer whales – one of the largest species of dolphins that are not killers…or whale sharks, gentle giants that, while vastly intimidating when swimming next to them as I can testify, feed on plankton and their name of whale plus shark seems misleading.

When I think about misnomers, I have to tell you that Soft Skills also comes to mind. There is nothing soft about soft skills. In fact, they ARE some of the hardest skills you will ever seek to acquire. 

Understanding the depth of soft skills involves a deeper awareness of the driving force within us that leads us to add value and meaning to ourselves and to others. This driving force delivers the “How To” in your development of soft skills as a healthy leader.

Are you looking to grow in this area of your leadership? Looking for a leadership coach? You can reach me at www.healthyleadership.online to set up a call.

Resources:

CONARC Soft Skills Training Conference 1972

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About the Podcast

The Art of Leadership
The Art of Leadership focuses on soft skills... some of the hardest skills a leader will ever learn.
The Art of Leadership with Dr. Niña Ellison focuses on the soft skills of leadership, their value and the power of their influence. As a leader, if you are interested in moving from success to significance then balancing both hard and soft skills is essential!

Hard skills are demonstrated through technical expertise that results in clearly measured goals being reached. They are vital to the success of any initiative or program. On the other hand, soft skills emphasize the transformation of people. They highlight behavioral changes and making a difference in people’s lives.

This podcast is for leaders who are seeking a fresh perspective into some of the hardest soft skills a leader will ever learn. You can connect with Niña at https://www.ninaellison.com

About your host

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Niña Ellison

In 2019, after years of leading teams varying from international disaster relief and healthcare to the US Corporate world, Niña founded Healthy Leadership to focus on her passion for partnering with leaders in their growth and sustainability. Her own journey into soft skill development has convinced her that while her technical skills helped her get her foot in the door, her soft skills moved the influence of her leadership from success to significance.

As a soft skill specialist Niña takes monthly deep dives in her podcast series, The Art of Leadership, to explore the underlying dimensions of soft skills. She knows that soft skill development is not so much about WHAT but HOW a leader leads.
• From a 10,000 foot view a leader pursuing soft skills asks, “How do I problem solve; How do I manage time and energy?”
• From a 1,000-foot view that same leader, as they dig deeper into soft skills, begins asking questions like, “How do I listen; or How do gain self-control?”
• From Ground Zero the leader recognizes that there are underlying dimensions of soft skills as they ask, “How do I model respect for all; How do I sustain hope; How do I demonstrate appropriate love in the workplace; How do I maintain the right attitude?” How do I lead by serving?

Nina believes that behind every wildly effective and sustainable system and process are leaders and teams who have interwoven soft skills into every phase of their work.