soft skills

People assume that the corporate world is different from the rest of the world. The life’s philosophy does not apply to it. But it is not so. Physics and Philosophy are uniform everywhere. If physics is behaving the same way in your office, the philosophy will behave in the same way too.

I have always believed that solutions are never outside us, solutions are always inside us. If we do not find a solution within us, we better create it, and it would reflect in the without. Always seeking help from others is a sign of consumerism, always consuming what you get from the outside world.

To start with this philosophy, you can have 5 simple things developed within you, to be a star in your office. You will not require to look for people’s help, in fact, you would yourself be able to help a lot of them.

1. MS-Office

This may look too obvious, but still, many are struggling with MS-Office. You may also feel a shock to see the technical skill, after reading a paragraph on philosophy. But I find it natural to see everything connected to each other. Be it technology, be it thoughts, nothing is exclusive. To live a balance life, we need to have a balanced approach to all the powers.

…and MS-Office is still a power, in most of the offices around the world. You may not have to use everything in it, but it is rarely possible to escape Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. If you are still not at it, grab the opportunity to learn it. Today is the easiest time to learn it, you have plenty of access to free videos, articles, and even the help menu of the Office.

You may not want it, but one day or other, you will have to face it. So, learn it the first possible moment.

2. Email Etiquette

Although official WhatsApp groups are flooding today with 100s of texts a day. Some to impress the boss, some to show the importance, or create pressure, or even some genuine conversation. But the importance of emails is still intact, and will remain for a good amount of time, for formal communication.

You may feel that the language of an email in this informal internet age, is not important; but for you, it is. There may be a lot of people in your organization who use informal languages in the emails; but my suggestion is to avoid it. For being informal, there are plenty of other platforms in your mobile. Learn email etiquette because this is your image being communicated around in the office.

You will find numerous information to learn email etiquettes on the internet, follow the common ones in most of them.

3. Simple Analytical Tools

Most of us assume that analytical tools are only for those process excellence guys who are always in a meeting in closed rooms. But this is not true. There are numerous analytical tools, which are simple life’s philosophies, made simple in a framework by some intelligent celebrity. Why can’t you use it? You do not have to present it to anyone or write it day and night. But you simply have to use the techniques. Although there is no end to these simple tools, but to start with you can learn Cause and Effect Diagram, 5S, Eisenhower Matrix, Value Stream Mapping.

When it comes to solving a problem, and when it comes to learning something useful, nothing is for someone specific. Everything has something that will be of your use. When you learn these simple tools, your communication becomes effective, you become analytical, you become fast decision maker, and you feel confident.

4. Perception Management

What? Perception Management? How can it be managed?

Yes, it can be managed. They do not see you the way you are, they see you the way you look. Perception management is an art. Other 4 points you can learn and practice; but perception management comes by practice and reform.

You can manage your perception in your office by few simple qualities, which includes, the way you communicate in person, on emails, WhatsApp groups, how you dress, your response time, what type of contribution you have in water cooler talks, how you behave on social media or in office parties.

5. Technical Knowledge

This obviously was supposed to come. You must have a good knowledge of your domain. You might be carrying it from your college or previous organizations; but every company has something different while doing the same work, learn that. Observation, right questions, and practice are the key. Try to ask the least and research the most. But no other skill would be a fit if you lack your own domain’s technical knowledge.

These were the few basic things we forget that is required for your growth in an organization. Everyone can learn and implement these. The thing is awareness, and now as you are aware, bang it on!

In the upcoming posts/articles, I will share some rarely discussed points about email etiquettes, over simplified version of already simplified frameworks of the analytical skills, and more discussion about the perception management. So, keep following, and keep growing!