A Re-Definition of “The Skills”
We hear a lot about soft skills (emotional intelligence (EI) and the like). I’ve always been a bit bothered by the characterization of such vital skills as “soft.”
With the exception of such things as pillows and the like, “soft” is a pejorative – especially for men.
I’m here to shift that.
From now on, let’s call “hard” skills (computer skills, business analysis, calculus, etc.) as enabling skills. In that they enable us to do things – things that if we didn’t have the (hard) skill, simply wouldn’t happen.
And instead of calling inter- and intra-personal skills “soft,” let’s refer to them as differentiating skills.
I know that’s a bit of a mouthful, but wide-ranging command of the EI skills is what differentiates an individual – at the workplace, at home and within one’s own private universe of thought and being.
Both types of skills are necessary, but over- or under-development or reliance on one type will hinder all sorts of things: career/business development, personal development and the continued cultivation of happiness and fulfillment.
Commit to understanding the hard skills you need for success in your chosen pursuits, whether they be personal or professional (and developing them over time) and make it a priority to develop your inner capacities and resources which will serve you well in every area of your life.
