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08.08
Eight
Unusual Ways to Improve Your Soft Skills
By John R.
Platt
Electrical engineers, computer
scientists and other technology professionals
need years of education to qualify for jobs in
their fields. And yet, even with all of this
training, many of these same people working in
high-tech fields find themselves held back in
the workplace because they lack
business-critical interpersonal, writing and
presentation skills.
So how do you rank? Can you
write concise and understandable e-mails? If you
boss's boss asks for a quick "elevator
conversation" about your latest project, will
you be able to give it to him? Can you introduce
yourself to a room full of people?
Improving your so-called "soft"
skills can not only improve your chances of
communicating the things you need from your
bosses and co-workers to do your job, they can
also make you a more valuable employee. And the
more valuable you are, the more likely you are
to be rewarded in the long run.
With this in mind, here are
several admittedly unusual ways you can improve
your soft skills, and in the process, give your
career a boost. And guess what — you just might
have some fun in the process.
1. Take an acting class
Acting classes are a great way
to break out of your comfort zone. They'll teach
you to try new things, be comfortable in front
of an audience, and to get into a character's
head. This in particular is a great tool;
role-playing helps you to understand the needs
of your audience (a salesperson or your boss,
for example), and the needs of the people you
are trying to communicate with on your job.
Acting classes also teach you to
use your voice and project it off-stage to an
audience. While based in old-school theatrical
forms, this can help you when it comes time to
give a presentation, bringing confidence and
authority to your voice. Learn to own the
material and it won't own you.
Along similar lines, improv
classes offer similar lessons, along with the
extra bonus of getting you to think quickly and
adapt on your feet. Again, a great tool for
presentations, especially if you think anyone is
going to ask questions.
2. Read and write poetry
There's nothing like poetry to
give you a better understanding of language.
Reading and writing poetry will give you a
chance to learn about word play, timing, rhythm,
pace and style. Writing verse also allows you to
practice putting words together in a clear,
concise manner — an especially valuable business
tool.
By the way, when reading poetry,
try to do it out loud. You'll gain an even
better understanding of the poem's inner rhythm.
3. Join Rotary, Lions or some
other local club
Contrary to what you may
believe, service organizations like the Rotary
or Lions aren't just for older men. The clubs in
your area are looking for bright, eager young
members, too. And joining can provide a number
of benefits.
For one things, membership in a
non-technology group puts you in front of people
that are not in your field. This gives you a
chance to learn to speak to people who aren't
already intimately familiar with your subject,
and for you to do the same. Every conversation
is a learning experience and a chance to
practice your interpersonal skills.
For another thing, service clubs
provide great opportunities for volunteering,
getting involved, organizing events, and
individual growth. They offer leadership
training without the pressure of a corporate
promotion. You can then bring this leadership
experience to your job when it's needed, and
maybe surprise your boss in the process.
4. Speed dating = quick
learning
Okay, this one might not work
out too well if you are already married or in a
relationship. But speed dating offers you a
great chance to perfect your "elevator pitch" —
that description of who you are and what you do
that will capture and captivate the person
you're speaking to in less than 30 seconds.
At the right event, you could
end up speaking one-on-one to 10 or 20 people in
an hour or two. Each person will hear your
"pitch," and will follow up with a series of
unexpected questions for you to answer. Watch
each person's reaction and adapt your pitch when
you move on to the next person.
Even if you don't generate any
"dates" from speed dating, what better
opportunity do you have to speak to that many
people in a row and get instant feedback?
5. Two engineers walk into a
bar...
Similar to acting lessons,
stand-up comedy can teach you timing, presence
and, most importantly, how to make people laugh.
Good stand-ups listen to their audience, learn
from its reactions, and adapt their material.
Understanding what makes people laugh is one
step closer to understanding what makes them
tick. A good sense of humor will always benefit
you in your career, so find a local club with an
open-mic night or take a class and see what
happens.
Just stay away from jokes using
George Carlin's seven dirty words. They don't
play too well in a business environment.
6. Read 'til your eyes bleed
If you want to write better, it
helps to read. A lot. And not just science
journals — everything you can get your hands on
from all kinds of sources. Newspapers,
magazines, comic books, novels, biographies,
business newsletters, advertisements, etc.,
etc., etc.
While you're reading, analyze
how the writers accomplished what they did. How
was the piece constructed? What tricks did the
writers employ? How did one sentence build from
the next? What worked and what didn't?
The more you read, the more you
absorb. The more you absorb, the better your own
e-mails, reports and letters will read. And the
more you'll be noticed and trusted.
7. Videotape yourself
Just about every new laptop
these days seems to come with a built-in webcam.
So put it to good use. Point it at yourself and
record your practice sessions. Then play them
back and see how you look. You'll be amazed what
you notice when you look at yourself from the
outside.
You can do this in front of a
mirror, too, but the real learning comes during
playback, so go high-tech if you can.
8. How do you get to Carnegie
Hall? Practice, practice, practice...
You're not the only one of your
peers who needs help with his or her
presentation or writing skills. So team up. Get
a small group of your co-workers or friends
together on your lunch hour or after work, and
practice what you're learning. Rehearse your
presentations, practice your writing skills, try
out each others' handshakes, and run through
your elevator conversations. Learn from each
other. Then, after you're done practicing,
critique each other.
Be kind — a critique isn't about
destroying someone. It's about providing
constructive feedback. This creates a safe,
comfortable place to practice, and it will allow
your team to grow and try new things without
fear of being judged.
That "not being judged" thing?
It's key. Because everything you do in the
workplace will be judged by your bosses, so make
sure to get some practice before they find
something to really criticize you about.
John Platt is a marketing
consultant and journalist living in Maine. He is
a regular contributor to IEEE-USA
Today's Engineer. And yes, he's tried all of
the recommendations in this article. (Well,
except for the speed dating. Honest.)
Comments may
be submitted to todaysengineer@ieee.org.
Opinions expressed are the
author's.
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