Although you might think from your college education that functional business skills are key to success, that's false. In a recent post, I emphasized the necessity of knowing yourself, quoting Plato and Marcus Aurelius. So, how well do you know your own relationships skills? Relationship skills make possible nearly all business expertise.
Again and again over the past 25 years, the Wall Street Journal along with Harvard Business Review have surveyed recruiters in an attempt to identify their recruiting objectives and key skills. In every single instance over at least 25 years the number one issue was the same: communication skills.
That fact isn't lost at Stanford. Recognizing the importance of interpersonal skills, nearly 40 years ago they instituted Touchy Feely, an interpersonal program that many grads today recognize as the key to their success.
So Gen-Yer, with Plato as the backdrop, you're going to need a lot of relational smarts. You'll need those skills to gain feedback, access coaching, develop a network of mentors and move up the ladder or even build your own business.
Here are six important relational competencies for your toolkit:
- Proactive skills for seeking help.
- Ability to identify potential mentors and coaches.
- Capacity to initiate conversations with individuals who do not know you.
- Openness and skills for sharing your own experiences.
- Ability to establish relations of trust and respect.
- Skills for inviting feedback.
Individuals who lack these competencies are going to be at a significant disadvantage in today's free-flowing, volatile organizations. How are you going about this task?
