Soft Skills For Dummies

Soft skills make the hard skills work! Soft skills are the personal qualities that make you a great communicator, problem solver, and leader on the job—and in your personal life. Soft Skills For Dummies helps you hone in on the traits you already have—or fine tune the ones that may need some extra attention—to market yourself as a workplace leader who’s in touch with what today’s employers are looking for: people who can lead and inspire through interpersonal communication, cultural awareness, time management, teamwork, critical thinking, and problem solving. • Sharpen the skills you need for a successful career • Improve your ability to work with others • Become a more confident job seeker and leader • Grasp the concept of soft skills through real-world applications, inspirational stories, and industry spotlights With content based on a time-tested curriculum designed to prepare you for work and life success, this book is packed with everything you need to build your soft skills to make the strongest impact possible.

Introduction 1 Part 1: Laying Down a Solid Foundation with Soft Skills 5 Chapter 1: Seeing What Soft Skills Are All About 7 Chapter 2: Going Far with a Great Attitude 17 Chapter 3: Cultivating Top-Notch Character Traits 35 Part 2: Going Even Further with Soft Skills 47 Chapter 4: Being Clear with Interpersonal Communication 49 Chapter 5: Respecting Diversity and Developing Cultural Awareness 63 Chapter 6: Making an Impression with Your Appearance and Manners 77 Chapter 7: Staying on Top of Things with Time Management 87 Chapter 8: Navigating the Dynamics of Working with Others 99 Chapter 9: Applying Critical Thinking to Problems 111 Chapter 10: Building a Strong Work Ethic 123 Chapter 11: Leading from Anywhere in the Organization 133 Part 3: Applying Soft Skills in Specific Situations 143 Chapter 12: Bringing Your Soft Skills to Life 145 Chapter 13: Showing Off Your Soft Skills to Prospective Employers 155 Part 4: The Part of Tens 165 Chapter 14: Ten Inspiring Soft Skills Phrases 167 Chapter 15: Ten Ways to Grow Your Soft Skills 173 Index 177