Turning What You Love into What You Do
By Patrick O’Connor
Soft skills are popular and basically an essential skill for almost any job in today’s workplace. They are the skills that enable people to fit in at the workplace. Soft skills are associated with manners, interpersonal relationships, attitude, the ability to get
along with others, to communicate effectively and work in a team. They are part of the changes that have occurred in the workplace in the last 30 years. They are critical for “knowledge workers” in “learning organizations.”But are soft skills enough when the going gets really tough?
Will smiling, good eye contact, effective communication and getting along with others be sufficient when occupations and industries are replaced? Mergers, downsizing, globalization and technology have become the norm rather than the exception.
Can you rely of soft skills to sustain yourself when you suddenly
find yourself out of work?
At one time, this situation happened mostly to mid- or late-career workers. Now it can happen to almost anyone at any point along the career path, including those early in their career. And it can happen many times over the course of a career, which can last up to 60 years! Imagine a future filled with constant job and industry changes where the only security is your own ability to constantly adjust.
It is “hard” soft skills you will need to lean on when times are tough. Kara Cea (Volume 9) was the inspiration for the term. Her amazing rise, fall and resurgence in the ballet world demonstrate the toughness required to fight through adversity.“Hard” soft skills refer to qualities like resiliency, grit, tenacity, perseverance and a will to fight through adversity.
These skills are the undergirding and foundation of soft skills. In a millennial world, we find ourselves almost constantly having to reimagine, redirect, reinvent and reboot ourselves. It is almost an essential basic skill to hit the reset button… over and over.
Two Examples of “Hard” Soft Skills
George Miller II (Volume 12) left a secure Post Office position to pursue his dream of being an artist. He creates inspirational art to support those who have been traumatized and the professionals who work with them.
He was doing quite well until he practically lost everything during the crash of 2008. He had to rely on his will to fight through adversity. He expanded his art portfolio and
created new child advocacy art to reach new audiences. It took a few years, but he persevered and came out stronger for it. He viewed the experience as “an opportunity to survive. In 2015, George was recognized by Governor Rick Scott as Florida African American Artist of the Year.
George had lots of practice at perseverance, considering his early upbringing. He had a hearing impairment which affected his hearing as well as his speech. At age 10 this was corrected, and he suddenly found himself a fifth-grade student and far behind his peers. He slowly caught up, using his love and gift for art to carry him forward.
Kara Cea had a definite linear Road Less Traveled (a rarity). She was laser-focused on getting to the top of the ballet world. She achieved her goal through years of hard work, lessons, specialized training, practice and performing. Her career ended abruptly when her hips failed her, which left her completely devastated. In effect, she had to rebuild her life at age 20. She worked at a variety of jobs, became an entrepreneur and
earned bachelor and master’s degrees along the way.
It took about 10 years for her to return to dance as an educator. All that training and experience would now be used to teach others to dance. When she returned to dance for the first time, she said she felt like “someone wrapped their arms
around me.” She went on to a career as a dance professor and administrator. She also helped to create and direct the ArtSparks program, which offers dance and movement programs to elementary students. In 2016, Kara received the Arts Administrator of the Year Award for Summit County.
Both George and Kara are excellent examples of people who know there are no shortcuts, and we must all pay our dues. They, like all the Road Less Traveled subjects, use “hard” soft skills to respond in a positive way to the obstacles and struggles
that come with life and career.
My next blog segment will focus on the importance and value of the arts for turning what you love into what you do.
Photo courtesy pexels.com
Doloes (Dee ) Stegelin
Thank you, Patrick, for this blog and this timely entry. Today’s world seems like it is spinning in new and unusual ways. I’ve noticed going into restaurants and department stores that there are long lines of people waiting for service, along with few clerks, waiters and waitresses, and other employees to meet the consumers’ needs. I sense that many people are stressed in new ways: familiar jobs but without adequate support or salary; consumers wanting to get out of the house and enjoy life again but constantly bumping into service-related obstacles; the summer heat and climate extremes that are hard on the human system and psyche; and unemployed people trying to find a new path in life. All of it makes for people who are emotionally fatigued, short on patience, and a bit anxious overall.
Generations vary by characteristics, and I do think the younger folks are more adaptable to change than those of us who have retired. On the other hand, many younger folks have not had the level of challenge that their parents and grandparents have experienced, and meeting major obstacles now requires us to not only be intelligent, but also patient, persevering, and determined. As we all struggle to find our new footing in this post-COVID era, I think we all need to do self-care and to try to empathize with our friends, family, and neighbors as we all find new ground.
patrick oconnor
Thank you Dee for your insight. You always add so much to the conversation and ….. I appreciate it.
Pat
Mike Spriegel
During almost 30 years in HR, your “Hard-soft skills factored heavily in making hundreds of hires. Lack of experience was naturally remedied after they began working. Skills can be acquired, assuming aptitude (we paid technical and college tuition).
If people don’t have the hard/soft skills by the time I interview them, it’s doubtful they will acquire them Unfortunately, most of those skills cannot be taught — some come from life experience and even genetics. Sorry, Dale Carnegie.
With a toolbox full of those skills and traits, one can navigate a wide variety of occupations. Ask Frank Abagnale (he was on tour a while back). He used hard-soft skills masterfully to successfully impersonate several professions, including a doctor, and even an airline pilot. Watch “Catch Me If You Can”. But, I wouldn’t recommend using them to commit fraud, as he did.
Yup, as the old adage goes: If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to approach all challenges as if they were nails.
Child Advocacy Artist George E. Miller
Excellent blog Pat, your antennas are always up and in tune.
I have often been asked the question “Can resiliency, grit, tenacity and perseverance be taught? For me the answer is “not so much taught as inspired”. Growing up I was told stories of how my Grandfathers, both born just post slavery, during the time of Black Codes and Jim Crow laws endured tremendous hardships to support their families.
“That’s the wood your cut from” my mother would say!
Today I tell those same stories to my grandchildren.
patrick oconnor
George:
You continue to amaze and inspire me. You mother was a wise woman.
Best
Pat
patrick oconnor
thanks for your comments George. Your mother was a wise woman.
Pat