Important Soft Skills for Tech Professionals Today

I got fired twice because I had poor soft skills. Then, I became VP at Amazon, where my job was more than 80% based on soft skills. This was possible because I stopped being an outspoken, judgmental critic of other people and improved my soft skills. Here are 4 areas you can improve: Soft skills are one of the main things I discuss with my coaching clients, as they are often the barrier between being a competent manager and being ready to be a true executive. Technical skills are important, but soft skills are the deciding factor between executive candidates a lot more than technical skills are. Four “soft skill” areas in which we can constantly improve are: 1) Storytelling skills Jeff Bezos said, “You can have the best technology, you can have the best business model, but if the storytelling isn’t amazing, it won’t matter.” The same is true for you as a leader. You can have the best skills or best ideas, but if you can’t communicate through powerful storytelling, no one will pay attention. 2) Writing Writing is the foundation of clear communication and clear thinking. It is the main tool for demonstrating your thinking and influencing others. The way you write will impact your influence, and therefore will impact your opportunities to grow as a leader. 3) Executive Presence Executive presence is your ability to present as someone who should be taken seriously. This includes your ability to speak, to act under pressure, and to relate to your team informally, but it goes far beyond any individual skill. Improving executive presence requires consistently evaluating where we have space to grow in our image as leaders and then addressing it. 4) Public Speaking As a leader, public speaking is inevitable. In order the get the support you need to become an executive, you must inspire confidence in your abilities and ideas through the way you speak to large, important groups of people. No one wants to give more responsibility to someone who looks uncomfortable with the amount they already have. I am writing about these 4 areas because today’s newsletter is centered around how exactly to improve these soft skills. The newsletter comes from member questions in our Level Up Newsletter community, and I answer each of them at length. I'm joined in the newsletter by my good friend, Richard Hua, a world class expert in emotional intelligence (EQ). Rich created a program at Amazon that has taught EQ to more than 500,000 people! The 4 specific questions I answer are: 1. “How do I improve my storytelling skills?” 2. “What resources or tools would you recommend to get better in writing?” 3. “What are the top 3 ways to improve my executive presence?” 4. “I am uncomfortable talking in front of large crowds and unknown people, but as I move up, I need to do this more. How do I get comfortable with this?” See the newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/gg6JXqF4 How have you improved your soft skills?

As a Data Science Hiring Manager, I often see candidates with impressive technical skills but lacking the essential soft skills needed to perform well in interviews, often leading to rejection. Whether you're a Data Analyst, Data Scientist, or Machine Learning Engineer, here are the key soft skills that have made a world of difference in my career: 🔹 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Simplifying complex ideas and working well with others is crucial. I remember presenting data findings to senior executives – making the data story simple was key to getting their approval. - 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: "Can you describe a time when you had to explain a complex technical concept (like Causal Inference) to a non-technical audience?" 🔹 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺-𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴: When data doesn’t make sense at first, digging deeper can reveal important insights. Once, my team and I uncovered a major product insight by looking closer at an outlier. Solving problems in a structured way is essential in our work. - 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: "Describe a situation where you identified a problem that others had overlooked. What steps did you take to resolve it?" 🔹 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Handling multiple projects and deadlines can be challenging. Prioritizing tasks has been a lifesaver for me. Balancing urgent requests with ongoing projects requires smart time management. - 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: "How do you prioritize your tasks when you have multiple projects with tight deadlines?" 🔹 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: The tools and techniques we use are always changing. Being flexible and open to learning is crucial. I had to quickly learn a new visualization tool for a project – it was tough but very rewarding. I encourage my team to embrace change and keep learning new skills. - 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: "Describe a situation where you had to adapt to a significant change at work. How did you handle it?" 🔹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻: Leading teams and projects is about inspiring and guiding them. Managing a data governance project taught me the importance of strategic thinking and making ethical decisions. Knowing the business context of your data makes your insights more valuable. Today, I help my team align their work with product goals to deliver real value. - 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: "Can you describe a time when you led a project or team? What was the outcome?" Developing these soft skills has not only complemented my technical expertise but also empowered me to make a meaningful impact as a leader. What soft skills have been game-changers in your data journey?

Technical skills get you hired. Soft skills tell how far you'll go. After 15+ years leading medical teams and companies, I've learned: Skills gaps stall career, not technical limits The good news? These patterns are predictable and fixable Here are the critical soft skills that make or break high performers: 1/ Time Management 🛑 Always late to meetings or deadlines ✅ Use time-blocking to prioritize tasks. Every minute counts. 2/ Communication Style 🛑 Dominating conversations without listening to anyone ✅ Actively listen by summarizing others' points 3/ Handling Feedback 🛑 Getting defensive when receiving criticism ✅ Ask for specific examples to improve performance 4/ Stress Management 🛑 Becoming overly frustrated under pressure ✅ Practice stress-relief routines, like deep breathing. Pressure reveals character. 5/ Teamwork 🛑 Only working alone and rarely collaborating ✅ Offer to help others with projects and brainstorm ideas 6/ Conflict Resolution 🛑 Not addressing issues, hoping they'll disappear ✅ Address conflicts directly and share your concerns 7/ Emotional Intelligence 🛑 Not read the room or hear other perspectives ✅ Ask others about their challenges. Critical in high-stress environments 8/ Problem-Solving 🛑 Escalating issues without trying solutions ✅ Suggest multiple ideas along with problems 9/ Creativity 🛑 Sticking rigidly to old processes ✅ Find new and creative ways to work 10/ Continuous Learning 🛑 Never updating your skills or knowledge base ✅ Dedicate 30 minutes daily to relevant news and education 11/ Networking 🛑 Avoiding events and not interacting with people ✅ Have lunch with a different colleague each week 12/ Professionalism 🛑 Gossiping and speaking negatively about coworkers ✅ Redirect negativity to problem-solving. Gossip destroys trust. 13/ Self-Motivation 🛑 Needing constant supervision to stay on task ✅ Break projects into manageable tasks with real deadlines 14/ Leadership 🛑 Micromanaging and struggling to delegate ✅ Trust based on strengths and give autonomy. Trust your team or lose them. __ P.S. Which soft skill is your strongest? (Or needs work?) Share below 👇 ♻️ Follow me and share this to help others 📌 Save this post for future reference!⁣⁣⁣⁣ If you're a high-performing founder, grab my top 60+ infographics (free): 👉 Signup here: www.PeakProtocol.co