For Digital Transformation: Go Heavy on Your Soft Skills
A single, technical skill won’t create a lasting legacy
It's often the technical skills and professional expertise which plug you into a project but it's the soft skills which amplify your reach and resonates with the audience.
Just think about some of the greatest talents known for their instrumental role in a band.
Slash and his guitar solos in Gun's n'Roses
Johnny Marr and his riffs underpinning the sound of the The Smiths
Phil Collins on the drums and Peter Gabriel on the mic whilst at Genesis
Stevie Nicks with her enigmatic voice as part of Fleetwood Mac
Will.Iam and his creative productions as part of the Black Eyed Peas
Ozzy Osbourne’s memorable stage presence as part of Black Sabbath
Dave Grohl’s energy as a drummer & guitarist of Nirvana or the Foo Fighters
It was not that one single ability which launched the respective musician and the band into success and sustaining them as legends in their respective music domain.
It was a combination of different talents, innovation, branding, continuous adaptation and resilience which converted them to legends.
The investment into deep technical expertise will pay out, but only when other skills are nurtured along side.
Soft Skills as the differentiating force
In business, elevating soft skills is becoming a crucial differentiator between teams which manage to succeed with Digital Transformation efforts
and those who fail and disband along the way.
Various studies keep confirming the shift in demand for skills towards cognitive, softer skills.
The latest Future of Jobs 2023 report from the World Economic Forum for example, recently outlined the TOP 10 skills of 2023 which reflect the deep changes and skills in demand.
These studies take note of the evolution most job roles will notice with the advances in Automation of tasks and increasingly capable AI solutions.
These interpersonal skills cannot be learned in isolation but are talents grown through maturity, exposure to real world problems and mostly learned on the job and not necessarily in theory or text books.
Each of these virtues is like a hard-earned patch on a vest, a promise of excellence and a sign of commitment to your team or community.
In music, these traits take a perfected guitar or drum solo into a full sound and upgrade stage presence vibing with the rest of the band and the audience.
They are the type of attributes which turn individual team members into navigators of change, capable to keep evolving through rough journeys and fast-paced changes in technology, customer expectations and the virtual reality of collaboration across locations without loosing sight of the goals and by solving challenges as they occur.
9 indispensable soft skills for a high performing team
Particularly when setting up a new project or a new Centre of Excellence, i look for sound complementation of core skills but go heavy on hiring for for attitude and interpersonal abilities and preferences which can help to elevate the person and more so, the full team.
So, what are some of these traits which can turn an individual instrumentalist into a rock star and propel a team of individuals into a formidable band of Achievers?
Find here 9 indispensable skills to seek for in individuals or a team embarking to develop as part of a Digital Transformation project:
Vision & Foresight to see beyond the current horizon and the ability to set direction and goals in line with business objectives and future needs
Empathy by truly understanding and feeling the needs and pains of an audience
Innovation fed by curiosity to do things better or differently and create an unforgettable experience or sound
Resilience to keep a positive outlook regardless of challenges and setbacks
Adaptability to shift gears and stay relevant when changes in demand, technology, environment occur
Collaboration to achieve outstanding results as an ensemble, knowing when to lead and when to support
Critical Thinking to craft solutions to problems with effective solutions and a positive echo
Learning Agility the capacity to continuously learn, adapt and unlearn skills as the technology evolves and expectations change
Communication and presence to message and reach people with their heart and mind
Conclusion
As the digital transformation stage constantly evolves, the spotlight often shifts, highlighting new technologies, methodologies, and strategies.
Yet, the underlying rhythm that keeps the performance alive, the harmony that resonates with every stakeholder, and the melody that guides the narrative of success are all driven by soft skills.
Soft skills which individuals obtain as they experiment, perform, adapt and work through the challenges on a joint journey which does not have a fixed end in mind but provide experiences for growth and progression.
These traits, much like the timeless qualities of legendary musicians, are what make the difference between a one-hit wonder and a lasting start in the digital era.
When it comes to Digital Transformation, go as you require for Technical skills and go heavy on soft skills.
Embrace the journey beyond mosh pits and head-banging but with a prove of patches representing the soft skills learned and earned along the way through contribution and commitment.
What soft skills would you add to the list?
Which one are you committed to further develop?
#digitaltransformation #changemanagement #softskills
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