When you think about reskilling or upskilling your workforce (or updating your own skill sets), you probably jump first to technical expertise, such as statistical analysis, SEO/SEM marketing, software development, and artificial intelligence. But the demand for a more talented workforce goes beyond adapting to the new digital world.
As companies become more dynamic, interconnected, and flexible by necessity, soft skills such as adaptability, persuasion, relationship mastery, and time management are increasingly valuable. The key capabilities of effective leaders in today’s uncertain and volatile business environment span a wide-ranging set of skills–from the intellectual and interpersonal to the conceptual and creative.
But don’t take our word for it. In a recent LinkedIn survey, 92% percent of HR professionals surveyed said that soft skills matter as much or more than hard skills when they hire. And a new study from Boston College, Harvard University, and the University of Michigan found that soft skills training, like communication and problem-solving, boosts productivity and retention 12% and delivers a 250% return on investment based on higher productivity and retention.
If you’re looking to develop your soft skills or those of your workforce, consider the short courses at MIT Sloan Executive Education, including:
Building Game-Changing Organizations: Aligning Purpose, Performance, and People
Communication and Persuasion in the Digital Age
Maximizing Your Personal Productivity: How to Become an Efficient and Effective Executive
Neuroscience for Leadership & Applied Neuroscience: Unleashing Brain Power for You and Your People