Soft Skills For Dummies

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.

Cindi Reiman is the President and Founder of the American Hospitality Academy (AHA), a company that has been providing leadership training and internships since 1986. AHA created Soft Skills AHA, which provides curriculums and professional development programs focusing on career readiness and the essential employability traits needed to be successful both in the workplace, and in life.

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

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The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.