What categories of skills are there?
Each plays a critical role in the startup and management of a business.
There are four distinct skill categories essential for business operations:
- behavioral
- cognitive
- technical
- industry-specific
The behavioral skills or "soft skills"
Behavioral skills are those that cannot be acquired solely through formal education or training (no school can teach behavioral skills). They encompass personal and interpersonal skills. Activities such as extracurricular pursuits, sports, volunteer work and general life experiences are likely to contribute to the development of these skills. This type of skill can be applied to various situations, both personal and professional, and across different sectors of activity.
What are some examples of behavioral skills?
- The ability to listen
- The ability to convince
- Creativity and the proposal of ideas
- Taking the initiative
- Organization, planning
- Stress management
- Kindness to others
- Transport
For example, an actor with improvisation skills can effectively engage in quick and dynamic conversations with clients or colleagues.
For a salesperson, notable business skills include the ability to persuade customers, negotiate and effectively manage stress under different circumstances.
The cognitive skills
Cognitive skills are cultivated through the mental processes of gathering and processing information to accomplish a certain task. They work based on past experiences and enable us to make decisions based on previously acquired knowledge stored in our memory.
They are the fundamental abilities that the human brain employs for thinking, learning, remembering, reasoning and paying attention to various external stimuli. These skills are essential for tasks as basic as walking or reading, to memory, attention, perception, logical thinking, speed of thought. as well as for more complex activities such as solving mathematical equations.
Illustration:
For someone working in the restaurant industry, cognitive skills may involve performing quick, problem-solving and efficient actions. On the other hand, for an architect, cognitive skills might center on logical thinking to create precise and feasible designs.
The technical skills or "hard skills"
Technical skills require training for acquisition. They encompass both knowledge and practical expertise. These skills can be validated through diplomas, certifications and professional experiences. It can be measured using technical tests but also undergo rapid evolution and can become outdated sooner than expected.
Illustration:
For instance, examples of technical skills include preparing balance sheets for accountants, developing marketing strategies for marketing managers, proficiently using computer software for HR professionals, undertaking project management for managers and effectively following methodologies or procedures for technicians, among others.
The industry-based skills
Sector-based skills pertain to qualifications and knowledge specific to a particular industry or field and tied to particular sectors of activity, such as:
The technology
Banking / Insurance
The BTP
Legal services
The nuclear industry
The pharmaceutical industry
Transport
Illustration:
For a full-stack web developer, their skill set may include familiarity with specific regulations in the healthcare sector or an understanding of its culture. Each sector possesses its own distinct vocabulary, challenges and unique culture.
This enables them to effectively communicate and collaborate with peers in the workplace or on related projects. In many cases, sector-specific skills are acquired through specialized training programs, such as obtaining a Master's degree in Nuclear Engineering.
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