Why It's Great to Go Soft… Just Like Chic-fil-A!
We are living in a time of constant change due to the power
of technology and social media. This has been pushing businesses to be less dictatorial
and more social and communal. As a result, the value of our soft skills has
dramatically increased.
So what are soft skills? Wikipedia defines them as, “a
sociological term relating to a person's "EQ" (Emotional Intelligence
Quotient), the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication,
language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that characterize
relationships with other people.” I would simplify that definition into something
even more basic. Soft skills = People skills. Yes, we all have people skills
but some are blessed with more while others aren’t. If you look around, you
will notice that not everyone was passed out people skills equally. These
traits are not only in one’s genes. You can teach them, and you should!
Soft skills are often overlooked, but they play an important
role in the day-to-day operations of any business. I recently went to one of my
favorite “fast food” chains, Chic-fil-a, and I realized that they place a high
value on “people skills” in all of their employees. Their service is truly amazing!
I always feel welcomed and appreciated when I go there, not to mention their
food is pretty darn good to! Forbes says that
Chic-fil-A has a staggering 5%/year turnover for their operators. That blew my
mind, especially in that industry. If I were to ask Cathy or any of the execs
over at Chic-fil-A why that number is incredibly low, I believe they would
agree that soft skills are an integral part to their success. So I came up with
6 reasons why every company should train on soft skills just like Chic-fil-a.
You and your associates:
·
Will attract like-minded people
·
Will gain others respect
·
Will typically display a stronger work ethic and
drive
·
Ability to communicate effectively will
drastically increase
·
Ability to work within a team will feel more
natural
It’s evident that the business community is beginning to
understand that these skills are valuable. Focus in on your soft skills and
create memorable impressions and loyal business just like Chic-fil-A.
