Comments on: The one skill you need for three key areas of career growth http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:29:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Eileen http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/comment-page-1/#comment-229251 Eileen Wed, 30 Jun 2010 01:30:37 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/#comment-229251 "Today many children who can read at age three are tagged as needing extra help in school because of signs of poorly developing social skills. Fifteen years ago those kids would have slipped through the system as eccentric geniuses." It's a good thing that I was in school some ten years ago and not now. Otherwise, I would be stuck in the slow classes with my social skills. Instead, I took all AP classes by the time I was a senior in high school and graduated as class valedictorian. "Today many children who can read at age three are tagged as needing extra help in school because of signs of poorly developing social skills. Fifteen years ago those kids would have slipped through the system as eccentric geniuses."

It's a good thing that I was in school some ten years ago and not now. Otherwise, I would be stuck in the slow classes with my social skills. Instead, I took all AP classes by the time I was a senior in high school and graduated as class valedictorian.

]]> By: Ian Needs http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/comment-page-1/#comment-229250 Ian Needs Wed, 30 Jun 2010 01:18:44 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/#comment-229250 Thank goodness. I just wish I was entering the work force now as my social skills has been and continues to be my key strength when managing and working with people, that is in a work place and personal sphere. Unfortunately, this skill was undervalued when I joined the workforce during the 1980's. We were looking for the academic, to become the smart country. Interestingly my dearest friend is that academic MBA at the major university in our country. She has continued her studies with now a Master in Psychology. However, her ability to really engage in a fluid informal manner, in both the formal (I know that appear convoluted) and the informal setting. I am not advocating that we limit our education, however a well rounded person does include their social skills. I suggest now we also must take into account the natural inclination and preference for an individual as we will always meet and work with the introvert, or the individual whose preference is to work alone. Some common sense to maintain a balanced approach is necessary. All types of people make up a whole. We must bring out the best in each of us in order to achieve personal and professional goals. Thank goodness. I just wish I was entering the work force now as my social skills has been and continues to be my key strength when managing and working with people, that is in a work place and personal sphere. Unfortunately, this skill was undervalued when I joined the workforce during the 1980's. We were looking for the academic, to become the smart country. Interestingly my dearest friend is that academic MBA at the major university in our country. She has continued her studies with now a Master in Psychology. However, her ability to really engage in a fluid informal manner, in both the formal (I know that appear convoluted) and the informal setting. I am not advocating that we limit our education, however a well rounded person does include their social skills. I suggest now we also must take into account the natural inclination and preference for an individual as we will always meet and work with the introvert, or the individual whose preference is to work alone. Some common sense to maintain a balanced approach is necessary. All types of people make up a whole. We must bring out the best in each of us in order to achieve personal and professional goals.

]]> By: Isabel WGBH http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/comment-page-1/#comment-221620 Isabel WGBH Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:12:28 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/#comment-221620 Are you interested in issues facing the African American community? If so, tune into the PBS show Basic Black, the longest running show addressing people of color on television. Watch TONIGHT at 7:30 p.m EST LIVE at www.basicblack.org or on channel 2 in Boston. You can also participate in a live chat at basicblack.org starting at 4 pm. This week’s show will look at the corporate connections of the Congressional Black Caucus and the lack of a diverse tenured faculty among professors of color in Boston area universities Are you interested in issues facing the African American community?
If so, tune into the PBS show Basic Black, the longest running show addressing people of color on television. Watch TONIGHT at 7:30 p.m EST LIVE at http://www.basicblack.org or on channel 2 in Boston. You can also participate in a live chat at basicblack.org starting at 4 pm. This week’s show will look at the corporate connections of the Congressional Black Caucus and the lack of a diverse tenured faculty among professors of color in Boston area universities

]]> By: ringo-ring http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/comment-page-1/#comment-188565 ringo-ring Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:34:07 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/#comment-188565 Hi Penelope, I like your article - it captured modern trends very precisely. From low-gpa loosers I know in my (technical) college many strive to get most of their "social skills". And they have an illusion (or a dream) that such skills will definitely allow them to somehow "control" other people, smart and hard-working, and get profit from results of other's work without doing any job themselves :-)) (of course this is just kid's dreams, but funny) But what I see is that these social skills can be improved only to extent of how intelligent - not with people but in a whole - you already are. So don't worry that sociall skills will replace intelligence in the end :) Actually if latter happens, then humans will be no different from chimps or other higher primates - they are very sociable too but lack that technical-savvy which allows us to think up & build all this stuff from house to laptop that is essential attribute of human civilization now. Hi Penelope,

I like your article – it captured modern trends very precisely. From low-gpa loosers I know in my (technical) college many strive to get most of their "social skills". And they have an illusion (or a dream) that such skills will definitely allow them to somehow "control" other people, smart and hard-working, and get profit from results of other's work without doing any job themselves :-)) (of course this is just kid's dreams, but funny)
But what I see is that these social skills can be improved only to extent of how intelligent – not with people but in a whole – you already are. So don't worry that sociall skills will replace intelligence in the end :)
Actually if latter happens, then humans will be no different from chimps or other higher primates – they are very sociable too but lack that technical-savvy which allows us to think up & build all this stuff from house to laptop that is essential attribute of human civilization now.

]]> By: Advice from Penelope Trunk: Synthesize Information « Making Information Useful http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/comment-page-1/#comment-188503 Advice from Penelope Trunk: Synthesize Information « Making Information Useful Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:30:58 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/#comment-188503 [...] brings us back to another one of Penelope’s posts from 2007.  To yield maximu effect, information synthesizers are able to take the bits of useful [...] [...] brings us back to another one of Penelope's posts from 2007.  To yield maximu effect, information synthesizers are able to take the bits of useful [...]

]]> By: anna http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/comment-page-1/#comment-133940 anna Fri, 11 Jan 2008 09:39:16 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/#comment-133940 I can totally understand Eileen's comment. Also, I feel there are too much useless chit-chats around the offices that contribute nothing to anyone but to the speakers themselves. I can totally understand Eileen's comment. Also, I feel there are too much useless chit-chats around the offices that contribute nothing to anyone but to the speakers themselves.

]]> By: Eileen http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/comment-page-1/#comment-101718 Eileen Sat, 07 Jul 2007 00:51:44 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/#comment-101718 I think it's sad that social skills are becoming more important to career advancement. Progress is supposed to increase freedom of choice and make life easier for everyone. Instead, introverts and loners are left with few options other than therapy. That said, I have lousy social skills. At 26 I may end up in low to mid-level background tech jobs for the rest of my working life. I can do well on written EQ tests if I answer dishonestly, but in practice I can't think of anything meaningful, or even any convincing BS, to contribute at meetings. Ironically, I want to be rich and famous, but with an utter lack of charisma and expression in my face, at least the "famous" part looks unlikely. I think it's sad that social skills are becoming more important to career advancement. Progress is supposed to increase freedom of choice and make life easier for everyone. Instead, introverts and loners are left with few options other than therapy.

That said, I have lousy social skills. At 26 I may end up in low to mid-level background tech jobs for the rest of my working life. I can do well on written EQ tests if I answer dishonestly, but in practice I can't think of anything meaningful, or even any convincing BS, to contribute at meetings. Ironically, I want to be rich and famous, but with an utter lack of charisma and expression in my face, at least the "famous" part looks unlikely.

]]> By: one of those days at Eat your Vegetables! http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/comment-page-1/#comment-76218 one of those days at Eat your Vegetables! Fri, 25 May 2007 04:41:45 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/#comment-76218 [...] The one skill you need for three key areas of career growth [...] [...] The one skill you need for three key areas of career growth [...]

]]> By: laurence haughton http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/comment-page-1/#comment-42258 laurence haughton Mon, 12 Mar 2007 17:19:28 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/#comment-42258 Caitlin's right, IMHO. Firing is most often a signal of management failure. If networking is critical to a position, how did someone without the ability to network (or the capacity to learn the soft skills of networking) make it past the hiring managers. If managers didn't know networking was critical that's one kind of failure. If they knew and didn't screen for it, that's another. Also people are routinely turned into "not nice to work with" types because of the environment created by management or the fact that they were a poor fit from the beginning. There's tons of research on both of these points as well. Caitlin's right, IMHO. Firing is most often a signal of management failure. If networking is critical to a position, how did someone without the ability to network (or the capacity to learn the soft skills of networking) make it past the hiring managers. If managers didn't know networking was critical that's one kind of failure. If they knew and didn't screen for it, that's another.

Also people are routinely turned into "not nice to work with" types because of the environment created by management or the fact that they were a poor fit from the beginning. There's tons of research on both of these points as well.

]]> By: Caitlin http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/comment-page-1/#comment-42151 Caitlin Mon, 12 Mar 2007 09:33:33 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/06/the-one-skill-you-need-for-three-key-areas-of-career-growth/#comment-42151 Having to fire someone who is a 'technical genius' but has 'poor people skills' sounds to me like a failure of management rather than a failure of personnel. Sometimes talent doesn't come in a nicey-nice package but, if you can learn how to manage it, your company is certainly better of with it than without it. Of course, it depends on the role. You probably wouldn't want them managing a team or dealing with clients but I think it's vital for managers to have imagination, flexibility and respect so they can utilise the maverick talent and not just the mediocre nice guy. Of course, if you can get someone who's a technical whizz AND has great social skills then great, but it doesn't always work that way. <strong>* * * * * *</strong> <I>Hi, Caitlin. There's a lot of management consulting type research that shows that companies are more effective if they fire someone who is difficult than keeping him around because he's smart. Here's a case study about this topic from the <a href="http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/search/searchResults.jhtml?sid=LK3T4DFJXFGJCAKRGWCB5VQBKE0YOISW&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&Ntt=jerk&N=0&Ntk=main_search" rel="nofollow">Harvard Business Review</a> (subscription). The most fun reading on this topic is Bob Sutton's new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Asshole-Rule-Civilized-Workplace-Surviving/dp/0446526568" rel="nofollow">The No Asshole Rule</a>. He teaches at Stanford University and the book is based on tons of research. It shows the enormous cost of keeping around someone who is not nice to work with -- no matter how smart they are. --Penelope</I>   Having to fire someone who is a 'technical genius' but has 'poor people skills' sounds to me like a failure of management rather than a failure of personnel. Sometimes talent doesn't come in a nicey-nice package but, if you can learn how to manage it, your company is certainly better of with it than without it.

Of course, it depends on the role. You probably wouldn't want them managing a team or dealing with clients but I think it's vital for managers to have imagination, flexibility and respect so they can utilise the maverick talent and not just the mediocre nice guy. Of course, if you can get someone who's a technical whizz AND has great social skills then great, but it doesn't always work that way.

* * * * * *

Hi, Caitlin. There's a lot of management consulting type research that shows that companies are more effective if they fire someone who is difficult than keeping him around because he's smart.

Here's a case study about this topic from the Harvard Business Review (subscription).

The most fun reading on this topic is Bob Sutton's new book, The No Asshole Rule. He teaches at Stanford University and the book is based on tons of research. It shows the enormous cost of keeping around someone who is not nice to work with — no matter how smart they are.

–Penelope

 

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