Skill
A skill is the ability to carry out a task with pre-determined results often within a given amount of time, energy, or both. Skills can often be divided into domain general and domain-specific skills. For example, in the domain of work, some general skills would include time management, teamwork and leadership, self-motivation and others, whereas domain-specific skills would be useful only for a certain job. Skill usually requires certain environmental stimuli and situations to assess the level of skill being shown and used.
People need a broad range of skills in order to contribute to a modern economy. A joint ASTD and U.S. Department of Labor study showed that through technology, the workplace is changing, and identified 16 basic skills that employees must have to be able to change with it.[1]
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Labor skills[edit]
Skilled workers have long had historical import (see Division of labor) as electricians, masons, carpenters, blacksmiths, bakers, brewers, coopers, printers and other occupations that are economically productive. Skilled workers were often politically active through their craft guilds.[2]
Life skills[edit]
Life skills are problem-solving behaviors that are used appropriately and responsibly in the management of personal affairs. They are a set of human skills, acquired via learning (teaching) or direct experience, that are used to handle problems and questions commonly encountered in daily human life. The subject varies greatly depending on societal norms and community expectations.
People skills[edit]
According to the Portland Business Journal, people skills are described as:[3]
- understanding ourselves and moderating our responses
- talking effectively and empathizing accurately
- building relationships of trust, respect and productive interactions.
A British definition is “the ability to communicate effectively with people in a friendly way, especially in business.”[4] The term is not listed yet in major US dictionaries.[5][6]
The term people skills is used to include both psychological skills and social skills, but is less inclusive than life skills.
Social skills[edit]
Social skill is any skill facilitating interaction and communication with others. Social rules and relations are created, communicated, and changed in verbal and nonverbal ways. The process of learning such skills is called socialization.
Soft skills[edit]
Soft skills are a combination of interpersonal people skills, social skills, communication skills, character traits, attitudes, career attributes and emotional intelligence quotient (EQ) among others. [7]
Hard skills[edit]
Hard skills are any skills relating to a specific task or situation. These skills are easily quantifiable unlike soft skills which are related to one's personality.[8]
See also[edit]
- Communication skills
- Deskilling
- DISCO - European Dictionary of Skills and Competences
- Dreyfus model of skill acquisition
- Game of skill
- Online skill-based game
- Transferable skills analysis
- Procedural knowledge
References[edit]
- ^ ASTD and U.S. Department of Labor study -Retraining 50 Million Americans: The Electronically Mediated Solution". Retrieved 2012-03-15.
- ^ Cowan, Ruth Schwartz (1997), A Social History of American Technology, New York: Oxford University Press, p. 179, ISBN 0-19-504605-6
- ^ Rifkin, H. “Invest in people skills to boost bottom line” Retrieved on 2009-10-14
- ^ “Macmillan Dictionary” Retrieved on 2009-08-18
- ^ Dictionary.com definition. Retrieved on 2009-08-18
- ^ Encarta dictionary definition. Retrieved on 2009-08-18
- ^ Marcel M. Robles, Executive Perceptions of the Top 10 Soft Skills Needed in Today’s Workplace, Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4) 453–465.
- ^ http://www.investopedia.com/terms/h/hard-skills.asp
External links[edit]
- American Society for Training & Development
- Australian National Training Authority
- NCVER's Review of generic skills for the new economy
- SKILLS EU Research Integrated Project
