In the preparedness world, we focus a lot on hard skills, like making a fire or building a shelter. While these and similar skillsets are absolutely important, don’t overlook soft skills. They might not be as dynamic or visible, but they’re just as important.
For those who aren’t sure of the difference between hard skills and soft skills, here’s how to tell them apart. Think of hard skills as producing a definable, quantifiable result. They will help you complete a specific task or achieve a measurable goal. Processing firewood, cooking a meal from scratch, communicating via radio, or preserving food through home canning are all hard skills.
Soft skills, on the other hand, are more akin to personality traits, though ones that you can develop and improve through study and practice. They often tend to smooth things out when you hit bumps in the road, in a metaphorical sense.
Here are some examples of soft skills.
Problem-Solving
When presented with a situation they cannot easily overcome, many people experience “vapor lock.” They freeze up as they struggle to apply reason and logic to the situation. Those adept with problem-solving skills can use whatever tools and resources are available to come up with a workable solution.
Interpersonal Communication
One of the most common issues we face daily is communication. Most arguments we experience stem from simple miscommunication. Being able to share your thoughts with others in a way that is easily understood seems like a rare skill today, at least as evidenced on social media. We’ve talked before about the importance of being able to make yourself understood in stressful situations. But communication skills go beyond just that and extend to being able to listen as well.
Critical Thinking
Again, looking at social media, this is an area where many people seem to falter or struggle. We tend to see what we want to see and look for perspectives that agree with our own, which is called confirmation bias. In a way, critical thinking is sort of a kissing cousin to situational awareness (SA). We use SA to watch for potential threats to our safety.
The more observant we are for anomalies, the better. That same sort of mindset applies to critical thinking. As you read posts on social media, as well as stories posted elsewhere online, or found in print for that matter, look for things that don’t make logical sense. Look for the anomalies and avoid sharing stories that don’t pass the sniff test, even if they happen to agree with your established opinion or perspective.
Conflict Resolution
This is a subset of the interpersonal communication skillset but deserves a separate mention. We all experience conflicts, such as with family members and coworkers. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Conflict means things are running smoothly, and sometimes, that can lead to positive changes. But it’s critical to resolve the conflicts in the right way so as to avoid animosity or regret. People don’t thrive in environments where there is constant bickering or sniping. Which brings us to….
Leadership
Not everyone is a born leader. And a lot of people who think they’re born to lead truly aren’t. True leadership isn’t about being the best in the group. It’s about making every person in the group better. This includes sometimes acting as a referee when conflicts arise. As most parents know, that’s not always easy. But it does get easier with practice.
Bear in mind that there are many different leadership styles, from autocratic to coaching and more. The best leaders are the ones that tailor the style to the specific instance, understanding that there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
Soft skills might not get much attention in most survival literature, but they’re definitely important. Don’t discount them because they don’t seem as exciting as range time or testing new gear. The thing is, all of these soft skills are useful in daily life as well as in a crisis or disaster.
