Posted by Holy Family Counseling Centers Staff on April 20, 2020

B. Types of Skill Sets

Generally, there are two types of skills used in work: soft skills and hard skills. Soft skills are those that we can use in any job. They are the interpersonal skills and personality traits that we carry with us all of the time. These skills make up the basis for how we communicate and work with others. Soft skills include:

Soft skills make up the “who” of our work personas. They are transferrable and appear in many of the different roles that we may have to take on. Soft skills develop over time, they are integral parts of our personalities and morals and often develop as we grow and mature. Soft skills can be expanded upon by increasing contact with others through team-building activities, support groups, friendships, or mentorship. Moving through life connected to others allows us a chance to grow who we are in many different ways:

1. Be open to feedback. Not all criticism is negative, it can help us grow when we are open to receiving it. Focus less on how criticism is delivered and discover what the message is. Listening to superiors, colleagues, employees, and parishioners allows for a well-rounded way to learn.

2. Communicate often. Effective communication benefits everyone. Communicate about tasks involved with your vocation and those outside of it as well. Take advantage of the different modes of communication available to you. Face-to-face communication is always important. We can also utilize emails, text messages, and presentations as a way to communicate with others. Keep in mind how you address others, if your message is clear, and notice how others communicate with you to develop a style of communication that works for you.

3. Adapt to workplace changes. As with any type of work, there are going to be fluctuations that occur in placements, staff changes, and procedure changes (as seen by our response to Covid over the last year). Try not to view changes as negatives, but rather as opportunities to implement new ideas, change procedures that are out-dated, and to learn how others around you adapt to the fluidity that is introduced.

4. Be observant. Notice how others around you, no matter their role, handle their vocations or work roles. Notice what things you can adapt into your own soft skill repertoire and make adjustments as needed. We can all get stuck in ruts, the more open we are to observing others and learning new ideas from how they operate, the less likely we’ll be stuck in a rut longer than we need to be. Hard skills are the skills that relate directly to how we do tasks. These are the skills that come with specific schooling, training, and experience.

Hard skills are the “what” of our vocations. Each role within your vocation requires a different set of hard skills. These skills may transfer between roles but often do so less easily then soft skills. For example, during a budget meeting any experience you have in accounting or budget management is a hard skill. Developing hard skills is more direct than developing soft skills. Most of us can recognize areas where there might be a gap in our ability to perform certain tasks. When we are honest with ourselves it makes it much easier to address these deficits.

1. Ask for advice. Openness to learning new skills is extremely important. Look at your network and determine which people in your life could offer advice. Perhaps it is a fellow priest that does well in one area, perhaps it is a friend or family member that excels within their own vocation. Asking for and following the advice of others is a great way for us to determine which skills can be expanded upon.

2. Take a class. Developing hard skills often means taking the time to learn something new. Professional development courses are often available for free and can teach us new skills in relatively short amounts of time. Learning new skills and techniques through short classes is a positive way to expand our hard skills while also refreshing the way we view certain aspects of work and vocation.

3. Set a goal. In the daily flow of life, it is easy to get lost in the current. Step back and look at areas you would like to improve upon. When those are identified set yourself a small goal and the steps you are going to take to reach it. Taking the steps to achieve a goal may lead to more positive outcomes and make success achievable.

C. Remaining Curious.

Perhaps one of the most important attitudes to maintain when expanding ones vocational or work skill set it that of curiosity. Vocations are what we strive to do in life, and they involve many different titles and responsibilities as we travel along our chosen path. As human beings we crave the familiar and not without reason, it surrounds us with feelings of safety and contentment. However, in our daily work, familiarity can lead to repetitive daily routines and feeling unsatisfied. As we read in Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Curiosity leads to learning, it is an active state of interest and wanting to know about something. Curiosity allows us to embrace circumstances that are unfamiliar and, in doing so, give us the opportunity to discover new experiences and find joy.

Numerous studies show that curiosity is linked to intelligence and learning. When we are curious about a topic we are more likely to learn about it quicker. Curiosity primes our brains for learning and helps to push us towards completing gaps in our knowledge. When we ask advice of others, we are more likely to discover those gaps and do something to correct them. Curiosity can also be helpful in how we relate to others. When we are curios about people’s lives, or they are curious about ours, it leads to levels of personal growth. Those that remain curious often end up not being bored, they are able to see new possibilities and due to an inquisitive nature, often find greater satisfaction in their pursuits.

The attribute of creativity often goes hand-in-hand with curiosity. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, described creativity as, “a central source of meaning in our lives … most of the things that are interesting, important, and human are the results of creativity … [and] when we are involved in it, we feel that we are living more fully than during the rest of life.” Creativity is often associated with the arts, like drawing, painting, writing, or music. However, creativity goes beyond these traditional activities. Creativity is about finding meaning and fulfillment in any activity. Early in life you were probably encouraged to be creative. As a matter of fact, we always encourage the creativity of children and ask them to extend beyond their boundaries to discover aspects of themselves and their environments that they do not know.

As adults, we should not let go of this idea. What were some creative things you did or wanted to do as a child? Try to recall times in your life where you didn’t get a chance to be as creative as you wanted and go for it. In today’s parlance we often hear this as “thinking outside the box.” The phrase is used enough that it may have lost the punch it was designed to deliver. In thinking outside of the box we give ourselves the chance to keep engaged with ourselves, reduce our stress, and improve our skills. Creativity helps us to center our lives around God’s presence; it is viewing the world not through the world’s lens but through the lens of the Divine Creator.

Jacks of a trade started out as men who did not know what they were doing. They had to learn the skills of their trade and in doing so would see others learning skills in other trades. Through this experience, skill sets were slowly expanded. The process of leaning into a vocation, learning about it, and continuing to expand within it is not easy. Constant work on self-care, both personal and vocational, is needed to keep the mind, body, and spirit refreshed. Curiosity assists in this, and creativity bolsters the process. Expanding our skill sets starts with understanding what skills are needed. The role of a priest is ever-changing. Many different hats need to be worn and those hats sometimes change multiple times in a day. Reminding yourself to remain adaptable, to ask for advice, and to live as a constant learner will go a long way in making change a little easier.