Let's talk about "soft" skills in automation!

[Michael_S]

Hello Community!

Myself, @RobinParkerBPC and MVPs @asilarow, @sastharpa & @michaeloneil got together for a live chat today on how critical "soft" skills are for automation professionals who are seeking to climb their career ladder. We believe that, without core skills like excellent communication, negotiation, root cause analysis (to name a few!), it is very difficult to go beyond entry-level automation roles.

It was an amazing session with lots of brilliant questions! The recording isn't quite ready yet, but once it is, we'll share it here. In the meantime, I would love for us to create a library of advice for automation professionals on developing soft / human-centric skills.

I'm looking for a few stories and anecdotes on how soft skills have helped you in your work. 

Please contribute:

• Which non-technical skills you have intentionally learned and honed through your career
• Stories about how you utilized soft skills to turn a negative situation into a positive one at work
• If you're a hiring manager, what soft skills you seek when you interview candidates

Thanks so much for your input,

Michael

[lauren.attwood]

Really enjoyed the webinar, totally agreed with what was said regarding putting yourself out of your comfort zone in order to gain confidence. Attend those meetings, ask the questions and gradually confidence will build.

[Michael_S]

@lauren.attwood thank you so much for coming along and asking some really great questions! I'm about as far down the introvert scale as you can get myself, and really struggled in my early career to have the confidence to have open and honest conversations with colleagues.

Two things really helped me:

1. Formal leadership training - even though I didn't have line management responsibilities, I asked my manager for help. I was lucky enough to be a part of an organization that had a well developed leadership program, much of which focused on developing skills like communication, influencing, negotiation and empathy
   
   
2. Emulating others - there were lots of people around me who were really good at being engaging, communicative and assertive. Most of them will happily tell you that they're not easy skills to develop, and can share great stories about how they got to where they are now. I really recommend finding others who already have the human skills you're looking for and asking them for advice. Offer to take them out for a coffee in return!

(PS - congrats on your first community post!) 🥳

[shreya.khot]

I'm responding a bit late to this but I think soft skills play a major role for automation professionals. A person is technically good with all knowledge but is unable to communicate; the talent just goes waste. The most important soft skills required for an automation professional are-

1. Verbal Communication- To communicate flawlessly with stakeholders & to demonstrate the capabilities of automation tools.

2. Email Writing Skills- Verbal communication is not an official mode of communication, making email writing a crucial skill to ensure that the points discussed are clearly documented and confirmed. Email writing skills also avoids conflicts & results in good practice of documentation.

Some of my crucial projects have really helped me improve my email writing skills & taught me a lesson that whatever discussed in meetings if not recorded, it flies away. Until the discussion is verbal it can be tweaked in any manner to trap the automation team.

[Tejaskumar_Darji]

I think I missed the webinar, but I'll wait for the recording 😊

Here are a few key points I'd like to share on this great topic based on my experience in the automation space: 

Here are some points I want to share on this important topic:

1. Listen More: Often, we focus on speaking rather than truly listening to others. It's important to understand the conversation and the agenda before speaking.

2. Clarity in Communication: Clear communication is crucial, especially in the fast-paced IT industry. Even small communication gaps can cause delays and business losses. Always aim for clarity and, if something is missed, use chat platforms to clarify.

3. Taking Feedback from Others: After a meeting, task, or project, seek feedback from your team. They are the best source of honest feedback about how things went.

4. Be Open to Others' Ideas: Sometimes, someone else may have a better solution than what we initially thought. Always encourage team members to share their ideas and listen to them. You'll often be grateful for their insights.

5. Trust Your Teammates: Trust is key. If you don’t trust your teammates, how can you expect the same in return? Your team should feel that, if things go wrong, you will support them.

6. Knowledge Sharing Sessions: Participate in knowledge-sharing sessions, whether they’re about soft skills or technical skills. The community is also a great place to learn and share knowledge. Be open to new learnings.

7. Engage as Much as You Can: Outside of your day-to-day tasks, try to engage with others and expand your network.

8. Be Humble: Always be humble, whether in emails or on calls. Humility goes a long way in building trust and respect.

9. Avoid Overcommitting: Don’t promise more than you can deliver. It’s better to underpromise and overdeliver.

10. Show Confidence and Work Hard: When you speak, your voice should reflect confidence. This helps build trust with the other party and shows your dedication to the task.

P.S. Adding a bit of my poetic mind: If technical skills are bot-to-bot communication, then soft skills are heart-to-heart communication. And as we come together to unite human and bot collaboration, it’s essential to work on these skills.

[RobinParkerBPC]

Some great points! Thanks.

And yes on your first point. We have two ears and one mouth. We should about using them in those proportions!