When I was at the Salon des métiers in Lausanne last week, I saw a slogan on a stand aimed at young people looking for a career. It caught my eye! Here it is: “Too chatty at school? you’ll be a good communicator“. Hence the idea for this post, which takes up points that might be considered weak, but which can become solid assets.
- Talkative? Turn this trait into a powerful communication skill! In the professional world, every characteristic can be an asset if it’s properly channelled. These often misinterpreted social skills can become real added value.
- Excessive frankness becomes raw honesty: Rather than being afraid of being “too direct”, consider your ability to express your opinions frankly as a valuable quality. Honesty is a solid foundation for authentic professional relationships.
- Shyness becomes active listening: Being reserved is not a fault, but rather an opportunity to become an attentive listener. Transform your tendency to stay in the background into an ability to listen empathetically, an essential trait for understanding your colleagues’ needs.
- Excessive independence becomes autonomy: If you are sometimes criticised for being “too independent”, consider this as a strength. Autonomy is a key skill in many professional environments, showing your ability to take the initiative and solve problems independently.
- Distrust becomes discernment: If you’re sometimes criticised for being “too distrustful”, think of it as an innate ability to assess situations with discernment. Your prudence can be an asset when it comes to taking well-considered decisions and minimising risks, a quality much appreciated in fields such as project management.
- Excessive assertiveness at work becomes assertive leadership: If you are sometimes described as “too assertive”, transform this into assertive leadership. Your ability to express your ideas with conviction can inspire others and lead to quick and effective decision-making. Well-channelled assertiveness is a key trait for managing high-performance teams.
Don’t hesitate to transform social traits that are often misperceived into genuine social and professional skills! Integrate them positively into your everyday life and present them as assets that contribute to your success!
The key lies in the way you present them and use them to make a tangible contribution to the development of your team and your career. Turn ‘flaws’ into strengths and shine in your career!
By honing these often misunderstood social skills, you can not only integrate them harmoniously into your professional life, but also turn them into real assets.
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