It is said that emotional intelligence, more than any other factors, like expertise or IQ, is responsible for the majority of our success at work (
Warren Bennis).
In this new blog series, we will explore the topic of emotional intelligence and specific skills and mindset that enable us to develop our emotional intelligence. The end goal? Greater self-awareness, better relationships at work and home, and a healthier community. I will be inviting coaches to share their perspectives and tips, and I invite you to add your comments so we can learn even more from each other.
A couple weeks ago, I ask the question: "
What soft skills are important for your career?" and would like to summarize the responses so far in a word cloud:
Concurrently, I asked a related question: "
What mindset and behavior are needed for a healthy community?" and received the following:
For a different perspective, I asked
Maxx Snow (
@MaxxSnowSAP), Technical Recruiter for SAP's Products and Innovation, to share what soft-skills he and SAP hiring managers look out for in technical candidates. Here are his top 5:
Empathy – team atmospheres are difficult at times, and especially at SAP can be made up of all skill levels – from entry to senior level. A good sense of empathy is always paramount to understand the problems your teammates may face and realize that everyone deals with different hurdles and negative feedback affects people differently.
Communication – written and verbal communication is also another important soft skill for technical resources. Not every developer will be comfortable being an orator and that’s not what this is about. It’s more about being able to communicate effectively enough to maintain visibility and achieve mutual team and individual goals with minimal confusion.
Curiosity – SAP attracts the best in class in development, and it’s important that if you ARE best in class that you maintain a level of curiosity that keeps your eyes towards the new and latest/greatest technology out there. Being a tech nerd is NEVER a bad thing here, and it will only keep you sharp and relevant while you grow your career with us.
Accountability – nobody is perfect so taking ownership over your mistakes is key. It can be difficult, but it makes you a better teammate when you’re able to own up to mistakes and grow from them. Admit when you are wrong, and it will avoid problems down the road when your teammates could support you from the outset and fix the issues with you.
Time Management – If you’re a good developer, you’ll always be juggling multiple action items. Knowing how to manage your day and time, but also planning ahead and knowing what’s expected is a great skill to have. There’s many tools and techniques to help with time management, but this is something that you must build on from within yourself. There’s always more to take on working here, so the better you are at prioritizing and using your time effectively is key.
Thank you Maxx for sharing these very valuable industry insights!
I spot a few notable themes, whether we are building healthy relationships or healthy communities: empathy, communications, and openness to learning. What do you think? Please feel free to comment below on aspects of emotional intelligence that are worth a closer look.
Check out more blog posts in this series:
Coach’s Corner.