From Hobby to Expertise: Strengthening Soft Skills for Faculty Success
Soft skills encompass a wide range of attributes, including communication, empathy, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and collaboration. Notably, these are skills that are often challenging to measure, let alone teach.
Fortunately, there are a multitude of ways for busy faculty to strengthen and develop these crucial skills, including many that double as restful downtime.
Key Soft Skills for University Faculty
The , have identified 8 core soft skill competencies. The competencies include: Career and Self-Development, Communication, Critical Thinking, Cultural Competence, Leadership, Professionalism, Teamwork, and Technology.
In our increasingly technological and globalized world, university faculty are now expected to be comfortable, if not confident, in all of these skills. Some can even be expanded further, with Conflict Resolution and Empathy being additional skills of importance. Additionally, you may find that your particular field of expertise relies on soft skills of its own, such as Adaptability or Creativity.
Training Up Your Soft Skills With Everyday Hobbies
Engaging in hobbies outside of work can help faculty members develop a wide range of soft skills that are valuable both in the classroom and in their personal lives. Here are some hobbies that can directly contribute to the enhancement of these skills:
Creative Writing or Blogging
Soft Skills Developed: Communication, empathy, problem-solving, technology, creativity, career, and self-development.
How It Helps: Writing regularly fosters clearer, more effective communication skills. It encourages faculty to articulate their thoughts, ideas, and experiences in a way that resonates with others. It also nurtures creativity, which is essential for innovative teaching methods. Blogging or maintaining websites builds web development skills, content management, and technical communication.
Public Speaking or Toastmasters
Soft Skills Developed: Communication, confidence, leadership, persuasion.
How It Helps: Public speaking through organizations like Toastmasters helps faculty develop strong presentation skills, refine their ability to express complex ideas clearly, and gain confidence in speaking in front of audiences. These skills directly transfer to the classroom and professional conferences.
Journaling or Reflective Writing
Soft Skills Developed: Self-awareness, emotional intelligence, critical thinking.
How It Helps: Journaling or reflective writing encourages faculty to think critically about their experiences, fostering self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Reflecting on teaching practices can also help them identify areas for improvement and implement changes that benefit students.
Music (Playing an Instrument, Producing Music or Singing)
Soft Skills Developed: Patience, discipline, teamwork, emotional intelligence, creativity and technology.
How It Helps: Playing an instrument or singing requires practice, discipline, and patience, all of which help build perseverance and focus. It also enhances emotional intelligence by connecting with music's emotional depth, and collaboration with other musicians enhances teamwork. Music production teaches audio software, digital signal processing, and some programming.
Gardening or Landscaping
Soft Skills Developed: Patience, problem-solving, professionalism, stress management.
How It Helps: Gardening requires long-term commitment and patience, as plants take time to grow and thrive. It also involves problem-solving (e.g., dealing with pests or weather issues) and a keen attention to detail. The physical activity also helps reduce stress, leading to better well-being for faculty.
Photography
Soft Skills Developed: Creativity, observation, communication, professionalism, and technology.
How It Helps: Photography sharpens faculty's ability to observe details and capture moments from different perspectives. It encourages creativity and enhances visual communication skills, which can be applied in teaching presentations, research, or personal projects. Photography develops skills in image editing, file management, and foundational web design for portfolios.
Cooking or Baking
Soft Skills Developed: Time management, attention to detail, patience, creativity.
How It Helps: Cooking and baking require precise measurement and timing, which can enhance time management and organizational skills. It also fosters creativity, especially when experimenting with new recipes or techniques, and provides an opportunity for faculty to practice patience in a low-stress environment.
Yoga or Meditation
Soft Skills Developed: Stress management, emotional intelligence, focus, resilience.
How It Helps: Yoga and meditation are excellent for stress management and cultivating mindfulness. Faculty who practice these activities often develop better focus, patience, and emotional resilience, which are essential for ha