Post by jimcobb on Dec 16, 2022 2:54:04 GMT
In the survival and preparedness communities, we talk a lot about what we might call hard skills, such as self-defense, making fire, or building a shelter. Don’t get me wrong, the knowledge that falls on that side of the coin is very important. But we sometimes have a tendency to overlook the soft skills. Maybe because they aren’t as visible or as dynamic, they just aren’t seen as being cool or sexy.
What’s the difference between the two? Think of hard skills as areas of knowledge that are needed to perform a specific task or achieve a measurable goal. For example, knowing how to process firewood, gather tinder, and get a fire going in inclement weather. Soft skills, on the other hand, are more like personality traits, albeit ones that you can foster and improve upon even if you’re not born with them.
What do we mean by soft skills? Here are a few examples.
Problem-solving: Being able to come up with a workable solution to a given obstacle, using the tools and resources available. Many people, when confronted with a situation they cannot easily and quickly overcome, become agitated and experience what I call “vapor lock.” Their mind freezes up and they struggle to apply logic and reason to the problem. Someone who is able to think their way through the issue is going to be much better off.
Interpersonal communication: One of the biggest issues we face on a daily basis is communication. I’d hazard to bet that the majority of arguments we experience stem from simple miscommunication. Being able to share your thoughts in a way that is easily understood by others is indeed a rare skill to be found today, or so it seems. There’s more to it than just talking, of course. LISTENING is even more critical. In a high-stress situation, being able to effectively communicate with one another is essential.
Critical thinking: In the world of social media, this is an area in which I feel many people falter. We have a tendency to see what we want to see and look for viewpoints that agree with our own (aka confirmation bias). We often talk about situational awareness, right? The idea of watching for potential threats as you go about your daily routine. Try applying the same sort of mindset when you’re reading FB posts and news articles. Look for the things that don’t make logical sense, rather than just sharing headlines because they are inciteful.
Leadership: Not everyone is a born leader. And a whole lot of people who think they are born to lead, truly aren’t. The thing is, true leadership isn’t about being the best in the group. It is about making every person in the group better. It is also about using the group’s skills and resources efficiently. Yes, leaders need to be able to make difficult decisions, often in an instant. That doesn’t mean they can’t have compassion, especially for those in their care. No group will last long without an effective leader.
Conflict resolution: Here, we’re not talking about dealing with outside threats, but rather conflicts that arise within the family or group. This is a subset of the communication skill, but is important enough to warrant a separate entry on the list. If members of your group are at odds with one another on a regular basis, the work isn’t going to get done. Being able to not just identify the issues but resolve them could be critical to the group’s survival. And it for darn sure will be important just for morale, if nothing else. Few people thrive in an environment where there is constant arguing and sniping going on. There are numerous strategies that can be employed, depending upon the nature of the conflict, who is involved, and such.
Soft skills are incredibly important, despite the short shrift they’re often given in survival literature. Don’t discount them because you don’t feel they are fun or exciting. Not to mention, all of the skills listed above will be just as useful in your day-to-day life as they may be in a post-disaster world.
What’s the difference between the two? Think of hard skills as areas of knowledge that are needed to perform a specific task or achieve a measurable goal. For example, knowing how to process firewood, gather tinder, and get a fire going in inclement weather. Soft skills, on the other hand, are more like personality traits, albeit ones that you can foster and improve upon even if you’re not born with them.
What do we mean by soft skills? Here are a few examples.
Problem-solving: Being able to come up with a workable solution to a given obstacle, using the tools and resources available. Many people, when confronted with a situation they cannot easily and quickly overcome, become agitated and experience what I call “vapor lock.” Their mind freezes up and they struggle to apply logic and reason to the problem. Someone who is able to think their way through the issue is going to be much better off.
Interpersonal communication: One of the biggest issues we face on a daily basis is communication. I’d hazard to bet that the majority of arguments we experience stem from simple miscommunication. Being able to share your thoughts in a way that is easily understood by others is indeed a rare skill to be found today, or so it seems. There’s more to it than just talking, of course. LISTENING is even more critical. In a high-stress situation, being able to effectively communicate with one another is essential.
Critical thinking: In the world of social media, this is an area in which I feel many people falter. We have a tendency to see what we want to see and look for viewpoints that agree with our own (aka confirmation bias). We often talk about situational awareness, right? The idea of watching for potential threats as you go about your daily routine. Try applying the same sort of mindset when you’re reading FB posts and news articles. Look for the things that don’t make logical sense, rather than just sharing headlines because they are inciteful.
Leadership: Not everyone is a born leader. And a whole lot of people who think they are born to lead, truly aren’t. The thing is, true leadership isn’t about being the best in the group. It is about making every person in the group better. It is also about using the group’s skills and resources efficiently. Yes, leaders need to be able to make difficult decisions, often in an instant. That doesn’t mean they can’t have compassion, especially for those in their care. No group will last long without an effective leader.
Conflict resolution: Here, we’re not talking about dealing with outside threats, but rather conflicts that arise within the family or group. This is a subset of the communication skill, but is important enough to warrant a separate entry on the list. If members of your group are at odds with one another on a regular basis, the work isn’t going to get done. Being able to not just identify the issues but resolve them could be critical to the group’s survival. And it for darn sure will be important just for morale, if nothing else. Few people thrive in an environment where there is constant arguing and sniping going on. There are numerous strategies that can be employed, depending upon the nature of the conflict, who is involved, and such.
Soft skills are incredibly important, despite the short shrift they’re often given in survival literature. Don’t discount them because you don’t feel they are fun or exciting. Not to mention, all of the skills listed above will be just as useful in your day-to-day life as they may be in a post-disaster world.