Skills Development Flashcards
What is a skill
A learned ability to do something competently. It is a developed aptitude or ability which means that it is something that can be improved on with practise and repetition.
What are the three competencies
Practical, foundational, and reflexive
What is a practical competency
The ability to perform a set of tasks
What is a foundational competency
The ability to understand what you are doing and why you are doing it
What is a reflexive competency
The ability to integrate what you done, learn from your actions’ and adapt to changes or unforeseen circumstances
What are the 4Cs
Critical thinking
Communication
Creativity
Collaboration
What are the 4Cs needed for
Skills needed For todays world of work
What is critical thinking
Being able to think about problems in depth and detail and analyse the best solutions. This involved solving problems.
What is communication
Being able to share your thoughts and ideas and listen to those of others
What is creativity
Being innovative, finding new approaches to things and thinking out of the box
What is collaboration
Being able to work with other people towards a common goal; being able to work as part of a team.
What is the best way to apply the 4Cs
By having conversation which challenge you how to think
What are examples of controversial topics
Sexuality, race, gender, privilege, abortion vaccines etc
What does part of living effectively entail
- being willing to consider other peoples thoughts and opinions on a topic, even if they differ from your own
- being willing to have your opinion challenged and be open to the idea of changing perspectives
- having a well-considered opinion on a topic
- listening effectively, and actively trying to understand alternative perspectives
- having a calm, engaging discussion without losing your temper or shutting down
How do we apply the 4Cs to a conversation
Critical thinking: engage with multiple different perspectives and actively challenge your own thoughts on a topic. Source credible information
Communication: ensure that you engage in active listening. Rather than aiming to win the argument/ discussion, seek to develop and communicate a well informed opinion.
Creativity: think out of the box by sourcing articles and opinions that differ from yours. Aim to gain rich understanding of the topic before finalising your own opinion
Collaboration: engage in the discussion with empathy and an open mind
What is needed for effective cross-culture communication
The skill to understand, respect and work with others regardless of their race, culture, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, political or religious beliefs.
What are the benefits of cross-cultural communication skills
It facilitates inclusivity, greater productivity, and successful relationships
What are some tips to assist in cross-cultural communication
Acknowledge the differences: never assume that the message you want to send across will be received in the way you intended. Acknowledge that they are cultural differences at play that impact communication
Develop awareness: educate yourself on the cultures different from your own and understand the differences in communication. Certain gestured that are normal in your own culture may be disrespectful in others. For example learning greetings in different languages shows people that you are making an effort in understanding their culture.
Dont be afraid to ask for help: ask questions if you need clarity, and get help when required. People will be more relieved that you have thought about their culture in advance than just assuming you know everything about them
What is self serving bias
A persons tendency to attribute positive events to their own character but attribute negative events to external factors.
What is perspective taking
The ability to look beyond your own point of view, so that you can consider how someone else may think or feel about something. This can be a challenging skill, especially if you feel strongly about a topic
What are the factors to consider when engaging in an effective conversation where people have different viewpoints
- Remove self-serving bias
- Finding comfort in discomfort
- Willing to be vulnerable
- cognitive dissonance
- intellectual humility
- critical thinking
Explain finding comfort in discomfort
It can be uncomfortable to step out of your comfort zone however, the more you do so the better you will get at communicating with people who are different from you or hold different perspectives
Explain willing to be vulnerable
In order to communicate with people on topics that tend to be polarising. It is critical to accept that you will need to be vulnerable but engage with them anyways
What is cognitive dissonance
Cognitive dissonance is when you take on a perspective that challenges the way in which you view the world. It is uncomfortable to do this, because you may be challenging a belief you had for a long time.
Who introduced cognitive dissonance
Leon Festinger
What is intellectual humility
Recognising that ones beliefs and opinions might be incorrect. It’s about developing respect for other peoples opinions and ideas that are different to yours and having the maturity to be open to challenging your opinion on the matter.
What are tips for engaging in controversial conservations
- listen to understand
- focus on what is being said not who’s saying it
- reiterate what is being said to prevent miscommunication
- don’t not go in defensive mode you are only voicing your opinion not defending it
- contemplate. Take time to think about what you want to say
- avoid you statements as you start pointing fingers
- keep and open mind
- be aware of when it’s time to wrap up a conversation and bring it to an end
What do you always need to consider about information from social media
Wether it’s credible or not
What is the echo chamber effect
When a user is only surrounded by information that supports their previously or currently held beliefs. Companies like Google and Facebook design algorithms that tailer content to our interests meaning we run the risk of having our current political or social views constantly reinforced without ever being challenged
What is the fourth industrial revolution
A term used to describe the change to the way we live, work and relate to each other which are being driven by technology and the internet
How can we make ourselves marketable in the fourth industrial revolution
Embrace failure
Develop skills you will need to succeed in the workplace such as :
- literacy skills
- life skills
- transferable skills
- hard and soft skills
- scarce skills
What does it mean to embrace failure
To learn any new skill you need to put yourself out of your comfort zone and risk messing up. This may be nerve wrecking but it’s part of the Learning process
What are literacy skills
Literacy skills include information, media and technology literacy. Our world has become digitalised and in order to survive and succeed you need to understand and analyse information, know how to access and publish it, and know real from fake information.
What are life skills
Skills that are essential to master an develop as you move through your school life and into your career. This includes FLIPS- flexibility, leadership, initiative, productivity and social skills.
What are transferable skills
Skills that employers value, regardless of the industry. For example interpersonal, problem solving, leadership and communication skills
What are hard and soft skills
Hard skills are technical skills that you need in order yo perform a job. These skills can usually be evaluated and measured and are learnt through training and practice eg computer skills
Soft skills are interpersonal, intangible skills that typically come naturally to you. This does not mean they cannot be improved on ,however there is a level of natural aptitude for many of them. Eg communication
Employers generally value soft skills over hard skills as soft skills are harder to train
What is a scarce skill
A skill held by an insufficient number of qualified people in an area. This is detrimental for a countries economy as in order to ensure economic growth it is essential that industries employ people with scarce skills where needed.
Scarcity of a skill can occur when a new job is being created or when a job requires a challenging qualification or vast number of years
What is an active citizen
A person who is able to take responsibility for themselves while contributing positively to the broader society
What are the traits of an active citizen
- Global citizenship
- financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy
- civil literacy
- health literacy
- environment literacy
What does tech-savvy mean
A person who is able to create and evaluate information, and to use technology effectively.
What are the traits of a tech-savvy person
- information literacy
- media literacy
- Information, communication, and technology literacy
What does a creative and innovative person do
A person who accepts that the world is constantly changing and embraces lifelong development. Someone who challenges themselves to challenge their thinking, to solve problems, and to work with others to reach solutions
What traits does a creative and innovative person have
- creativity and innovation
- critical thinking and problem solving
- communication
- collaboration
- lifelong learning
What does self motivated mean
A person who accepts the complex and evolving nature of the world of work and who embraces the fact that their career is an ongoing process of development and decision-making. Someone who takes on a new challenge and embraces failure and lifelong learning.
What traits does a self motivated person have
- Flexibility and adaptability
- initiative and self motivation
- interpersonal skills and embracing diversity
- productivity and accountability
- self awareness
- leadership
What are examples of leadership skills
- Leadership
- Intercultural empathy, embracing diversity
- collaboration
- verbal communication
- written communication
- emotional intelligence
- negotiation
What is leadership
The ability to motivate people to achieve a common goal
How can you develop leadership skills
Be the captain of a team, take a position on in a committee, lead a group project
What is intercultural empathy / embracing diversity
To respect differences and be able to get on with people of different cultures, backgrounds, ages, etc
How can you develop intercultural empathy / embracing diversity skills
Community service, seek to understand different cultural norms
What is collaboration
The ability to work effectively with others towards a common goal
How can you develop collaboration skills
Join a sports team, engage in a team project
What is verbal communication
The ability to convey ideas well when speaking
How can you develop verbal communication
Joining a debating society, read regularly
What is written communication
The ability to put across ideas coherently when writing
How can you develop written communication
Write for an audience on a topic of interest (eg. Blog)
What is emotional intelligence
The ability to understand, regulate and manage your own emotions, and how ones actions affect other people’s emotions
How can you develop emotional intelligence
Join a debating society
What is negotiation
The ability to engage in a discussion/ collaboration to establish win-win solutions.
How can you develop negotiation skills
Join a debating society, lead a team
What are examples of self management / organisational skills
- flexibility and adaptability
- initiative and self motivation
- productivity and time management
- accountability
- grit and growth mindset
- creativity and innovation
- critical thinking and problem solving
What is flexibility and adaptability
The ability to adapt and change
How can you develop flexibility and adaptability skills
Gain work experience, spend time on an exchange program and immerse yourself in another culture
What does initiative and self motivation mean
To be resourceful and capable of taking the lead. Able to motivate yourself
How can you develop initiative and self motivation skills
Address a community or environmental need
What does productivity and time management mean
To be punctual, organised and effective in your time usage
How can you develop productivity and time management
Adhere to training schedule, organise an event (eg school dance)
What is accountability
To be able to take responsibility
What does having a grit and growth minded mean
To be able to persist, persevering through challenges.
How can you develop grit and a growth mindset
Gain work experience, develop new skills
What does creativity and innovation mean
To be able to think creatively, to find alternative solutions
How can you develop creativity and innovation
Take up a creative hobby, learn to collaborate through team projects
What is critical thinking and problem solving
The ability to proactively identify a potential challenge and implement solutions.
How can you develop critical thinking and problem solving
Get a part time job that present you with challenges
What are examples of specialist skills
- Technical
- IT
- commercial awareness and business understanding
- research
- civic literacy
- global citizenship
- environmental/ health literacy
What does it mean to be technical
To be knowledgeable in specific work or job areas
How can you develop technical skills
Complete a course, join a technical society
What does it mean to have IT skills
To be able to work with computers, social media and the internet
How can you develop IT skills
Complete a computer literacy course, complete a video editing course
What does it mean to have commercial awareness and business understanding
The ability to understand what makes a business or organisation successful through either buying or selling products or supplying services to a market.
How can you develop commercial awareness and business understanding skills
Get involved in the school market day, start a small business
What does it mean to have research skills
To be able to gather information you in a comprehensive manner so that it can be analysed into valuable business knowledge
How can you develop research skills
Complete research projects, read biographies
How can you develop civic literacy skills
Understand he constitution, take actions to uphold the rights of your community
What is civic literacy
To be knowledgeable about how to be active within your community and democracy and how to effect change.
What does it mean to be a global citizen
To Identify as being part of a larger, global community and to take action to positively contribute to this community
How can you develop global citizenship
Take action to address the worlds social and problem environmental challenges, organise an international exchange, engage in community service
What does environmental/ health literacy mean
To understand the concepts of social and environmental justice and aim to reduce environmental impact. To be aware of your own holistic health and actively improve it
How can you develop environmental/ health skills
Exercise or take part in a sport, participate in community service (eg environmental initiative)
What are of transferable skills
Skills you take with you from one job to another
What are the three main transferable skills categories
Interpersonal, self management/ organisational skills, and specialist skills
What characteristics do entrepreneurs have
- ambitious and driven
- bigger picture thinker, in order to create a strategy and sense of direction for the business
- risk taker and independent
- self motivated and are able to work alone or with a team
- determined and self confident in overcoming challenges that may be encountered
- innovative
- sees failure and an opportunity
- has the ability to identify gaps and execute a plan
- a lifelong longer and they embrace change
Give examples of how technology has enabled exciting new businesses sec
Uber and Airbnb
What is travelpreneurship
Working as an entrepreneur where you are not tied to a location. You can work anywhere in the world as long as you have the tools to do your job.
