There is no limit to the acquisition of new skills
Summary
Nowadays, in addition to technical and socio-emotional skills, mad skills (extraordinary abilities) are valued by companies in their employees and can be acquired through sports practice, artistic development or manual tasks.
Polish sociologist Zygmunt Bauman described modernity as “liquid” and constantly changing, a description that can be applied in several fields, including the current labor market scenario. If previously employees were hired based on technical skills, today they are increasingly valued based on crazy skills, known in Portuguese as extraordinary skills.
Companies around the world are increasingly looking for candidates with unique characteristics, many of which are acquired through sport, artistic development or manual activities to build increasingly diverse, dynamic and engaged teams. People with these characteristics are capable of transforming products and services into more creative and innovative solutions.
Unlike soft skills, known as social-emotional skills, and hard skills, academically developed knowledge, crazy skills attract attention because they arise from activities of genuine interest to the employee. They can be acquired by painting, participating in a marching band, joining a soccer team, or even volunteering. There is no limit to the acquisition of new skills, as new tasks can be inserted into the employee’s routine and more skills can be covered.
But how do you discover crazy abilities? I often say that recognizing these unique and natural skills can help develop high-performing teams. For leaders to understand them, some points are essential:
Have active listening
Pay attention to casual conversations, interactions, or solutions provided by each team member. It’s common for employees to indirectly reveal their interests and skills in these conversations, which can range from creative problem solving to teamwork and communication.
Respect the working methods
Do you know how your collaborator behaves when faced with a problem? During the work routine, many employees demonstrate resilience, negotiation and tenacity skills, which may be innate personality traits. Important features for contacting suppliers and customers, for example.
Hold brainstorming sessions
Sessions that encourage creativity and collaboration are important times for leadership to collectively observe the mad skills of those they lead. Understanding the talents of each team member allows you to adapt strategies and make the most of the employee’s potential.
Encourage self-analysis
It is recommended that leaders encourage team members to identify their own extraordinary abilities. Everyone has one, but most employees need to be encouraged towards self-knowledge and personal development.
Create opportunities
Providing a safe environment where people can experience new challenges, explore and develop intrinsic skills is efficient.
I usually recommend activities that take employees out of their comfort zone. Doing manual activities, such as painting in a group, can be a good way to introduce the team while having fun and getting them out of the routine.
Training and development
Continuous improvement is essential for incorporating new perspectives and knowledge into daily actions, being beneficial for individual and collective growth. Therefore, it is important that the company continuously promotes training and development programs.
Is it possible to find out during the job interview?
Recruiters have the difficult task of recognizing a candidate’s incredible skills during the job interview. To facilitate skill identification, the manager can ask questions related to understanding how the candidate has performed when faced with challenges overcome in the past.
You can also ask questions related to candidates’ volunteer work and hobbies, seeking to understand strategic reasoning skills, resilience, leadership and even critical thinking. However, identifying these skills is not enough. It is important that managers engage in team development, encouraging the application and improvement of these skills throughout the employee’s journey within the company.
Marcos dos Santos is the founder and CEO ofWine Tint
a company that offers sensory experiences that connect people with the present moment, combining art, wine and creativity.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
