So you thought about emotional intelligence in the post for the shared reading. What about your overall personal development through college? I know I think about the topics raised in this article, hope you have too.
non-academic-skills-are-key-to-success-but-what-should-we-call-them?
I definitely agree to these development. It is all form of tacit knowledge where it is hard to show others how to do, but it is all part of who we are and our experiences. Having character in workplace is very important. I believe school education is great because we get to learn all the fundamental, but when our professors is able to elevate our course level to help us develop critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity then the class is preparing us well for the real world. I believe soft skills is physical and can be tangible which it is important. It is often our first impression of others, for example it is the passionate hand shakes that we remember or it is the soft/ uninterested handshake. Sometimes its is our social and soft skills that make us write a memorable thank you card that open us to opportunities in life. Nonacademic skills doesn’t necessary have to be taught in school, but I think if professors can contribute in their course work then it is a win-win situation.
Most of these suggested or coined terms all sound like nails against chalkboard to me.
“Soft Skills” is a terrible way to put something they’re trying to emphasize the importance of. “Social & Emotional Skills” sounds too personal to be used in a professional/academic setting. I’m not a fan of “21st century skills” either because it’s trying to put interpersonal skills … and the ability to use technology (e.g., social media) all in one basket. Though the sound of “non-cognitive traits and habits” is probably the one that puts me at the most ease, what it comes down to is that these are all indeed life skills, which cannot be obtained in a textbook & chalkboard environment.
Personal development is something I learned (and still continue to learn) through going to job interviews, holding different job positions, meeting people from different walks from life, minding my p’s and q’s, and so on. When you obtain life skills through work experience and take it into the matters of your own hands (e.g., make eye contact and give a firm handshake, send thank you letters, speak as how you would write, etc.) it sticks with you for life because it becomes a matter of survival– not a studious concern of whether or not you pass with an A for some obscure and still underdeveloped half-a-semester course titled, “Grit and the Importance of Character in the Work Environment.” *rolls eyes.*
If hospitality educators want to instill the idea of nonacademic skills as a very necessary set of credentials to their students, they mustn’t teach, but train … or simply, put the training in the hands of other people. Encourage and reinforce learning outside the classroom. And most importantly, re-evaluate whether their academic requirements are in touch with the demands of moving forward in this industry.