Randy Knight, MCM Sara Ament Soft Skills for Geeks

The Flat Boxer

Randy Knight Microsoft Certified Master 20+Years of database experience, focusing on SQL Server since 1997. Worked in a variety of settings, including six years as a Database Architect for match.com Founder and Principal Consultant, SQL Solutions Group

Sara Ament 18+ years as a successful entrepreneur 15 years focused study on building businesses via social/cultural architecture Teacher. Facilitator. Student of Life. Corporate, group, and individual Coach and Trainer

The Office

Objectives What are soft skills…? Why do they matter…? How can I develop them?! Remember….don’t be a flat boxer!!!

What are soft skills?

Soft Skills Awareness Business Acumen Communication Leadership Problem Solving / Critical Thinking Flexibility and Adaptibility Conflict Resolution

Awareness Presence Physical Mental Meetings What do you know about the topic BEFORE the meeting What if it’s not your area of expertise

Business Acumen Technology for technologies sake Business driven Understand the customer needs Speak their language Industry specific jargon Budgets, priorities, key drivers KPIs

Communication Written Verbal Phone vs. in-person Text Email Formal reports, proposals, etc. Verbal Phone vs. in-person Pick up the !#@% phone! Tone Non-Verbal Body Language X O

Leadership Starts with Self! Not “just for management” There are multiple “right” ways to do things, here is what NOT to do:

Leadership What to consider doing:

Problem Solving #1 Attribute in an employee is the ability to overcome obstacles. Evaluate multiple alternatives Ownership is great until it becomes personal Data Driven decisions and communication

Flexibility Physical and Psychological Flexibility We live in an “agile” world Priorities change intra-day in many cases Operational needs vs. project needs Multiple hats DevOps

Conflict Resolution It’s not personal Art of appeal No room for “because I said so” Data silences critics

Why do soft skills matter? “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” – Theodore Roosevelt Communication is the key to self-promotion It doesn’t matter how smart or talented you are if nobody enjoys working with you. “Bedside manner”

How to develop Eye contact & Smile! Networking…eeek! Get out of your comfort zone “What if I’m not a people person?” Blogs, podcasts, training These are skills like any other Contrast Randy and Sara … people person.

Big Scary Exercises!

Wrap Up Soft skills are still skills! Can be the hardest skills to learn Hard to measure Importance? What’s your career path Flat Boxer? Thought Leader?

Thank You! Randy Knight SQL Solutions Group (801) 285-0251 randy@sqlsolutionsgroup.com www.sqlsolutionsgroup.com/blog Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/randyknight Twitter: randy_knight