1. Randy Knight, MCM
Sara Ament
Soft Skills for Geeks

2. The Flat Boxer

3. 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

4. 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

5. The Office

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

7. What are soft skills?

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

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

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

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

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

13. Leadership
What to consider doing:

14. 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

15. 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

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

17. 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”

18. 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.

19. Big Scary Exercises!

20. 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?

21. Thank You!
Randy Knight SQL Solutions Group (801) Linked In: Twitter: randy_knight