The Importance of Soft Skills in the Age of AI

[email protected]

“Soft Skills” are More Important Than Ever for the Workforce Facing AI Transformation

You might be feeling overwhelmed or worried about your job as you hear more and more about the wave of change coming to your workplace due to artificial intelligence (AI). The rise of AI is reshaping job markets and transforming the very nature of work itself. Yet, amid this revolution, there is one crucial element that AI cannot replicate: “soft skills.” What you bring as a human to your job—your soft skills are more important than ever.

Soft skills in the age of AI – Why do they matter?

In a recent blog written by Aneesh Raman, VP at Linked In, he cites the following: “According to a LinkedIn survey, 92% of U.S. executives agree that soft skills are more important than ever. And LinkedIn research shows that professionals with key soft skills get promoted 8% faster than those with only technical skills. Prioritizing these skills is essential for building a resilient career and a resilient business over the next decade as AI continues to evolve.”

This clearly shows how people skills or soft skills (also called durable skills or human, leadership skills) are at the heart of jobs—no matter what job you are in, now or in the future. What is critical is how you communicate, collaborate and build trust, how you solve problems, how you adapt and learn, and manage priorities in a fast-changing environment, and how you work with effective personal and interpersonal leadership skills.

Simply put, you may find yourself working in an environment where technology and AI are used for many tasks, but in the end, your soft skills will matter just as much (or more)—and the more you sharpen your soft skills, the more you’ll excel at your work and find greater career advancement.

Which soft skills matter most?

Time and time again, global research by LinkedIn, the World Economic Forum, the Society for Human Resource Management, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and others point to this key list of the most in-demand soft skills:

Communication
Collaboration
Teamwork
Adaptability
Critical thinking
Emotional intelligence
Time Management
Problem solving
Conflict resolution
Creative thinking
Leadership
Learning to learn

Sharpen your soft skills.

One of the essential skills to thrive in an AI environment is adaptability and continual learning. As AI evolves and the workforce continues to shift, your ability to adapt and learn quickly is essential. AI might change the nature of specific tasks, but it cannot replace your ability to adapt to new roles, teams, and environments. Flexibility is a key skill that allows humans to stay relevant in a constantly changing job market.

LinkedIn identified adaptability as the “top skill of the moment,” and the way to best lead your work and career with agility, confidence—and have agency in the midst of rapid change.

The more you continue your learning and sharpen your soft skills, the better prepared you will be to thrive in an environment of AI and advance your career.

Where to learn more and get soft skills training.

Online training where employees are learning about soft skills in the age of AI

Act now to set a learning plan for sharpening your soft skills. As you consider your options, think in terms of gaps in your own soft skills to learn new skills. Also think about skills you currently have and how you can enhance them with a focused approach.

Also explore organizations that provide industry-recognized courses and programs, and consider how you would like to access professional soft skills training. With soft skills, the sooner you apply the skills in diverse, challenging situations with different people, the better you’ll get with it.

Before committing to a program, consider these key factors:

Relevance and Practical Application: Does the curriculum align with your day-to-day challenges? The best programs offer tools and strategies you can use immediately.
Industry Recognition: Is the certification respected globally by employers in your industry?
Instructor Expertise: Does the program offer a personal human touch—a facilitator or coach to guide your learning and application—to help keep you on track and support your learning?
Flexibility: Especially important for working professionals—does the program offer online, asynchronous, or hybrid options?

Why Consider FranklinCovey Academy for soft skills training and career advancement?

For a self-paced learning experience, coupled with personal coaching, you can turn to the world’s most trusted organization for soft skills and leadership development, FranklinCovey. Now, the same award-winning leadership and soft skills training delivered to organizations around the world, including 500 Fortune companies, is available to you as an individual through FranklinCovey Academy. You get the same world-class training courses in a flexible and convenient format, and go at your own pace to fit your needs.

You will sharpen your abilities with award winning content, skills and tools that build soft skills that you can apply right away—and you get the support of a personal coach, who will help you in your learning, application, and guide you to complete the course to your satisfaction. You can also earn an industry recognized FranklinCovey certificate to stand apart in the workplace.
FranklinCovey Academy courses are designed to help you unlock your potential by developing in-demand soft skills to become a successful leader and accelerate your career in an AI world.