Let's stop calling them 'soft skills.' They're the hardest ones to master
Briefly

The article highlights a growing discomfort with the term 'soft skills' among academics, who struggle to find a more suitable term. The author argues that this discomfort reflects a broader bias in education favoring technical skills over essential human capabilities. While technical skills are crucial for employment, it's the human element—such as communication, negotiation, and adaptability—that ultimately drives career success. To prepare students for a future influenced by AI, we must elevate the discussion around these human skills, which are crucial for effective collaboration and leadership.
Character traits are innate or deeply ingrained qualities-curiosity, empathy, resilience, integrity. They are difficult to measure and even harder to teach, but they define our interactions.
If we want students-and professionals-to thrive in the age of artificial intelligence, we need to stop treating soft skills like fluff. They're complex, teachable, and foundational to success.
Read at Fast Company
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