Over the past 21 days in July 2024, we embarked on an incredible journey of growth and self-improvement with our 21 Days Soft Skills Challenge. This initiative was designed to help each of us enhance crucial soft skills that are essential for success in the tech industry and beyond.
While technical skills often take the spotlight, it’s our soft skills that truly set us apart. From communication and empathy to leadership and adaptability, these skills are the foundation of a thriving career. If you missed the challenge or want to catch up, we’ve got you covered! Below is a detailed list of the tasks we tackled each day, so you can complete the challenge at your own pace.
Daily Tasks for the 21 Days Soft Skills Challenge
Day 1: Active Listening
- When you listen actively, you’re intentional about noting what is being said in other to take corresponding actions. How you show you have listened actively is when you can confirm/clarify what is said and also go ahead to take the action required.
- Task: Spend time actively listening during a conversation today. Share a key insight or learning from that conversation on social media.
Day 2: Empathy
- Practising empathy is understanding you can’t be in the person’s shoes so don’t really know what they are going through, but you acknowledge what they are going through and give them the grace to go through it and come back stronger.
- Task: Practice empathy today. Reflect on this experience and share your thoughts.
Day 3: Time Management
- Task: Plan your day using a time management technique (e.g., Pomodoro, time blocking). Learn how to use Pomodoro Technique in 2mins – https://youtu.be/1pADI_eZ_-U?si=Q45BgO1XV_0DK8sx Share your plan and end-of-day results.
Day 4: Communication
- In your no-code Tech career journey, you will need to communicate a lot, to team mates, leaders, customers and just everyone who you would have contact with. Introducing the STAR acronym for communication.
- S – Situation
- T – Task
- A – Action
- R – Result
- Task: Practice clear and concise communication using the STAR acronym in an email, message. Practice clear and concise communication in an email or message. Share a tip or lesson learned from this exercise.
Day 5: Teamwork
- It is mostly said that the success of any project is as good as the best man in the team. And once everyone knows that it’s more about working towards a goal than trying to prove a point, they can work together to deliver great work.
- Becoming part of a team and immediately hoping to kick things off, often doesn’t just happen and Tuckman’s 5 Stages of Team Development helps us manage ourselves within a team.
- Task: Do a research on the 5 Phases of Team Development, teach/discuss it with someone and pay attention to their feedback.Collaborate with someone on a small project or task. Share the experience and what you learned about effective teamwork.
Day 6: Adaptability
- Embracing adaptability will help enhance your skills and also improve your productivity. It’s simply demonstrating your ability to thrive in a rapidly changing environment like the tech environment.
- Task: Step out of your comfort zone and try something new. Pick a tech tool (possible one you’ve not used before), learn how it works and share your experience and how it felt to try it out.
Day 7: Problem-Solving
- You can develop problem-solving skills in no-code tech by experimenting, iterating solutions, and leveraging community support for innovative, efficient outcomes.
- Task: Tackle a small problem today, you can think of a problem that affects our community and document your process of finding a solution. Share the problem and your approach to solving it.
Day 8: Creativity
- A creative mind is a terrible thing to waste. I often hear people say “I’m not really creative” and from what I’ve learned over time, creativity is a skill that can be developed. Today is a good day to start.
- Task: Engage in a creative activity (drawing, writing, brainstorming).
- Share your creation or the process on social media
Day 9: Conflict Resolution
- You can build your conflict resolution skills by actively listening, acknowledging different perspectives, and collaborating to find a mutually beneficial solution while maintaining professionalism and respect.
- Task: Reflect on a past conflict and how it was resolved.
- Share your insights on effective conflict resolution techniques on social media
Day 10: Decision-Making
- Making informed decisions requires analysing data, considering diverse perspectives, and trusting your own expertise to choose the best course of action.
- Task: Make an important decision today, consciously apply some decision-making strategies.
- What data is available?
- What other perspectives are there?
- What knowledge have you gained in that area over the years?
- Share the decision and your thought process on social media and remember to use #WATStudySoftSkills and tag @womenandtechorg.
Day 11: Networking
- When last did you connect with someone new? Well, it’s a good day to network and connect with someone from here or within your circle.
- Task: Reach out to a new contact or reconnect with someone in your network. Share the experience and any new insights on social media.
Day 12: Leadership
- You don’t only start leading when you are given a position of leadership. It begins with leading oneself, which involves self-awareness, discipline, and continuous personal growth. As a woman in tech, it’s crucial to set clear goals, stay committed to your values, and embrace lifelong learning.
- Task: Take the lead on a small task or project today. Share what you did and what you learned about leadership on social media
Day 13: Emotional Intelligence
- “Emotional Intelligence includes self-control, zeal and persistence and the ability to motivate oneself. Intellect cannot work at its best without Emotional Intelligence.” – Daniel Goleman
- Task: Reflect on your emotions throughout the weekend and how they impact your interactions. Share your observations on social media
Day 14: Public Speaking
- Public speaking is one skill that will impact how you present yourself and the work you do. You can improve your public speaking skills by practicing regularly, seeking feedback, and participating in tech events or speaking engagements to build confidence and experience.
- Task: Practice public speaking by recording a short video on a topic you’re passionate about. Share the video.
Day 15: Stress Management
- Manage stress by prioritizing self-care, setting realistic goals, and utilizing relaxation techniques such as mindfulness and regular exercise.
- Task: Use a stress management technique (e.g., meditation, exercise) today. Share what you did and how it helped. It could also be a previous experience.
Day 16: Critical Thinking
- Learn critical thinking by questioning assumptions, analyzing information from multiple perspectives, and engaging in problem-solving exercises regularly.
- Task: Analyze a news article or a piece of information critically. Share your analysis and conclusions.
Day 17: Negotiation
- Begin negotiating by researching thoroughly, understanding your value, and practicing assertive communication to advocate effectively for your needs.
- Task: Practice negotiating in a small everyday situation. Share the experience and what you learned.
Day 18: Resilience
- You can build resilience by embracing challenges as learning opportunities, maintaining a growth mindset, and seeking support from a strong professional network.
- Task: Reflect on a challenging situation you’ve overcome. Share your story and how you developed resilience.
Day 19: Patience
- Practice patience by setting realistic expectations, taking breaks to manage stress, and focusing on long-term goals despite immediate setbacks.
- Task: Think about a time where you practice patience in a situation that tests you. Share the situation and how you managed it.
Day 20: Self-Reflection
- Self-reflect by regularly setting aside time to evaluate your experiences, identifying lessons learned, and setting goals for continuous improvement.
- Task: It’s the end of July 2024, Spend time in self-reflection today. Share an insight or realization you had about yourself.
Day 21: Goal Setting
- A goal is a mind stretching activity and the person you become in achieving the goal is as important as the goal. Set SMART goals by ensuring they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, aligned with your career aspirations and personal development.
- Task: Set a SMART goal for yourself today. Share your goal and why it’s important to you.
Join the Journey Anytime
We encourage everyone to start this challenge at any time and share your progress with the community. Use the hashtag #WATStudySoftSkills to connect with others, gain insights, and inspire one another. Remember, the goal is continuous growth, and it’s never too late to start improving your soft skills.
Let’s continue to support each other in our journeys to becoming well-rounded professionals. Your growth inspires others, and together, we can achieve remarkable things.
Happy learning and growing!
Warm regards, The WATStudy Team
P.S. Don’t forget to engage with fellow members by liking, commenting, and sharing their posts. Let’s make this journey a collaborative and enriching experience for all!