Skills That Build: The Hard Science of Soft Skills for Work and Life

by Gina M Wilson

Overview

If you are ready to propel your career to the next level, if you are striving for both a successful career and a fulfilling life, Skills That Build provides the missing credential in your healthy success tool kit. Skills That Build is the intersection of science, business, and well-being, from the perspective of a seasoned management consultant and executive coach with an academic background in cognitive psychology. It offers readers an accessible means to coach themselves on skills in four critical areas, which promote psychological health and generate success both in the workplace and at home.​

Demand for leadership coaching has skyrocketed worldwide in the last five years, but few people can afford a professional coach. Even fewer receive coaching for career development and personal growth through their employer. Busy racking up buzzworthy credentials on their own time, today's emerging workers and mid-career professionals teeter precariously between personal and career aspirations.

​​ If ever there was a need for preventive mental health practices and accessible tools for workplace empowerment, the time is now. Just over a year ago, the workforce was focused on ascending the career ladder, with less attention paid to maintaining a healthy grip on personal well-being. Since then, the pandemic has underscored the need for resilience and effective ways to cope on both professional and personal fronts.

While successful leaders build success from within, they must first lead themselves. This book becomes the virtual coach on the bookshelf, as readers learn and master career-advancing skills that promote psychological health and well-being. Anyone can learn these behaviors and enhance their current repertoire using this evidence-based guide for skills that build us.​

Through stories from coaching clients, groundbreaking scientific research, examples of business applications, and exercises to hone and master new behaviors, Skills That Build demonstrates actionable techniques and empowers readers to jump-start their uniquely personal strategies for growth.​

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Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781737082903
Publisher:	Bayfront Press
Publication date:	06/15/2021
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	1,200,189
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.58(d)

About the Author

Gina M. Wilson earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware and holds a Master of Science in Cognitive Psychology from Villanova University. Her interest in leadership psychology began while writing her graduate thesis on employee performance and through extensive experience as a management consultant in the tech and healthcare industries. She received coach training through the Center for Coaching Certification and continued study at the Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate. Gina's unique approach to coaching embraces the convergence of psychology, business, and well-being. Founder of System Strategies Consulting and Coaching, she is an experienced software developer, healthcare strategist, college instructor, and business owner. Her clients include professionals, business leaders, healthcare systems, higher education and government organizations, nonprofits, small business owners, corporate teams, and those aspiring to grow personally and professionally. Gina has served as board member for the Mental Health Association in Delaware and continues to promote mental health awareness. Beyond work, she enjoys paddle boarding, doing Zumba, being outside, and spending time with her family in their coastal Delaware home. URL: ginamwilson.com

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part One: The Art and Science of Connected Communications

Chapter 1: Becoming Aware

Chapter 2: Effective Communication Matters

Chapter 3: Communication is Like Golf

Chapter 4: Upping Your Communications Game

Chapter 5: Lion or Lamb: The Communications Continuum

Part Two: You Don't Say: Empathic Listening and Nonverbal Communication

Chapter 6: It Takes Energy to Engage with Empathy

Chapter 7: Is Your Body Working For You or Against You?

Chapter 8: The Brain as Listening Organ

Part Three: Busy is the New Black: Fashionably Manage Your Time

Chapter 9: There's No Time Like the Present

Chapter 10: In a Time Warp: The Perception of Time

Chapter 11: Cellphone, Smartwatch, Alexa: There's an App for That!

Part Four: Resilience: Learning to Thrive

Chapter 12: Moving the Dial Toward Thriving

Chapter 13: Flowing Down the River of Human Performance

Chapter 14: Tipping the Positivity Scale

Afterword

Notes

About the Author

Editorial Reviews

"Overall, this book was a quick and easy read with a lot of powerful content. It was thought provoking and provided many questions for self-assessment and reflection. The real life scenarios and cases in each chapter really brought the content to life and how to put into practice. I can see this being a valuable resource in any managers, or leaders tool-kit!"

- Frank DeSantis, V.P. Customer Experience, Stanley Black & Decker

"Skills That Build is a motivating read for anyone looking to reach their goals and thrive in their workplace or in a personal setting. The author's voice is clear and accessible as she describes a variety of achievable skills that drive us toward better performance and perhaps more importantly, greater wellness. Her strategies are based on numerous medical and social science research studies, and supported by years of coaching and consulting. Practical exercises throughout the book provide a gently challenging opportunity for readers to develop their skills. The book provides realistic, doable activities along with inspiration to build a more intentional, fulfilling life."

- Emily Vera, LCSW, Executive Director, Mental Health Association in Delaware

"Gina's book on soft skills, communication and resilience being just two, details the science behind these skills and provides practical and easy to use tools to assess and build these skills in our own lives. The book is easy to read, compelling, and extremely helpful in learning about and building these skills which are invaluable not only for the work place, but also for one's own personal life and relationships." - Cheryl J. Carleton, PhD, Associate Professor, Economics, Director, Villanova Women's Professional Network, Villanova School of Business, Villanova University

"Gina Wilson, MS skillfully integrated findings from science and cognitive psychology to show us how we can develop a repertoire of skills to be the best we can. Communication, empathy, value-based prioritization, and resilience are the soft skills that build and sustain us. This is masterfully articulated and excites one to set goals for change with a smile."

- Phyllis J. Stewart Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist

"Skills That Build is a great resource for emerging as well as experienced leaders. The author's storytelling generates self-reflection and the built-in exercises are applicable to any leader. From the title to the end of the book is a belief in individuals' ability to grow their personal leadership skills for success and wellbeing in any environment! Diving deep into the four skillsets for effective leadership through this book will help anyone who works on or leads a team." - Alison Travers, Ed.D., Leadership Specialist, University of Delaware

From the Publisher