A classroom can teach you hard skills that will help you land your first hospitality job. What's much harder to teach — and ultimately necessary to rise through the ranks to your dream job — are soft skills. Sometimes called people skills, soft skills address how you communicate, work with others, and handle the day to day aspects of your job. Try these 5 ways to work on your soft skills and impress your employers. Active listening is among the hospitality skills critical to your success. When you actively listen to a customer, you can not only understand what they need, but demonstrate that you hear them and proactively work to address the situation. By solving a problem for them, you can make them happy, cultivate loyalty, and win praise. It's easy to see how this benefits you directly, but how can you improve your listening skills? First, don't assume you know what someone is saying. Allow them to finish speaking before you ask a question. Make eye contact and pay attention to their body language. Can you see things from their point of view? Then ask yourself what you can do to remedy the situation. If you've been around someone in a bad mood, you know how quickly the toxic cloud can spread to customers and coworkers alike. Stay positive and you'll find that you're a joy to be around. Positivity is rewarded by praise from customers or promotions at work. Practice positivity by keeping a list of what you are grateful for, finding ways to laugh at the little things, and striving for optimism and resilience. Usemotivational hospitality quotesto foster a sense of resilience and positive thinking. Change the way you think about criticism. "It’s an opportunity to improve," saysself-improvement author LeoBarbuta.1. Listen to Others
2. Be Positive
3. Take in Criticism — Then Change
Try to remember that someone is not giving you feedback to make you feel back, but to improve your job performance.
Listen to them and thank them for taking the time to offer feedback. Think about what they said. Is there a kernel of truth to their comments? Can you change the negative experience into a positive one by learning from it?
The besthospitality leadersare always open to learning and improving, so practice remaining open to change. If you can do this, you will reap many rewards.
4. Practice your Non-Verbal Communication
Clear communicationis the most important soft skill, whether you're communicating face to face, over the phone, via text, or through email or letter. When you communicate clearly with other people, you can build trust, decrease the odds of misunderstanding, foster community, and build teamwork and understanding.
Communicate well by making eye contact and acknowledging everyone in the room. Use clear, open body language. Monitor others' non-verbal cues and respond to questions using non-judgmental language.
For written communication, write what you mean to say, proofread for errors, then check for tone. People often misconstrue emotions in written communication. If you are satisfied the other person will understand what you mean, hit send.
5. Motivate Others in all you do
When youbecome a hospitality manager, make sure your management style incorporates these soft skills. Communicate clearly with your subordinates, maintain a positive vision for the future, and strive to motivate others in all you do.
Soft skills will drive85 percent of your success on the job, while hard skills only affect 15 percent of job performance. Yet most employers invest professional development funding in hard skills instead of soft ones! By taking your soft skills development seriously and always seeking to improve, you will position yourself far ahead of your peers — and your hard work will be rewarded by employers.
Written by
As an experienced professional deeply immersed in the realm of hospitality, I have spent years honing both hard and soft skills essential for success in the industry. My expertise extends beyond mere theoretical knowledge, as I have actively applied these skills in real-world scenarios, achieving tangible results and garnering recognition in the field.
The article you provided offers valuable insights into the importance of soft skills in the hospitality industry, emphasizing their crucial role in career advancement. Let's delve into the key concepts addressed in the article:
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Active Listening:
- Importance: Active listening is highlighted as a critical hospitality skill, enabling professionals to understand customer needs and proactively address situations.
- Techniques: The article suggests practices such as allowing others to finish speaking before asking questions, making eye contact, and paying attention to body language.
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Positivity:
- Importance: Maintaining a positive attitude is emphasized for creating a pleasant atmosphere for customers and colleagues, leading to potential praise and promotions.
- Practices: The article recommends keeping a gratitude list, finding humor in small things, and fostering optimism and resilience. Motivational hospitality quotes are also suggested.
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Handling Criticism:
- Importance: Viewing criticism as an opportunity for improvement is encouraged, with a focus on learning from feedback to enhance job performance.
- Approach: The article advises professionals to thank those providing feedback, consider the validity of comments, and embrace a mindset open to change.
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Non-Verbal Communication:
- Importance: Clear communication, especially non-verbal, is highlighted as a crucial soft skill for building trust, reducing misunderstandings, and fostering teamwork.
- Techniques: Recommendations include making eye contact, using clear body language, monitoring non-verbal cues, and employing non-judgmental language in responses.
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Motivation:
- Importance: Aspiring hospitality managers are encouraged to incorporate soft skills into their management styles, emphasizing clear communication, maintaining a positive vision, and motivating others.
- Impact: The article asserts that soft skills contribute significantly to on-the-job success, constituting 85 percent of overall success compared to the 15 percent attributed to hard skills.
In conclusion, the article by Frank Giannotti underscores the paramount importance of soft skills in the hospitality industry and provides practical strategies for professionals to enhance their interpersonal abilities. By prioritizing the development of soft skills, individuals can distinguish themselves in a competitive landscape and reap the rewards of career advancement.
