How to Improve Your Soft Skills in a Remote Environment

You have probably heard this saying before: Hard Skills Get You Hired, But Soft Skills Get You Promoted. Though one might think that the technology and the needed skill sets to improve one’s resume make this saying obsolete, it still holds up quite well. This applies not only to being a Virtual or Distant Assistant but to other fields of work as well.

Businesses are now using “soft skills” as the key differentiator when deciding who they would like to promote to higher positions in their company. According to LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends report, more than 90% of HR professionals reported that soft skills are equally or more important traits to hire for than hard skills. They also added that if a new hire doesn’t work out, 9 times out of 10 it’s because they lack the soft skills to handle the situation.

What are Soft Skills, exactly?

what are soft skills

Soft skills can be defined as a collection and combination of people, communication, and social skills, as well as certain personality traits that help employees adapt to their work environment and perform well with others in their company or team.

But because soft skills aren’t exactly quantifiable attributes that you can score on paper, it can be difficult for HR or talent acquisition specialists to assess potential hires, given their short time together in the hiring process. Though some tell-tale signs can help them avoid red flags, it’s often when the new hire starts their job that one can observe their soft skills or lack thereof.

Soft Skills are very in-demand

Soft skills in the workplace have grown in value for companies, particularly those in the service industry. According to a certain study, hiring specialists say that soft skills are essential in deciding who to hire. Also, business owners believe that soft skills are more important than tech skills since the former is harder to train or develop over time over the latter.

It also serves as an important benchmark when it comes to promoting someone for team leading or managerial positions. Given the option, most CEOS would hire someone with great soft skills over someone who might have better tech skills but have mediocre soft skills.

Soft Skills to Nurture

That said, here are some soft skills to look out for when hiring for your remote team.

Communication

Communication doesn’t just mean being an eloquent talker or having a good accent and tone. It is a two-way street, which means one needs to develop good listening skills as well. Learn how to listen without interrupting the person you are speaking to. It now only shows respect to who you are talking to, but you also get the whole information and context before you reply.

Body language is also an important part of communication. While one might say that they are paying attention to someone, the other person might not get the same sentiment if their body language seems like they are not focused, or tinkering with something else at the moment.

Teamwork and Conflict Resolution

soft skills conflict resultion and teamwork

While working as a team, sometimes it can be easy to view other people as rivals for promotion, rather than people one can work with to achieve a goal. This could lead to poor teamwork in the team and everyone just keeping to themselves and not sharing information.

Another issue with being individualistic rather than working as a cohesive team is when conflict arises, arguments and accusations start hindering productivity.

Opening lines of communication, as well as showing teammates that one is open to collaboration can help foster teamwork and avoid escalating conflict within the team. As the team starts cooperating and improving as a whole, everyone will end up rising as a group, rather than dragging each other down.

Compassion and Emotional Intelligence

One way to foster camaraderie, or create bonds in the workplace is to show compassion and empathy to teammates or clients. Taking an interest in other people and seeing things from their perspective can help one understand their struggles means they can assist or find the best way to work with the situation.

Being able to take a step back and not act upon impulse is also a good way to train one’s emotional intelligence. Having a higher EQ means you can calmly assess situations and think of solutions, rather than just having knee-jerk reactions or doing short-term solutions for issues or conflicts.

Work Ethic and Time Management

Work Ethic could apply to a lot of things, but it could be boiled down to four key points:

  • Take responsibility for one’s work
  • Always show up and deliver on time
  • Always keep one’s commitments
  • Never blame others for one’s shortcomings

In relation to this, being able to properly manage your time is an essential soft skill in order to deliver your commitments and show that you can handle your responsibilities well, and are prepared to take on new ones.

time management soft skills

Learn to prioritize and allocate the proper time for each task and responsibility. You should also be able to gauge which task you are equipped to do or still have the capacity for. That way, you can maintain your efficiency, and learn your current limitations and how to exceed them eventually.

Conclusion

Soft skills can be harder to train than hard and technical skills, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Being exposed to situations that let a person practice their soft skills is the best way to gain experience in the matter, so don’t be afraid to dive in headfirst into different situations and scenarios at work.

Bottleneck Academy offers free training to those who are aspiring to pursue a career in being a Distant Assistant. They do roleplays to simulate situations in the office or with clients, so you know what to expect and how to respond when a situation arises. Interested? Enroll now, as there are only limited slots available! 

Subscribe to our newsletter so you can receive up-to-date information about other tips on how our distant assistants can help entrepreneurs grow their businesses. You also get FREE access to our Ultimate Distant Assistant Checklist when you sign up.

Jaime Jay

About Jaime Jay

Meet Jaime Jay – a man who wears many hats, and wears them all admirably. He's a master connector, an entrepreneur extraordinaire, and a published author who knows how to get things done.

Before he found his way to the business world, Jaime served his country as a brave paratrooper in the U.S. Army. But that's just the beginning of his many accomplishments.

He's the founder of the renowned Bottleneck Distant Assistant Services firm, and his book "Quit Repeating Yourself" has become a must-read for entrepreneurs everywhere.

When he's not busy building his empire, you can find him on his beloved Harley Davidson, cruising through the countryside and taking in the invigorating effects of Uitwaaien – a Dutch practice that involves facing the wind to boost health and relieve stress.

He enjoys spending his free time outside building stuff with his wife, Nikita the dog and their two kittens (for now at least) Tommy and Tater.

He is ‘over-the-moon’ happily married to his wonderful wife Sara, his amazing daughter, Jessica, who is serving our country as a United States Army soldier. Jaime and Sara are the proud grand parents of two beautiful little girls.

Victoria Dorsano
Victoria Dorsano
2023-09-17
Bottleneck has been such an amazing support for my business! They have a seamless process to ensure you find the right fit for your DDA. I am so thankful I started working with them! I'm now able to accomplish so much more in my business with a personal DDA and editing team on my side. Thank you!!
Rockwell Felder
Rockwell Felder
2023-03-15
I cannot thank the team at Bottleneck enough for their incredible support of our business. Their team has played a vital role in helping us staff our customer support and ensuring our customers were satisfied with our services. Their Distant Assistants were extremely helpful in answering inquiries promptly, handling complaints, and providing solutions to our customers' needs. Their professionalism, attention to detail, and communication skills are exceptional. Working with Bottleneck has been a fantastic experience, and I highly recommend their services to anyone needing a reliable and efficient virtual assistant, especially for customer support.
Karen Ravano
Karen Ravano
2022-09-24
I am grateful and blessed to be part of this team. It’s such a wonderful experience because i gain more experience and help me enhance my basic skills. This will be my stepping stone to my career as a newbie in this kind of industry. It would help to reach my goals.
Jeany Mercadal
Jeany Mercadal
2022-09-16
Bottleneck Distant Assistants can lessen the burden of company owners. We provide excellent services depending on our client needs. We are not scam, clients surely get more than what they pay for. Being part of this team helped me hone my skills and become excellent in all my works.
Jeff Peñaflor
Jeff Peñaflor
2022-09-14
I started last March 24, 2021 as a Dedicated Distant Assistant and it was an awesome experience. In this new journey, as Security Administrator of Bottleneck Distant Assistants, I have been supported by the team, A LOT !!!! All help that I need, the whole team is there to support me. I know that there are a lot of room for improvements with my skills and what I know, but because of BNDA, I became equipped with all the weapons I need to conquer the daily challenges especially with my tasks. With BNDA, they will not just help you to aim high, but soar the skies!
Tinoe D
Tinoe D
2022-09-09
I don't remember the last time I loved what I was doing until Bottleneck came into the picture. I love working for bottleneck, they are professional. The management makes the workplace fun and they're very flexible. I definetly recommend that you make that important switch and be part of something big today by joining BNDA.
Michael Goodcliffe
Michael Goodcliffe
2022-09-09
Jaime and his team are incredible at what they do! Joining them has been one of the best decisions in my life! I whole heartedly recommend them to anyone who are looking to scale and improve their business. Their highly 'Dedicated Distant Assistants' are well trained. They are top notch!
GM Simon
GM Simon
2022-09-08
Working with Bottleneck is not just having one or two assistants working alongside you. You have the support of the whole team behind them as well.
Ma. Edeliza Silot
Ma. Edeliza Silot
2022-09-07
Aside from the knowledge gained, the trainers are highly commendable.
Sara Knox
Sara Knox
2022-09-07
What an awesome business! Finally, a way to hire the RIGHT person for my administrative tasks and they are remote! No office space to consider, W2's, 1099's or payroll. Jaime and his team of remote workers are top-notch! I hired my first assistant in May. I recently suffered a motorcycle accident and it left me unable to work for 2 weeks. But my assistant stepped right in to guide our CEO on all matters financial. It’s so nice to have that stress eliminated from my life!
book-a-time

Get Your Book Now!

Quit Repeating Yourself provides guidance for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and managers to help prevent unknown challenges from ruining their business.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Related Blogs

Collaborate with Virtual Assistants

Collaborate with Virtual Assistants

Virtual Assistants as the Backbone of Business Success

Supporting Your Vision: Virtual Assistants as the Backbone of Business Success

Unlock-Efficiency-and-Growth-with-Highly-Skilled-Virtual-Assistants-Across-Multiple-Domains

Focus on Your Core Business: Free up Your Time for Important Business Activities by Hiring Bottleneck Distant Assistants!

Elevating-Your-Business-with-Bottleneck-Distant-Assistants

Custom-Tailored Assistance: Elevating Your Business with Bottleneck Distant Assistants

Get-Organized-with-Virtual-Assistants-and-Stay-Ahead-of-the-Game

Stay Organized, Stay Ahead: Get Organized with Virtual Assistants and Stay Ahead of the Game!

Streamline-Your-Operations-with-Virtual-Assistant-Support

Maximize Efficiency: Streamline Your Operations with Virtual Assistant Support!

Take Control of Your Time: Book a Consultation