 When I was in the university, the term soft skills didn't seem necessary. In fact, I didn't get to hear it until many years later. We had been trained to believe in technical skills and I had gotten so used to learning those skills because I thought knowing them would increase my income. Years of struggling financially even though I possess quite a number of technical skills has taught me that soft skills are far more important than technical skills. A combination of both is required to succeed repeatedly, what's more, it's been discovered those who make the big bucks in most companies and who occupy the top most offices hardly possess technical skills they harness soft skills to increase their advantage over others. As a young person the older you grow the less technical skills become important. You should start to value soft skills as you grow older over technical skills having learned this lesson the hard way. In today's video I'll be sharing with you five soft skills you need to climb the ladder to success. If you're new here consider subscribing so you don't miss other interesting videos like this. 1. Initiative I remember working with a small company as a librarian and implementing some strategies that helped the company grow. Many years later the relationship between the business owner and me still grew stronger and although I had left the company long ago they still request my advice occasionally on how the business could be better improved. Too many times people who get ahead either at their place of work or at some personal business take a lot of initiative. Such persons are often not afraid to demand new responsibilities that help them and the company grows. They constantly fight for opportunities. To be a person who takes the initiative you must maintain a positive attitude and a willingness to try new things with or without being told because you understand it would aid your development. When you use your initiative often you gain a reputation as someone who always gets the job done. Like someone once said if all you do is all you're paid to do then you're not going to get better. Your success and constant improvement depend on your ability to take the initiative. 2. Problem Solving First obstacles are a part of life but people often put up two kinds of attitude towards obstacles. Some become passive in the face of obstacles and so wait for something to happen before they move on. Others figure out ways to get around the obstacles so they're not slowed down for making progress. Almost every time we are confronted with this challenge to solve problems or avoid them. This is how you grow. Imagine this you may not be skilled technically but if you're skilled at discovering problems and solving them you will supercharge your chances of succeeding. My boss recently gave me the task of finding a professional book designer for a book we want to publish in our company. Although I was a graphics designer I was skeptical about my ability to pull off something profound but I gave it a try anyway and submitted what I did. The design was splendid and approved. We never needed to require the service of a professional designer and I also was encouraged to know I still could design great covers. You will encounter problems in the business world every day. How you approach and attack those problems will go a long way to determine the level of success you command in your career or business. If you can think creatively to find a solution to a complex problem that stumps other people then not only will you look good in front of your peers and superiors. This will be something you can demonstrate in future interviews. Most successful people identify a problem to find a plan on how to resolve it and follow up on those who are working on resolving it. This is how they saw in their career. If you can engage in creative thinking to solve complex problems you will be considered a professional before others and your boss. This will also increase your chances of succeeding fast. Part of critical observation is being able to identify influential people in your workplace and doing some good work for them. Critical observation is also asking why things are done in a certain way and challenging the status quo is also an important skill. Most successful businesses and various employees being curious as to how things can be done better. In most of his books Sir Richard Branson, those that employees at Virgin companies are valued much more than customers because without their initiative and observation the companies wouldn't grow. When you're noted for simplifying complex processes at work you can save people's time and energy which will improve your reputation at work. Successful people are able to observe what is important and what is not important and can then prioritize their time and effort accordingly. 4. Building Networks and Relationships Warren Buffett, one of the world's most successful investors says in order to be successful you have to surround yourself with the best. One of the best selling classics on networking and building relationships is Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. The book remains a best seller for one reason. Building good relationships and influencing people is a powerful secret to endless success and wealth. You become the people you relate with and as much as most young people believe in being a lone ranger you increase your chances of success by leveraging relationships with people. What you can spend years learning yourself, good relationships can help you learn in a few minutes. Building relationships with the right people will give you insight into where there are opportunities. I make most of my income from clients through referrals. This comes from a good relationship with others. 5. Communication. This is by far a very vital skill. There is a verse in the bible that says self-answer tons away wrath. Everyone speaks but very few know how to communicate just because you have said something doesn't mean you have communicated. This is why communication must be learned. It is requisite to your being able to win others to your side. Part of effective communication is being able to tell others clearly what you mean simply and articulately. When people don't understand your point, they may construe it. Thus, communication must be learned. You must be able to speak as much as you should, as long as you should, as articulately as you should, while retaining your listener's attention. Many people who are very good at presenting may lack lots of other skills but because they perform very well in front of a crowd they quickly get ahead of their peers. Even in small meetings, if you can get your point across clearly and articulately, you will look good. It's a skill many people don't have. If this video inspired you, share the video with your friends. We love you.