Cross-cutting skills, the non-technical competencies that make the difference in any role
Technical skills are usually different from job to job. On the other hand, transversal skills do not depend on this: they are needed by teams in any organization and department. Do you want to know more about them?
What are transversal competencies?
When we talk about transversal skills we are referring to power skills that do not depend on a specific position or sector, but can be applied to various work contexts and complement technical skills.
They have to do with how we think, how we interact, how we solve problems and how we manage change. They are just as important in a junior profile as in a managerial position.
There may be people in your team who have a more communicative personality and have less difficulty developing a skill related to effective communication. However, it is a mistake to confuse soft or transversal skills with innate skills, since it is possible to learn them through training and practical experience.
What are the most common transversal skills?
The transversal skills are grouped into different dimensions:
- Cognitive. They allow to analyze information, generate ideas and make decisions with criteria.
- Personal. They have to do with how a person manages his or her emotions and actions, from the knowledge of his or her strengths and limits to the ability to adapt and maintain balance under pressure.
- Social. They are reflected in the way someone communicates, collaborates or manages relationships.
- Organizational. They make it possible to plan, prioritize tasks and act with autonomy. They are key to be effective in daily work.
- Digital. We refer to knowing how to use the tools, but also how to integrate them effectively into daily tasks.
What are the most important transversal skills?
Knowing which are the most relevant transversal skills in your team allows you to prioritize their development:
- Effective communication: allows you to express ideas clearly, listen carefully and avoid misunderstandings.
- Critical thinking: helps to analyze situations, question assumptions and make informed decisions.
- Teamwork: improves collaboration, distributes loads better and strengthens collective results.
- Adaptability: facilitates the response to changes, uncertainty or unforeseen events without losing efficiency.
- Problem solving: allows finding practical solutions to everyday or structural obstacles.
The importance of soft or transversal skills in the enterprise
Cross-cutting competencies are what make the work flow. They help teams understand each other, organize better, make sound decisions and respond quickly when something changes.
Training in these transversal skills not only improves the team’s day-to-day operations, but also reduces turnover and improves the work environment.
At The Wise Skill we help you to detect which transversal competencies your team needs and to design a clear strategy to activate them and make them part of the day to day.
