When Red first heard Black talking about the importance of "soft skills," she didn't even know what she was referring to, let alone that they would be important to her life. So, Black explained that it was a term used to describe intangible but essential skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving, communication, and conflict management.

Red, trying to be sarcastic, then asked if there was such a thing as “hard skills". Black, matter-of-factly, told her those are tangible and technical skills such as computer skills.

Of course, Black couldn’t pass up an opportunity for sarcasm. She explained that although there’s consensus about the importance of soft skills, there’s debate about what they should be called. Her favorite? When we were developing our soft skill curriculum, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) called them "21st Century Skills" … although she's old enough to remember they were important in the 20th Century, too.

But would anyone call them “Mom Skills”? Well, Red couldn’t help but remember the time Black told her, “Your job is every bit as demanding as a corporate position, and, in fact, you use many of the same skill sets.” Not something Red could ever have imagined, but it made sense once she better understood what soft skills are and how they are used. But then Black took it a step further,

Soft skills are transferable — between your personal life and the workplace (and from industry to industry). If you recognize that interpersonal relations have existed since Adam and Eve (or “caveman” days), technical skills are constantly changing, and there is no way to predict the careers of the future … it is easy to see why soft skills will always be needed.

It's funny, but now that Red’s familiar with soft skills, she not only recognizes them in day-to-day living but sees the impact they have (and the problems caused when they’re lacking). That’s why this website not only has SOFT SKILLS as a LIBRARY topic, but explains why it’s one of Black's Passion Projects.

Here are some of our favorite posts showing how soft skills affect us on a daily basis (OK, the Ferrari one about negotiating skills may not affect many people, but the message will):

• COMMUNICATION: It's June ... Blah-Blah-Blah Or Bullet Points?
• LEADERSHIP: RED & BLACK … Leaders All Around Us
• MOM SKILLS: Translating Mom Responsibilities
• NEGOTIATION: A Perfect Day For A Convertible. And For Chutzpah.
• PERSUASION: The Fact Is … Don’t Use Facts
• PROBLEM-SOLVING: One Person’s Problem … Is Another’s Challenge?!