Constant connectivity and a growing reliance on information technology (IT) in business require tech professionals to possess both technical expertise and soft skills. Tech professionals must be able to liaise across functions, blending their specialized skills with soft skills to partner effectively with other departments. In addition, tech professionals need to be quick to respond and capable of engaging fluidly with customers or internal stakeholders as needed.
Specialized graduate education options like the online Information Technology programs from Florida Institute of Technology help aspiring IT leaders develop advanced technical skills as well as the soft skills needed to navigate today’s complex business environment. The following are nine examples of the soft skills that tech professionals should cultivate to bolster their competitive edge and performance on the job.
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Critical Thinking Skills for IT Professionals
Honing critical thinking skills is a core component of programs like Florida Tech’s online Master of Science (MS) in Information Technology. As organizations pursue digital transformations, tech professionals must be able to think creatively to grapple with rapid change. Increases in project volumes and staffing shortages also require flexibility and the ability to apply critical thinking to unexpected challenges, especially for IT professionals in leadership roles.
In addition, a goal of many IT projects is to solve unique business problems through advanced analysis and data-driven insights. Creating new approaches to address evolving situations requires agile, critical thought. Ethical challenges surrounding the continuous development and utilization of AI technologies exemplify the need to apply critical thought to IT decision-making and technology integration.
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Problem-solving in IT
Problem-solving is also one of the most crucial IT soft skills for today’s technology leaders. Professionals who can assess problems and propose effective solutions are essential as IT becomes integral to all business processes. Problem-solving shouldn’t always be reactionary. Rather, skilled problem solvers look ahead to anticipate potential problems and plan in advance.
Further, skilled problem-solving means taking the time to understand multiple perspectives and needs before proposing a solution. This is true across IT functions, making problem-solving a key learning goal of highly specialized programs like Florida Tech’s online MS in Information Technology with a concentration in Cybersecurity.
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The Central Role of Communication
Since technology now impacts all aspects of a business, tech professionals must be adept at communicating with a variety of functions, departments and levels of management. Strong, effective communication includes professional writing, verbal communication, presentation and active listening. All levels of formal, informal and strategic communication are critical for success in IT roles, from management to database administration.
Communication for tech employees also means bridging the knowledge gap and clearly translating complex technical concepts to less tech-savvy colleagues and stakeholders. Few things make people feel more annoyed or insulted than being talked down to, so tech professionals need to be adept at contextualizing information without being condescending or patronizing.
Business and technology work toward the same goal, but the path to the end can be different. Tech professionals need to communicate their own challenges and needs to business-minded stakeholders.
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Interpersonal Skills and Teamwork in Tech
Technology implementation in all facets of business requires tech integration with all types of people within an organization. Tech professionals must collaborate successfully with cross-functional teams — and different personalities and expectations. This necessitates interpersonal skills, such as the ability to interpret a message (“read the room”) and understand how communication is perceived by recipients.
Increasingly, technology teams are dispersed and global in nature. Building rapport and working well together requires adept teamwork and collaboration. Location aside, most development occurs in teams, and the ability to work well within the team is critical.
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Project Management: Combining Hard and Soft Skills for IT Professionals
Often, technology integration relies on effective project implementation. Capable project managers — including IT project managers — lead these efforts.
IT professionals can earn various certifications to enhance their project management skills and job prospects. Advanced studies such as Florida Tech’s Project Management for Information Technology course also prepare professionals for success in this area.
Being able to judge how a project is truly going based on data, metrics, benchmarks and input of the people involved helps with overall project management. Experience, clear communication and emotional awareness are key factors in developing the “soft” side project management skills.
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The Importance of Being Detail-Oriented
While the image of a techie devoted to the precise facts may not be a new one, what is new is the breadth of attention to detail. Tech professionals need to pay attention to myriad — and at times disparate — details, aligning strategy with technology implementation and business outcomes.
Additionally, IT leaders must manage stakeholder inputs while ensuring colleagues and partners outside of the IT space understand the details of IT outputs. This might include creating visualization tools to translate analytics-driven insight, developing and implementing software solutions, and providing other deliverables.
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Knowing When and How to Ask the Right Questions
Tech professionals don’t want to invest time in building or improving a technology that doesn’t meet the need. Often, time wasted on unnecessary tech development is a result of poor communication between the business arm and the technology arm.
Again, this highlights the need for excellent communication, including engaged inquiry. Tech professionals need to ask the right questions to understand what the business really needs, and then determine how to meet those needs effectively and efficiently.
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Emotional Intelligence and Self-Awareness
Emotional intelligence and self-awareness are among the essential yet often-overlooked set of skills for any professional who wants to succeed, including those in the tech industry. As peers can provide valuable insight, professionals can foster self-awareness by seeking — and listening to — feedback, in both formal situations and informal conversations.
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Empathetic Leadership
Similarly, components of emotional intelligence like empathy help professionals better understand the needs of colleagues. An empathetic leadership culture supports more effective and engaged teams, driving performance as well as retention and job satisfaction.
When it comes to continuing education, finding a dynamic program can help prepare professionals for a rapidly evolving landscape. Florida Tech’s information technology programs provide well-rounded curricula that help professionals build both the technical skills and the soft skills critical for success in today’s complex work environment.
Learn more about Florida Tech’s online Information Technology programs.
