TEAM SOFT SKILLSA S S E S S M E N T

Assess Your Team’s Soft Skills

Having a team with strong skills in problem-solving, building relationships, taking initiative, and many other soft skills is indisputably necessary for organizations to stay competitive today. These skills are also what make working on a team meaningful, productive, and fun!

Use this workbook to assess each individual on your team to see where they can improve most, and where they could be strong coaches! Simply write the number corresponding with your answer in each blank, then add up the answers for each letter separately at the end.

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This team member...

Name of team member

Engages others in conversations about personal interests.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes 2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

(A)

Gives their full attention to someone who starts speaking to them.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(B)

Matches their appearance to the expected standards of the workplace and special events.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(C)

Asks for help when they’re struggling with a problem.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(D)

Maintains a productive work-life balance.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(E)

Seeks others' perspectives so they can view a decision from multiple angles.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(F)

Uses past experiences to help them in new and unfamiliar situations.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(G)

Creates goals for personal and professional growth.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes 2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

(H)

Proactively looks for ways to improve processes or strategies.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(I)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Resolves conflicts quickly and fairly.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(J)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Gives encouragement to others.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(A)

Repeats points back during a conversation to ensure understanding.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(B)

Communicates in an appropriate manner, in both written and verbal messages.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(C)

Digs for the root cause of a problem by asking "What else could be the problem?"

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(D)

Plans ahead so they know what they'll be working on the next day.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(E)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Sees both the logic and the emotions involved in decision-making.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(F)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Is curious about what else they can learn.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(G)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Outlines clear expectations and standards for how they will achieve their goals.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(H)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Gives feedback on what could help the team operate more effectively.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(I)

Shows respect for colleagues' differences and contributions.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes 2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

(A)

Asks open-ended questions during conversations.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(B)

Seeks a positive outlook in a negative situation - they avoid spreading a pessimistic attitude.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(C)

Looks for multiple perspectives when determining what caused a problem.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(D)

Prioritizes their time well, so the most important tasks get completed.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(E)

Objectively weighs the costs and benefits of each possible solution when making a decision.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(F)

Seeks out feedback and constructive criticism.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(G)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Aligns their goals with the goals of the organization, their colleagues, and/or their family.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(H)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Challenges the status quo.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(I)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Finds ways to compromise so everyone involved in a conflict is satisfied with the solution.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(J)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Takes all viewpoints into account during a debate, whether they agree with them or not.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(J)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Doesn't interrupt people who are speaking.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(B)

Is pleasant to converse with.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(C)

Thinks through any new problems that could be caused by a solution they've come up with.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(D)

Looks for more efficient ways to do things.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(E)

Doesn't rely on the impulse of the moment to make decisions.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(F)

Tries to understand widely diverse perspectives, ideas, and experiences.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(G)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Shares their goals with others to keep themselves accountable.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(H)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Takes ownership of their shortcomings and works to make them right.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(I)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Quickly de-escalates themselves and others if an argument becomes heated.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely3 - Sometimes

(J)

Demonstrates trustworthiness by following through on commitments.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often

(A)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely3 - Sometimes

Uses body language that shows they’re listening.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often

(B)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely3 - Sometimes

Offers to help colleagues when a need is apparent.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often

(A)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Follows up on their solutions to problems to see if the effects were positive.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(D)

Hits deadlines and keeps their commitments.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(E)

Thinks through both expected and unexpected outcomes before making a decision.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(F)

Can make sense out of ambiguous and complex problems.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(G)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Creates a plan with pre-determined milestones to show their progress toward a goal.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(H)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Develops well-reasoned explanations for why they think changes should be made.

Now add up your answers for each letter and write their totals here:

Building Relationships

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(I)

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely

Doesn't avoid difficult conversations.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often 3 - Sometimes

(J)

(A)

Active Listening(B)

Professionalism(C)

Problem Solving(D)

Time Management(E)

Decision Making(F)

Learning Agility(G)

Goal Setting(H)

Taking Initiative(I)

Conflict Management(J)

Results

2 - Rarely 1 - Very Rarely3 - Sometimes

Is dedicated to a high level of integrity in their work.

5 - Very Often 4 - Often

(C)

The letters with the highest totals represent this team member’s strongest soft skills, while the lower totals represent areas where they could improve the most.

All of these soft skills can be learned and continually improved upon. These guides will help your team understand the kinds of behaviors that support each skill, so they can turn that insight into positive action.

NOTE: If you are working in a web browser, make sure to right-click on the Get the Guide buttons and open them in a new tab, so your work is not lost.

Organizations can't thrive without employees who are skilled at developing genuine, mutually beneficial relationships. When teams are made up of people who can do more than tolerate each other, and actually want to help each other succeed, that gives purpose and vision to the entire team and propels the organization past business challenges.

Actively listening is a requirement for building all types of relationships, so it’s foundational for employees to work well with colleagues, customers, and vendors. When they understand how to show others that they're listening and understanding, your business will become known for its top-quality customer care and strong collaboration.

It's often easier to recognize the absence of professionalism than to define it, but there are several key characteristics that professional individuals emanate. This sense of responsibility to how they represent themselves and their organization prevents issues with ethics, respect, and communication.

Your employees need to understand how to manage their time beyond keeping neat to-do lists and prioritizing emails. It starts with knowing and focusing on personal values and what they want to accomplish with their lives. Once they've established that deeper direction, learning how to manage everyday tasks becomes much simpler.

There are multiple steps to problem solving, including finding the root cause, coming up with solutions, and following up on those solutions’ outcomes. Every organization is dealing with conundrums on a regular basis, so every team needs problem solvers who can get to the real issues if they want to see forward momentum instead of spinning wheels.

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Decisions come in all shapes and sizes, and it can often be overwhelming for employees to ensure they're making the correct or best decision. Understanding the five steps in the rational decision-making model helps them to reduce the anxiety involved and make wise choices in whatever matters come before them.

People who are agile learners can take lessons from previous experiences and apply them to new and unfamiliar situations. As fast as this world changes, organizations need to be increasingly fostering the skill of "learning how to learn" so employees can become more agile in their thinking, ultimately creating a strong competitive advantage for the company.

Before setting out to achieve something, creating strong, clear goals and communicating them to others lays the foundation for seeing success. Employees who can set goals and effectively bring others in on them will help the organization stretch itself and see greater rewards than expected.

It’s important for every employee to understand how to diffuse tension before little disagreements explode into full-on conflicts. When conflict arises, it’s normal for people to get defensive or even aggressive, but knowing basic conflict resolution techniques helps avoid that escalation, saving tons of time and frustration on resolving a serious issue.

Employees who are willing to take initiative have been given cues from their leaders and the company values that calculated risks are okay, and that leaders are looking for those innovative risks. When a team member seems to lack initiative, there are several things leaders can do to nurture the creativity and boldness within.

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