Skill Assessment

Why this matters

Skills are trainable levers. Choosing the right ones (for impact, not ego) can dramatically improve your results at work and in life—especially when they amplify your natural talents.

Step 1 — List candidates (5–7 minutes)

From your recent work and interests, jot two short lists:

Soft skills (people & judgment): communication, facilitation, leadership, boundary-setting, conflict navigation, feedback, negotiation, focus, emotional regulation, decision-making.
Hard skills (technical & procedural): data analysis, spreadsheet modeling, slide design, copywriting, video editing, coding/scripting, marketing analytics, CRM workflows, SOP writing, automation tools.

Add anything relevant to your field—don’t overthink names yet.

Step 2 — Score each skill (fast 2×2)

For each skill, give two 1–5 scores:

Impact: If I improved this skill, how much would it boost my success this year?
Current level: 1 = beginner, 5 = strong.

Pick: your top 5 soft and 5 hard skills by highest impact, not highest current level.

Step 3 — Choose one skill to start (today)

From the 10 you picked, circle one soft and one hard skill that feel most consequential now.

Example pairings:
- Soft = “Clean Requests” · Hard = “Slide Clarity”
- Soft = “Boundary Setting” · Hard = “SOP Writing”
- Soft = “Facilitation” · Hard = “Dashboard Basics”

Step 4 — Define a 10-minute daily rep

Write one tiny action per chosen skill that you can repeat daily:

Clean Requests: rewrite one ask to be specific + time-bound; send it.
Boundary Setting: practice one “no + option B” line in a low-stakes context.
Facilitation: end a meeting with “who/what/when” in 60 seconds.
Slide Clarity: convert one messy slide into a 1-idea layout with a crisp title.
SOP Writing: turn one task you own into a 3–5 step checklist.
Dashboard Basics: track one metric you actually use; update daily.

Schedule both reps on your calendar (≤10 minutes each).

Step 5 — Build a 2-week micro-plan (copy/paste)

Weeks 1–2, Mon–Fri

Soft skill rep (10 min, morning): __________________________
Hard skill rep (10 min, afternoon): ________________________
After-glow note (10 sec): Energy = −2/−1/0/+1/+2

Friday review (5 min):
What got easier? What proof did I create? What will I repeat next week?

Step 6 — Upgrade with feedback (once per week)

Ask one person for a single, specific note:

“Was my request clear and doable?”
“Does this slide make the decision obvious?”
“Is this SOP usable by someone new?”

Incorporate exactly one suggestion—keep momentum over perfection.

Example skill stacks by talent

Teaching talent → Soft: facilitation · Hard: outlining → Ship a 4-step explainer after the next meeting.
Systems talent → Soft: decision-making · Hard: dashboards → Define 1 metric + weekly checkpoint.
Interpersonal talent → Soft: clean requests · Hard: CRM workflows → Automate a follow-up message.
Visual talent → Soft: stakeholder listening · Hard: slide design → Storyboard 3 frames before building.

Reflection

Which one soft and one hard skill would most improve your outcomes in the next 30 days?
What’s your 10-minute rep for each—exactly when will you do it?
Who’s your feedback buddy for a quick weekly note?

— Sandro Formica, PhD

Founder of Permanently Happy (questions at [email protected])

Keynote Speaker | Transforming Leaders & Organizations Through Positive Leadership & Personal Branding | Director, Chief Happiness Officer Certificate Program