What has been the most useful skill in your working life?

[Bigfatfuckingfailure]

What innate talents or acquired skill really stands out for you?

Bags of energy? Team player knack? Great networker? PRINCE2? Excel?

Slowing down and thinking.

I can network very well.

@Satsumaeater I'm the exact same. Every job interview I went for I got the job. However feel I over promised in some jobs! Basically fluke my way through

Unflappability, even if it’s all going to shit around you a calm voice and attitude inspires confidence much more than shouting.
Never ignoring my gut.

A can-do attitude
Being a good line manager
Being able to write well

Excel coding in VBA, 100%. It does kinda make you into the default "heeelp my computer isn't working" person though, which is annoying. I have no fecking idea how computers work! :)

Knowing when to leave!

Aus84, sure I did read that book too, many years ago. Still a classic.

I'm astonished about all the typing skills comments though. How come? I have an office job and people couldn't care less about my typing skills, has not influenced my career in any way.

Being able to recall random bits of information, being able to think 'outside of the box' (I know, I should be shot for using this term) and think of solutions to problems that are a bit different.

LoniceraJaponica
I know how to be polite and assertive, and how to humour people. I am not in the least bit confrontational, but I can get my point across if it differs from someone elses just by not being rude

So true. Shitty service doesn't happen to me too, for the reasons you named, and English isn't my first language. What you said earlier about assertiveness without being rude or aggressive is also a valuable skill, for a lot of people don't see the difference.

KindergartenKop
Patience - also a good one, I mean it as in "not snapping at people" however busy/stressed one can be. I used to smile and say, if someone came at a wrong moment, "Sorry, it's not a good moment. Can I talk to you in 20 min?" rather than snapping/barking at them. I think no amount of stress excuses snapping/rudeness. If you take too much on for promotion, it's your problem, not of the co-workers. If your workload is unreasonable, it's your call to talk to the manager about alleviating it.

HashTagLil
Learning how to admit I don’t know something, and ask questions
I think I didn't wait to learn it at work, just always done it. it's a good litmus test too: good people will answer the question, jumped-up morons will be "what, you don't know??"

Photoshop.

Being smiley and positive.

G5000 the typing thing is useful personally. It just means you get things done far more quickly than 2 finger typists.

This has got so long now I'm probably not saying anything new. Touch typing, Pitman shorthand which I use for note-taking on the phone and which is brilliant, Excel skills. An eye for consistency (useful, since I edit). In terms of character building skills, trying to take on challenges rather than fearing them. Very hard.

Quite good at organisational skills, tracking projects, that type of thing. Learned the hard way how to organise a physical file and make a To Do list with dates and times.

Re typing skills, I think 60wpm is usually about a minimum for most jobs, isn't it?

My ability to be objective and not get involved in the various dramas.

I wish I was joking.

The ability to speed read. absorb information quickly, research and then totally forget it all for the next thing.

Being quick thinking and networking like a champ. Crappy jokes told with glee are helpful in developing a rapport (even if the initial reaction is pity!).

Touch typing for me too
Ferocious organisation and prioritising
Being good at giving feedback, so my trainees know what to improve on without feeling crushed
Being solution oriented (often means I get my own way too, as nobody else bothers to think of alternatives)
And speaking a smattering of many different languages - useful in a very international work environment, I might say “Good morning” six different ways before I even get to my first cup of coffee.

Driving.

Never done a driving job btw but it has facilitated jobs I've had no end.

Getting on with people, being good at explaining things and being reasonably good at analysing information.

Touch typing, without a doubt the top of my list.

Adapatability, can-do attitude, calmness all also useful

Resilience. Things don't go to plan. There are some shits out there. You get blamed for stuff you didn't do. But the World keeps turning and if you're resilient you'll live to fight another day.

Chairing meetings so that things actually get decided.

Diplomacy, being able to get a negative message across/get something I need/influence people without being rude or aggressive.

Can write well.

Plenty of things I could do with working on - so interesting to read about others' skills on here - but I think the above make up for a lot. Love the Fake it Til You Make It mantra!

@Licketysplits I am so with you - can you do Pivot Tables like what I can :)