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?

Touch typing. I reckon it saves me hours and hours a week

Knowing what I’m really bad at so compensating or outsourcing it.
I’m also good at cutting through waffle/bullshit to seeing what needs to be done - however, this doesn’t really make many friends.

Maybe... Lateral thinking. Interdisciplinary skills. Climbing steep learning curves. Remembering & Integrating lots of things together.

Very fast reader.

Touch typing,. Took a crash course in sixth form as I had a ‘spare’ subject. Was just as PCs were becoming common and it’s been a huge benefit - I got work done faster and more accurately than most of my peers and that helped my progression,

Leadership and the following phrase - you can trial anything.

I.e. if everyone is opposed to a change, say you'll trial it and get their feedback. You can trial anything

I'm a teacher. Empathy and saying "I don't know" when I really don't!

Being able to talk to anyone. Being chatty has got me promotions, favours, deadlines extended, other work etc. (often on strength of 5min chats at the photocopier) I can do v formal corporate finance or v laid back Marketing, IT etc etc. I'm not fazed by demanding perfectionists & I'm good at herding cats (aka 'creative' people). And i'm very, very organised. I just wish I was as good at my personal life as I am at my work life.

Yep wish I could touch type

And another phrase for you - I'm sure we can find a compromise

If I don't understand something i am not afraid to ask for clarification. I park my ego at the door. Touch typing .

Common sense!

@trojanpony hi work twin!

I’ve made huge inroads into not showing frustration. I’m still terrible at managing shit people. Shit and don’t don’t give a shit, well, that’s easy - performance manage them out. Shit but trying really hard, being given loads of support but not improving.... so awkward.

Being able to get on with other people.

Calm in a crisis. Deep breath, assess, decide what to do, do it.

Planning, if you plan for everything expected you've got more headspace and time to deal with the unexpected.

And say Yes to everything and then google the shit out of it!

There are terms on here that I don't really know what they mean. What does "I'm a people person " mean? I've got an idea but really it just sounds like something people say. Also, my dd says she doesn't know what hard working means. They aren't really quantifiable things.

From reading this thread a lot of people seem to be saying a lot of it is about faking stuff. Trying to explain that to my asd dd that may as well be speaking Martian.

Being able to sleep anywhere

Having a super fast reading speed

Being totally and utterly passionate about what I do

Being able to stand up and talk in front of anyone, any group size

Thanks FourFriedChickens I'll have a look. I've tried programmes before and just can't grasp it. I really envy people who can do it.

Basically you're fucked if you have social anxiety as far as I can see.

Oh and being able to work on a train

Knowing my own limitations.
I see a fair few people where I work just carrying on and not asking questions or asking for help when they need it. I know where my strengths are and I don't feel embarrassed if I need to ask for help.
Also, outwardly displaying calmness when I'm shitting it on the inside! Still not sure how I do that but I've been told several times that I was very calm when I certainly haven't felt it!!

Tenacity
And an ability to untangle messes created by other people

@StealthPolarBear now THAT is a super work skill. I get travel sick :-(

I am able to stay calm and focused & get things done when all hell is breaking loose around me.

I thrive on working to tight deadlines.

I'm good at multi-tasking.

I am a fast touch typist, which has been hugely useful in any job I've ever had.

Being able to wipe my slate between customers. I was once screamed at because the person in question made a mistake in her request and didn't like that she would have to pay an additional fee (£5) to amend it. I was seething but once she stepped away I just called the next person and greeted them like nothing had happened while psycho carried on freaking out while we waited for the manager.

Excel as well. It's nothing to do with my job but I have created a few funky little things with it that makes my teams life easier and more efficient (my life's harder due to data maintenance but I love playing with excel so its like a break).