Also called FLIPS, these skills all pertain to someone’s personal life, but they also bleed into

professional settings.

 Flexibility: Deviating from plans as needed

 Leadership: Motivating a team to accomplish a goal

 Initiative: Starting projects, strategies, and plans on one’s own

 Productivity: Maintaining efficiency in an age of distractions

 Social skills: Meeting and networking with others for mutual benefit

1. Flexibility is the expression of someone’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

This is one of the most challenging qualities to learn for students because it’s based on two

uncomfortable ideas:

 Your way isn’t always the best way

 You have to know and admit when you’re wrong

That’s a struggle for a lot of students, especially in an age when you can know any bit of

information at the drop of a hat. Flexibility requires them to show humility and accept that
they’ll always have a lot to learn — even when they’re experienced. Still, flexibility is crucial to

a student’s long-term success in a career. Knowing when to change, how to change, and how to

react to change is a skill that’ll pay dividends for someone’s entire life.

Flexibility is a key to success for many reasons. Perhaps the most important is that, flexibility

helps you overcome challenges. It can open up your world to opportunities that you never

thought you would have a chance to experience. Flexibility can be the key to helping you savor

and enjoy the true spices of life.

 It is important to remain flexible in the workplace. When you demonstrate

flexibility, your co-workers and boss are much more likely to enjoy spending time with

you. Why? Because they know that they can count on you during times of uncertainty or

change in the workplace. You will also notice that this increased flexibility gives your

days a variety that helps you get out of bed in the morning.

 Flexibility also helps your home life. When you are flexible, there will be less conflict

and more understanding between family members. In turn, you can enjoy easier and more

fulfilling relationships with your family. Flexibility helps you re-organize your schedule

when something unexpected happens without having to fret over every detail. This could

be something as simple as coming up with a quick alternative dinner plan in case

someone burns dinner.

2. Leadership is someone’s penchant for setting goals, walking a team through the steps

required, and achieving those goals collaboratively. Whether someone’s a seasoned

entrepreneur or a fresh hire just starting their careers, leadership applies to career. Entry-
 level workers need leadership skills for several reasons. The most important is that it

helps them understand the decisions that managers and business leaders make. Then,

those entry-level employees can apply their leadership skills when they’re promoted to

middle management (or the equivalent). This is where 21st Century skill learners can

apply the previous skills they’ve learned. It’s also where they get the real-world

experience they need to lead entire companies. As they lead individual departments, they

can learn the ins and outs of their specific careers. That gives ambitious students the

expertise they need to grow professionally and lead whole corporations. Leadership alone

isn’t enough to get ahead though. True success also requires;

3. Initiative, requiring students to be self-starters. Initiative only comes naturally to a

handful of people. As a result, students need to learn it to fully succeed. This is one of the

hardest skills to learn and practice. Initiative often means working on projects outside of

regular working hours. The rewards for students with extreme initiative vary from person

to person. Sometimes they’re good grades. Other times they’re new business ventures.

Sometimes, it’s spending an extra 30 minutes at their jobs wrapping something up before

the weekend. Regardless, initiative is an attribute that earns rewards. It’s especially

indicative of someone’s character in terms of work ethic and professional progress.

Along with initiative, 21st Century skills require students to learn about;

4. Productivity. That’s a student’s ability to complete work in an appropriate amount of

time. In business terms, it’s called “efficiency.” The common goal of any professional —

from entry-level employee to CEO — is to get more done in less time. By understanding
 productivity strategies at every level, students discover the ways in which they work best

while gaining an appreciation for how others work as well. That equips them with the

practical means to carry out the ideas they determine through flexibility, leadership, and

initiative. Still, there’s one last skill that ties all other 21st Century skills together;

5. Social skills are crucial to the ongoing success of a professional. Business is frequently

done through the connections one person makes with others around them. This concept of

networking is more active in some industries than others, but proper social skills are

excellent tools for forging long-lasting relationships. While these may have been implied

in past generations, the rise of social media and instant communications have changed the

nature of human interaction. As a result, today’s students possess a wide range of social

skills. Some are more socially adept than others. Some are far behind their peers. And

some lucky few may be far ahead, as socializing comes naturally to them. But most

students need a crash course in social skills at least. Etiquette, manners, politeness, and

small talk still play major roles in today’s world. That means some students need to learn

them in an educational setting instead of a social setting. For them, it’s another skill to

add to their lives.

Personal development skills are qualities and abilities that help me grow both personally and

professionally. Understanding and improving these skills can help me maximize my potential. This

process is also known as self-development or personal growth. 

I can use personal development skills to:

 Reach goals

 Advance in my career

 Improve my strengths and talents

 Better myself

 Find fulfillment

Communication

Communication includes my ability to speak, write and listen. With these skills, I can understand

what others are saying and feeling and also convey my own ideas and feelings. Good

communicators can speak clearly and confidently, using a tone that is positive and appropriate

for the situation. 

Organization

Organization skills include the tidiness of my physical and digital spaces as well as my ability to

plan, schedule and prioritize. Good organization can help save time, prevent miscommunications

and improve efficiency.

Adaptability

Adaptability is my ability to adjust quickly and easily to new things. People who handle change

well often get along with a variety of personalities and thrive in any environment. They can

remain calm in surprising situations.

Integrity

People tend to trust those who are honest and stand by their values. Integrity means doing what is

right and telling the truth, even if it is not what they want to hear. Having integrity can lead to a

good reputation and opportunities for advancement.

Work ethic

Work ethic includes not only hard work but also reliability, responsibility, quality, determination

and discipline. People with good work ethic tend to be productive and have a positive attitude.

Leadership

Leadership is the ability to guide people. Good leaders can motivate others and help them reach a

shared goal. They build confidence and improve morale.

How to improve my personal development skills?

I can enhance my personal development skills by taking classes, learning from the people around

me, gaining new talents and improving upon existing ones. Follow these guidelines to develop

myself personally:

1. Overcome my fears. Fear can prevent me from growing and progressing. If I am afraid of

public speaking, for instance, take a class or join a group that helps people become better

public speakers. If I am afraid of taking risks, find a mentor who can help me make good
 decisions and build my confidence. Grow and learn by trying things me might not be

comfortable doing. If I am shy, try starting a conversation or introducing myself to new

people at a reception or workshop.

2. Read. Reading expands my knowledge and vocabulary and keeps me informed. It

stimulates my minds and can improve my critical thinking skills. Try setting a goal to read

at least one educational or motivational article a day, or one book a month.

3. Learn something new. Learn a new skill or topic, whether I will do it myself or sign up

for a class. I might, for instance, take courses to learn another language, a new software

program or how to write creatively. Consider watching a webinar on professional

development topics such as entrepreneurship or social media marketing.

4. Ask for feedback. Approach a family member, friend, colleague or manager, and ask

them to give me feedback on a recent project or accomplishment. Use their positive

comments as well as their constructive criticism to find ways to improve. Sometimes I

need an outside, unbiased opinion to get a different perspective.

5. Observe others. Watch and learn from the people who inspire me. This could be someone

I know, such as a supervisor, family member or public figure. Identify the qualities me

admire in them, and try to replicate those in myself.

6. Network. By interacting with many types of people ,I can learn new ideas and understand

how to communicate and work with different personality types. I can also meet people and

develop relationships that might help me in the future. Network through industry

organizations and shared interest groups, or attend conferences and events on topics that

interest me.
 7. Keep a journal. Writing in a journal every day or week can help me gain self-awareness

and reflect on recent events, decisions and conversations. I might keep a hand-written,

private journal, or I might choose to share my thoughts and experiences by blogging. Use

it to set and assess goals and progress.

8. Meditate. Many people meditate to gain clarity and awareness and to reduce stress and

anxiety. Meditation can help me focus on my self-development and goals in a healthy,

positive and calm way. Even scheduling a break from work or quiet time to myself can

help me to relax and focus.

9. Get a mentor. If I need help identifying ways to build my self-development skills, talk to

a mentor. This individual could be a manager, professor, someone I admire or a

professional personal growth mentor.

Personal development skills in the workplace

While personal development skills can benefit all parts of my life, these may be useful in the

workplace and help me to advance my career:

 Work through challenging situations. When dealing with a problem, assess my options

and determine the best solution. Know when to ask for advice or research different

scenarios. People who can think critically and work through complex problems are more

likely to make good decisions both in life and work.

 Believe in yourself. If I have confidence in my decisions, others may be more likely to

believe in me as well. This positive energy can help motivate and instill confidence in

those around me. I am better able to handle challenges and reach goals if I approach them

with confidence rather than doubt.

  Adapt to change. Be flexible so I can deal with changes in work and life easily.

Adaptable people can work well both alone and on a team, manage multiple projects,

work under a variety of conditions, accept new ideas and more. Being able to respond well

to change can also make these situations less stressful for everyone involved.

 Be truthful. Honesty is the foundation of a positive relationship with colleagues and

supervisors. Practice good ethics and stand by my values. Integrity can bring you respect,

satisfaction and a good reputation at work.

MARINETH D. GABAYAN DHRT 1