In our ongoing commitment to fostering leadership excellence, Cosmic Development recently conducted a series of soft skills workshops for our team leaders, focusing on a range of critical skills. This year’s workshops, building on the success of last year’s sessions, delved into advanced communication, emotional intelligence, and innovative problem-solving strategies, among other topics. From mastering public speaking and conflict management to navigating change effectively, our leaders gained valuable insights to enhance their roles. These sessions reflect our dedication to equipping our teams with the tools they need to thrive in today’s dynamic work environment.
Our Approach This Year: Interactive Learning
In our ongoing effort to refine and enhance our training programs, this year’s workshops for team leaders at Cosmic Development have taken a more interactive and practical approach. By emphasizing ‘learning by doing,’ these sessions ensure that team leaders can immediately apply their new skills in real-world scenarios, effectively bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
The Importance of Soft Skills: Insights from Lidija Taskova Popova
To delve deeper into why soft skills are essential for professional advancement and success, we spoke with Lidija Taskova Popova, CEO at ESP, Certified Trainer, and Capital NLP Coach, who led the soft skills workshops for our team leaders this year. According to Lidija:
“Developing soft skills is crucial for personal and professional growth. Skills such as communication, teamwork, agility, adaptability, problem-solving, conflict resolution, change, stress, and time management are part of our daily lives. Cultivating these skills allows individuals to handle everyday challenges more effectively, personally and professionally.”
Lidija highlights that while technical skills are crucial, they are insufficient for career progression. Employers value employees who can build positive relationships and adapt to a dynamic work environment. Developed soft skills enhance collaboration, create a positive work environment, and enable individuals to navigate workplace challenges easily. These skills are particularly important for team leaders as they serve as intermediaries between senior management and their teams, requiring strong communication and leadership skills to convey messages and inspire their teams effectively.
Interactive Training: Bridging Theory and Practice
The interactive nature of our workshops has been a critical component in this year’s training sessions. Lidija explains the value of practical exercises and real-life scenarios:
“Workshops are tailored and conducted according to the company’s needs and requirements. Each workshop includes theoretical presentations, practical exercises, case studies, and concrete examples. Practical tools such as exercises and case studies offer participants hands-on experience and help them apply the concepts learned.”
This approach makes the training engaging and ensures that team leaders can immediately apply their new skills to their daily tasks. By simulating real-life situations, team leaders can experiment with different strategies, receive feedback, and refine their abilities in a controlled environment.
Trainer’s Experience and Impact
From October 2023 to May 2024, we conducted a series of workshops focusing on Workplace Engagement, Communication, Presentation Skills, Problem Solving, Team Building, and more. Lidija shares her overall impression of the training:
“The interactive nature and practical application of techniques enabled team leaders to actively engage and apply what they learned to real-life situations. Their active participation and engagement produced the desired results, reflected in their professional and personal development. The one-on-one coaching sessions were invaluable, allowing leaders to focus on specific areas for growth and develop personal strategies.”
Lidija notes the significant progress in team leaders’ abilities, increased self-awareness, and improved emotional intelligence. Their acquired skills have positively impacted their interactions with their teams and approach to leadership challenges.
HR Perspective: Marina Trajkovska’s Feedback
Marina Trajkovska, our HR and Administration Manager, provides insight into the training’s impact:
“Soft skills training is indispensable in today’s professional world because it significantly enhances communication, teamwork, and leadership. At Cosmic Development, our team leaders’ annual soft skills training was tailored to address specific challenges in their roles. The overwhelmingly positive feedback showed improved team dynamics, increased motivation, and enhanced problem-solving skills.”
Marina emphasizes that the training elevated the team leaders’ knowledge and skills, contributed to personal and professional growth, and improved team performance and engagement.
Looking Forward
As we look forward to the upcoming training sessions starting in September, the progress made will continue to strengthen and enhance our team leaders’ capabilities. The commitment to continuous development ensures Cosmic Development remains at the forefront of professional excellence and innovation.