Is there one soft skill that’s most important to construction firms? That question is like asking whether there’s only one optimum size of air-handling unit or asking whether only one concrete design mix works best. It all relates to specific situations and our ability to master the variables. But there’s one soft skill that, perhaps, is at the root of many other soft skills: empathy.
Empathy is the ability to share another person’s feelings or concerns. Having worked on projects on five continents with team members of various skill levels and ethnic backgrounds, I have found one universal truth: When you put yourself in someone else’s shoes, the puzzle pieces begin to fall into place.