People possess and add to their repertoires, to one degree or another, three interactive sets of skills that are needed to gain and maintain a stellar, long-term careers: technical skills, basic skills and adaptive skills.

Your Technical Skills are made up of the competencies you possess that enable you to do a particular type of work efficiently and effectively. Computer programming, eye surgery, construction, sales, French cooking, hair cutting, teaching math are all examples of sets of technical skills needed to successfully carry out particular kinds of work.

Your Basic Skills are made up of the competencies you possess that are transferable to many work settings and that can be used along with your technical skills in order to get your work accomplished. Planning, writing, speaking, organizing and problem solving are examples of these skills.

Your Adaptive Skills are made up of the competencies you began to develop when you were very young and are now played out as you interact with people in your career environment.

How you went about adapting to your environment as a child has a lot to do with how you are able to get along with authority figures now. Your adaptability also impacts the accuracy of your self concept, how reflections and critiques from others are handled, and how open you are to expressing your feelings appropriately and forthrightly.

There is solid research by Dr. John Sherer validating that a lack of competence in the adaptive skills derails careers and contributes far more to getting fired than lacks in technical and basic skills. 90% of the "Take a hike!" messages are due to the "hiker" having a low competency rating related to the adaptive skills!

Please read the two polar statements for each category of adaptive skills. Then record your perception of your skill strength in the box at the beginning of each adaptive skill. Enter 1-5 for very weak to a little weak if the first statement is more true, or 6-10 for some strength to great strength if the second statement is more accurate.

1. Participating In Learning - Seems unconcerned and uninterested in learning and improving. - or - Is highly concerned about quality performance and is voluntarily involved in personal learning and growth.
2. Responding To Legitimate Authority - Responds in highly dependent or counter productive ways. - or - Is interdependent and dependent or resistant when it is reality based.
3. Exercising Own Authority - Is unable to give firm directions even when appropriate. - or - Is able to give orders with ease and seems comfortable with their own authority.
4. Communicating Emotions - Does not express emotional states and never describes emotions. - or -Expresses emotions often and is able to describe them accurately.
5. Receiving Feedback - Defensive and/or punitive when receiving feedback. - or - Receives feedback cleanly and is easy to give it too.
6. Giving Feedback - Never attempts to give it or gives "dirty hits and runs." - or - Gives descriptive "I" messages and is willing and able to deal with the reactions of others receiving them.
7. Facilitating Self-Correction - Seems closed to personal growth or change. - or - Solicits feedback and seeks to grow.
8. Maintaining An Accurate Self Concept - Seems grandiose or self-depreciating. - or - Has an accurate self concept.
9. Adapting To Reality - Over reacts to accolades and criticism from others. - or - Adjusts to a more realistic view with feedback from others.
10. Awareness Of Impact On Others - Insensitive to negative impact of words and actions on others. - or - Reads other people well and responds effectively to various situations.
11. Expressing Congruence And Naturalness - Seems unreal. Talks one set of values and lives another. - or - Appears natural in various places. Verbal and non verbal messages fit.
12. Resolving Conflict - Avoids or over reacts. - or - Adapts to different styles when addressing each situation.
13. Taking Responsibility - Will only go half way at best and blames others for own failures. - or - Takes 100% action and owns problems and works to help resolve them.

After completing the survey, think about ways you can strengthen and employ each of the adaptive skills to help you achieve a worthwhile life and career. Take sufficient time to record your thoughts, ideas and growth goals in your calendar or log book.

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