What Does the Fortune 500 Know?
A few days ago, my son asked me for some help with an assignment that required a parents involvement. Sometimes I derive great joy from reading the material thats handed out to my kids; it gives me a glimpse into a world that I rarely get to see (except when I used to sub). So I was intrigued when I was reading about cooperative group work and found discovered the Fortune 500 List of Desirable Skills. They are ranked in order with corresponding rankings for 1976. Here they are with todays ranking listed first and the ranking for 1976 in parentheses:
Teamwork, 1 (10)
Problem Solving, 2 (12)
Interpersonal Skills, 3 (13)
Oral Communications, 4 (4)
Listening Skills, 5 (5)
Personal/Career Development, 6 (6)
Creative Thinking, 7 (7)
Leadership, 8 (8)
Goal Setting/Motivation, 9 (9)
Writing Skills, 10 (1)
Organizational Effectiveness, 12 (2)
Reading Skills, 13 (3)
As a writer, Im sort of stunned that writing is number 10. Actually, I must have been really disappointed and disbelieving even, because the first time I typed in the numbers I transposed them so that writing came in at number 1. So teamwork is the big winner and I suppose that one of the qualities my sons teacher is trying to teach. Do we take what we learn in school and apply it to our workplaces? I think so. What about the team you dont get to choose, however? Do you put in your all for those types of groups as well? Youd better, and thats probably the biggest lesson of all. Working with people we wouldnt necessarily select if given the choice can teach us so much in the long run.
Indeed, you dont have to like the people you work with, but I think you do need to respect them and their roles in the company. Its takes some growing up to get to that point, but its also a really good lesson in recognizing that its okay to collaborate at work and leave it all at that.
But getting back to the list above. Take a look and see whats important to you. Forget about the rankings if you can and think about the skills that help you move ahead in your career and ones that make your job interesting.