7 Top Soft Skills Online Training Resources For Your Management Team

7 Top Soft Skills Online Training Resources For Your Management Team
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Summary: Your management team requires a unique set of skills to lead their department and set the service example. What are the top online training resources you should include in your management eLearning course?

Soft Skills Online Training Resources To Use For Leadership Development

Managers are the ones staffers call on during their time of need. Like when that unhappy customer won't accept policies and the situation requires some tactful authority. Or when conflict erupts in the workplace, and only an experienced mediator will suffice. This means that your team leaders need specific skills to communicate, empathize, and problem solve. Which topics should you cover in your management online training? What are the core competencies you need to address, and how do you foster real-world application? Here are 7 soft skills online training resources you should include in your leadership development course.

eBook Release: Racing The Customer Service Clock: How To Develop Soft Skills Online Training That Achieves Rapid Results
eBook Release
Racing The Customer Service Clock: How To Develop Soft Skills Online Training That Achieves Rapid Results
Discover the benefits of developing soft skills online training and improve employee performance and productivity.

1. Decision-Making Timed Scenarios

There are times when every second counts. When team leaders must make important decisions before the clock runs out and the customer walks away, or the situation escalates. Develop decision-making scenarios with a timer component to put them under pressure and see how they respond. This also teaches them how to maintain their composure in stressful situations. As well as building their time management skills. A word of warning, don't apply so much pressure that employees buckle under the strain. The point is to mimic real-world conditions, not to stress them out and cause cognitive overload.

2. Staff Empowerment Demos

Self-empowerment is a soft skill that's often overlooked. Your managers must be assured of their abilities and confident they can complete the necessary tasks. So, create demos that show them how to empower themselves and take charge of the situation. Without making anyone feel less-than. For example, one of the team members questions their authority. How do they assert themselves tactfully and remind the employee of the chain of command? Maybe the demo features a customer who becomes irate on the sales floor. How can the manager appease the customer and lend their expertise?

3. Tactful Conflict Resolution Tutorials

Arguments between co-workers or customers can escalate into acts of violence. At the very least, they put a mental strain on your employees and impact the work environment. Product conflict resolution tutorials that teach managers how to deescalate the situation and maintain calm tactfully. How can they actively listen to both sides of the argument and reach the best outcome? Are there any mistakes to avoid or certain words that might make tempers flare?

4. Communication-Based Serious Games

Serious games provide subtle feedback and add a dose of entertainment to your soft skills online training course. Which is always welcome. Focus on communication skills that managers need to maintain order and build a stronger team. For example, the game features a customer who's ready to make a purchase but doesn't know which product they need. The employee training participant must ask probing questions to find the right match then persuade them to make the purchase. This involves a whole host of communication skills. From active listening to non-verbal cues.

5. Honest And Authentic Personal Stories

This is a versatile training tool you can use for any soft skill topic. But the underlying talent it cultivates is honesty and a strong sense of self. These are 2 crucial skills for your management team. It also encourages leaders to be more authentic and compassionate in the workplace. Invite them to share personal stories of struggles they've faced in the past or surprising encounters that revealed hidden truths. Then add to them your management online training library to foster knowledge sharing. Every personal anecdote should center on a professional endeavor with emotionality. For instance, one story might recount how your customer service supervisor met a customer with special needs. And how it helped them disclose personal assumptions about the person, which were totally incorrect.

Need more ideas? Take a look here for soft skill courses tips.

6. Problem-Solving Podcasts

Produce bite-size podcasts that highlight common problems your team managers must face on the job. Make it quick and concise so they can listen during their moment of need. For instance, the first podcast covers a difficult customer complaint or co-worker fight on the sales floor. How can the team leader resolve the situation and still follow company policy? Share tips, tricks, and techniques to help them achieve the best outcome and develop their lateral thinking skills. Don't just settle for the most direct problem-solving approach. Encourage them to devise solutions of their own based on their personal strengths. Follow it up with a list of resources they can use to expand on the topic.

7. Task Delegation Group Projects

Assign teams and ask them to teach a training topic or solve a work-related problem. The group must work together, delegate tasks, and manage their time effectively. Then develop a presentation to share their findings and spread the knowledge around. Only interacting as a team can help them build soft skills. For instance, they learn how to collaborate, communicate, and hone their interpersonal skills. As well as how to identify hidden skills and delegate roles. Is every member of the team able to follow as well as they lead? Does someone stand out as an expert negotiator? Who has the strongest persuasion skills? Are there any gaps managers should work on to improve teamwork?

The management staff isn't the only one which requires advanced soft skills to fulfill their work duties and achieve the desired outcomes. However, they are the role models of your organization in many respects. Employees look to them for insights and to lead by example. Thus, they need to display soft skills in action and encourage favorable behaviors. Skills-based online training also allows them to identify hidden talent, communicate with their staffers, and improve team collaboration.

If you need to learn more about the importance of honing soft skills in the workplace, read our eBook Racing The Customer Service Clock: How To Develop Soft Skills Online Training That Achieves Rapid Results and find out all the benefits of investing in your employees' soft skills training.