Soft Skills: Adaptability

Soft Skills: Adaptability

This microcredential gives participants an understanding of adaptability and flexibility within the workplace. At the completion of this microcredential, participants will have a plan of implementation to increase their adaptability and flexibility.

MICROCREDENTIAL ID: PDO-SSW-0017
CREDENTIAL: Soft Skills for the Workplace
CREDITS: 1.0 CEU (10 hours)
AUTHOR: Dr. Mandy Cenker

Registration

 

How to Earn This Microcredential

Participants will need to submit evidence of learning, implementing, and reflecting on adaptability and flexibility skills in the workplace. This includes a written overview of the important elements of adaptability and flexibility, an implementation plan, and a reflection on lessons learned in this microcredential.

Fees

Participants submitting this microcredential for review will be assessed an administrative fee of $50. Participants who successfully complete the microcredential will receive a certificate showing completion of 1.0 CEU.

 Why Get This Microcredential?

 

This microcredential is part of the Soft Skills for the Workplace Credential. This microcredential focuses on adaptability and flexibility strategies to improve those skills.

What are soft skills? Soft skills, also called non-technical skills, are interpersonal skills that determine a person’s ability to work well with others in the workplace. These skills include adaptability and flexibility, communication, critical thinking, and teamwork and collaboration. Soft skills play a vital role for professional success; they help us excel in the workplace.

Important Terms
  • Adaptability- the ability to be flexible and open to change for learning and growth.
  • Acceptance of criticism- being able to receive constructive criticism with an open mind.
  • Emotional awareness- possess empathy and tools for conflict resolution.
  • Flexibility- It is the ability to evaluate occurrences and adjust to the roles and tasks or the job being offered.
  • Positivity- approaching challenging or complex situations with an optimistic attitude.

  Benefits of this Microcredential

 

According to The Future of Work 2021: Global Hiring Outlook, flexibility is one of four most in-demand skills. With consistently changing workplace demands in technology, processes, and even physical locations of work, adaptability and flexibility are imperative for career growth and satisfaction. “A bend in the road is not the end of the road…unless you fail to make the turn.” – Hellen Keller.

Standards

SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management)
  • Behavioral Competency #8: Global & Cultural Effectiveness
    • Key Behaviors:
      • Having a strong set of core values while adapting to particular conditions, situations, and people.
      • Maintaining openness to others’ ideas and making decisions based on experience, data, facts, and reasoned judgment.
Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession
  • Standard 7: Teachers assume responsibility for professional growth, performance, and involvement as an individual and as a member of a learning community.
    • Teachers take responsibility for engaging in continuous, purposeful professional development.
    • Teachers are agents of change who seek opportunities to positively impact teaching quality, school improvements and student achievement.

 Evidence Review

 

Candidates interested in earning this microcredential must submit three pieces of evidence: one piece related to learning, one related to implementing, and one related to reflecting.

When you are ready for your evidence review, submit your pieces of evidence for feedback from a qualified instructor. 

Evidence Review Submission Form

Learning

In this first of three sections, you will be learning about important aspects of soft skills related to adaptability and flexibility

Required Resources:

Additional (Optional) Resources:

Required Evidence:

  • Submit a 1-2 page overview of what you learned from the required resources. Specifically, consider the following question: What do you consider as the most important elements of adaptability and flexibility?
  • Formatting – One to two pages maximum; double-spaced, no smaller than 11pt font.
  • Use two to three references to support your claims. References do not count towards the 1-2 page minimum/maximum. Any format for references is allowed but APA is preferred.

Evidence Review Criteria

Criterion 1: Participants will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental elements of adaptability and flexibility.
 

Implementing

In this second of three sections, you will identify gaps in your adaptability/flexibility skills set and create an implementation plan to improve your skills.

Required Resources:

Additional (Optional) Resources:

Required Evidence:

  • Complete the How Adaptable Are You? survey
  • Based on your results, create an implementation plan to improve your skills by focusing on the following prompts:
    • Discuss your score. Did you discover any surprises about yourself?
    • Identify two adaptability/flexibility goals and the steps you are going to take to implement them into your skill set.
  • Formatting – One to two pages maximum; double-spaced, no smaller than 11pt font.
  • No references are required.

Evidence Review Criteria:

  • Criterion 1: Participants will be able to identify gaps in their skill set.
  • Criterion 2: Participants will be able to demonstrate an understanding of strategies to implement into their adaptability/flexibility skills.
Reflecting

In this final of three sections, you will reflect upon your experiences in this microcredential.

Required Resources: If you are new to writing reflections, or this is your first microcredential, please visit one of the additional resources.

Additional Resources:

Required Evidence:

  • Reflect on your learning from this module. Specifically, focus on the following questions:
    • What is your biggest takeaway from this module and how will you use it your professional life?
    • What is one question you still have about adaptability and flexibility soft skills, and what is your plan to continuing your learning?
  • Formatting – One to two pages maximum; double-spaced, no smaller than 11pt font.
  • No references are required.

Evidence Review Criteria:

  • Criterion 1: Participants will be able to demonstrate a thoughtful reflection on their learning experiences.
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