The hard skills that young people learn in school are important. I would never undermine the necessity of students exceling in reading, writing, mathematics and other core subjects. I also have always been a strong advocate for children and adolescents having the opportunity to learn soft skills – Coping Skills, Resiliency, Empathy. Emotional Management, Impulse Control. Communication, Assertiveness – these are all skills that are needed in every single social environment we are in throughout the course of our lives. Additionally, as we are still impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important (now more than ever) for K-12 schools and Universities to ensure that students are developing these skills so that they can powerfully overcome the challenges they are facing during this pandemic as well as the challenges they will face in their future leadership roles – after all leaders are MADE, not BORN. It is the job of the current leaders to develop the ones that are coming behind us.
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