Welcome to the Critical Skills Blog, home to over a thousand human-generated articles—never AI—on topics that matter to continuous education. To find articles of interest, use the “Search” tab. Please feel free to comment, and please subscribe. All content on this site is free.
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The “Continued Education” Skill
The “Continued Education” skill is simply the ability to constantly learn new techniques, master changing technologies, keep up with changes in an industry, and the like. Perhaps it is not a “skill” per se, but actually a “discipline.” A good example is that of a woman who became an MD… More⇢
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The “Time Management” Skill
The “Time Management” skill is pretty simple in concept, but is often a struggle for all of us. The “Time Management” skill enables an individual to determine what tasks are most important and how to devote the appropriate amount of time to accomplish those tasks to a high level of… More⇢
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The “Technology” Skill
The “Technology” skill does NOT mean that you should be good at designing electronic circuit boards or anything that even resembles technical design or expertise. Instead, the “Technology” skill is simply an ability to SELECT the appropriate technology that is most efficient and useful to accomplish a specific task. For… More⇢
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The “Interpersonal” Skill
The “Interpersonal” skill is NOT how well you make new friends or get along with people in general. “Interpersonal – Teamwork” is the skill that enables you to demonstrate, through your interaction with others and your performance on the job, that you are a valued member of the team. It… More⇢
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The “Analysis” Skill
The “Analysis” skill is perhaps the toughest skill to master and, if you watch any particular news channel these days, is probably the skill that is most abused. In logical terms, it is simply “P implies Q” i.e., a hypothesis through a logical process will imply a conclusion. If the… More⇢
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The “Information” Skill
The “Information” skill is simply the ability to gather and sort relevant information pertaining to a particular problem to be solved or issue to be resolved. It is much like what a physician does when doing various tests to assist in a diagnosis of an individual’s illness, what an attorney… More⇢
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The “Production” Skill
The “Production” skill is often referred to as “making it happen.” Simply put, it is the ability to convert an idea into reality . . . to convert a concept or idea into a product. A simple example is a group of high school freshmen having an idea about a… More⇢
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The “Communications” Skill
The “Communications” skill is simply the ability of an individual to get ideas out of his/her head and into the heads of others; similarly, it is the skill an individual needs to absorb the ideas communicated by others into their own heads. Simply put, the “Communications” skill is the ability… More⇢
Meet Your Host – Charlie Jett
Charles C. Jett is an author, civic educator, and Professional Certified Coach based in Chicago. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy (Class of 1964) and Harvard Business School, he served during the Cold War aboard the nuclear submarine USS Ray (SSN 653), where his tactical innovations helped inspire Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan character. He developed the Field Studies methodology to teach “Critical Skills” and was endorsed by the Department of Labor in 1994. He is the author of six books, including Super Nuke!, hosts three podcasts, and writes across his Critical Skills Blog and Civic Sage platforms on history, leadership, and the health of the American republic. He and his wife, Dr. Nancy Church, co-host the Chicago Salons at Water Tower Residences.
