The Critical Skills Blog began with a simple, practical conviction: that success in the modern career world depends on a handful of learnable, teachable competencies.

It grew out of WANTED: Eight Critical Skills You Need to Succeed and the Field Studies methodology—work endorsed by the Department of Labor in 1994—and for years its focus was squarely on career management, executive coaching, and the eight critical skills every professional needs: communications, production, information, analysis, interpersonal, technology, time management, and continued education.

Over nearly a thousand posts, the blog has grown into something larger. Alongside its career and leadership foundation, it has become a place for narrative history and civic reflection—stories about the people, brands, cities, and turning points that made America what it is.

Series like Courage and Consequence profile the men and women who paid a price for principle. The Brand That… and The City That… trace how American enterprise and American places were built. Women History Wrote Out recovers the contributions that got erased. Other work examines how healthcare, technology, and the republic itself have changed across generations.

What ties it all together is a single question: what does it take to do hard things well, and to do them with integrity? Whether the subject is a young professional navigating a career crisis, a Reconstruction-era judge who refused to leave his bench, or the founding arguments that still shape our politics, the aim is the same—to draw out the durable skills and the moral courage that endure.

The blog is written by Charles Cranston Jett, an author, civic educator, Professional Certified Coach, and former Cold War submarine officer. Most posts are available to read or to listen to. New work appears regularly. You’re invited to read, listen, and join the conversation.