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How to use ChatGPT to improve your soft skills

Soft skills in communication, leadership, adaptability, and emotional intelligence bear more relevance in the modern world of professionals. Hard skills are picked up and learned; soft skills can’t, so they do require practice for reinforcement. Luckily, AI-based applications, including ChatGPT, can help build your skills in a very systematic and interactive manner. The following guide examines how to use ChatGPT to enrich your key soft skills and gives you some really practical prompts that can guide you in your learning.

Enhancing communication skills

Effective communication is the foundation of professional and personal success. Whether you are trying to write clearer emails, articulate ideas more confidently, or improve your active listening skills, ChatGPT can assist you in refining your approach.

Prompt for improving communication: “I need to improve my business communication skills. Can you simulate a professional email exchange where I have to negotiate a deadline extension with a client while maintaining a positive relationship?

This exercise helps you refine your tone, clarity, and professionalism while allowing you to see alternative ways to structure your response.

Boosting emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to understand and manage emotions—both your own and those of others. High EQ enables better teamwork, leadership, and conflict resolution. ChatGPT can simulate real-life scenarios where emotional intelligence is required.

Prompt for developing emotional intelligence: “Simulate a scenario where I am a team leader and one of my employees is struggling with personal issues that affect their performance. How should I approach the conversation in a supportive and professional manner?

By engaging in such simulations, you can practice empathy, active listening, and problem-solving in workplace interactions.

Practising leadership and decision-making

Good leaders inspire, motivate, and guide their teams effectively. Leadership is not just about authority; it’s about decision-making, responsibility, and communication. ChatGPT can present you with leadership challenges, helping you think critically about how to handle them.

Prompt for leadership development:I am managing a team, and we are facing a tight deadline. However, two team members are in conflict over task distribution. How can I resolve this issue while maintaining productivity and team morale?

By working through these scenarios, you can explore different leadership styles and strategies, refining your decision-making process.

How to use ChatGPT to improve your soft skills

Strengthening adaptability and problem-solving

The ability to adapt to change and solve problems efficiently is highly valued in any profession. ChatGPT can challenge your adaptability by offering unexpected obstacles in a given scenario, allowing you to think on your feet.

Prompt for problem-solving skills:Create a challenging workplace scenario where I have to adapt to unexpected changes (e.g., a last-minute project requirement change). Guide me through possible solutions and the best approach to handle it.

These exercises encourage creative thinking and help you stay composed under pressure.

Maximising your learning with ChatGPT

While ChatGPT is a powerful tool, here are some best practices to make the most of it:

Be specific in your prompts – The more detailed your request, the more tailored the response will be.

Engage in repetitive practice – Regularly using ChatGPT for soft skill training can reinforce learning.

Seek alternative perspectives – Ask ChatGPT for different approaches to the same problem to broaden your understanding.

Combine with real-life application – Use what you have learned in real conversations, emails, or team meetings.

This training, now more important than ever with soft skills taking centre stage, has now become accessible with the help of AI tools such as ChatGPT. Valued soft skills can now be practised for enhancement in the provided simulated setting, using specifically structured prompts, which are very valuable for both personal and professional purposes. Start today by asking ChatGPT to give you an exercise in soft skills and grow before your eyes!

George Mavridis is a journalist currently conducting his doctoral research at the Department of Journalism and Mass Media at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH). He holds a degree from the same department, as well as a Master’s degree in Media and Communication Studies from Malmö University, Sweden, and a second Master’s degree in Digital Humanities from Linnaeus University, Sweden. In 2024, he completed his third Master’s degree in Information and Communication Technologies: Law and Policy at AUTH. Since 2010, he has been professionally involved in journalism and communication, and in recent years, he has also turned to book writing.