All posts

Soft Skills Intelligence: From personality to performance

Author
Anjana Unni
Created on
July 17, 2025

As organizations increasingly embrace AI to streamline technical tasks, the competitive edge now lies in human capabilities—skills like communication, teamwork, influence, and problem-solving. These "soft skills" are no longer just desirable—they're essential. But how do we measure and develop these abstract traits at scale?

Soft Skills Intelligence (SSI) isn't based on gut feelings or subjective observations. It combines two powerful psychological frameworks to measure and develop workplace capabilities:

Core Drivers (Big Five Personality Dimensions)

  • Openness: Innovation, adaptability, and strategic thinking
  • Conscientiousness: Organization, reliability, and goal achievement
  • Extraversion: Leadership style, networking, and team engagement
  • Agreeableness: Collaboration, conflict resolution, and empathy
  • Emotional Stability: Resilience, decision-making, and self-regulation

Core Values (Motivational Drivers)

  • Novelty: Innovation orientation and risk appetite
  • Power: Leadership ambition and influence style
  • Mastery: Professional development and achievement drive
  • Inquiry: Learning orientation and diversity appreciation
  • Virtue: Ethical approach and integrity
  • Connection: Relationship-building and team collaboration

The power of SSI lies in its ability to transform these scientific constructs into actionable business intelligence. Here's how:

Measurement to insight

  1. Scientific validity: Both Core Drivers and Core Values assessments are built on decades of research and validation studies
  2. Comprehensive coverage: Together, they capture the full spectrum of workplace behaviors and motivations
  3. Predictive power: These measures have demonstrated strong correlations with job performance, leadership effectiveness, and team success

Intelligence to action

  1. Role alignment: Match personality traits and values to role requirements
  2. Team composition: Build complementary teams based on personality and values diversity
  3. Development planning: Create targeted development plans based on individual trait and value profiles
  4. Cultural fit: Assess alignment between individual values and organizational culture

Business impact through scientific rigor

The scientific foundation of SSI enables organizations to:

  1. Make better hiring decisions
    • Use validated predictors of job performance
    • Reduce subjective bias in selection
    • Improve person-role fit
  2. Develop talent more effectively
    • Create personalized development plans based on trait profiles
    • Target specific behavioral competencies
    • Leverage natural strengths and preferences
  3. Build stronger teams
    • Balance team composition based on complementary traits
    • Improve team dynamics through better understanding
    • Enhance collaboration through value alignment
  4. Drive organizational success
    • Align individual capabilities with business needs
    • Improve leadership effectiveness
    • Enhance organizational culture

By grounding Soft Skills Intelligence in the scientific frameworks of Core Drivers and Core Values, organizations can transform subjective "soft skills" into measurable, developable assets. This science-based approach provides the reliability and validity needed to make confident talent decisions while offering the practical insights required to drive business success.

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For HR Leaders: How to use Sola to find the right people
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All posts

Soft Skills Intelligence: From personality to performance

Author
Anjana Unni
Created on
January 29, 2025

As organizations increasingly embrace AI to streamline technical tasks, the competitive edge now lies in human capabilities—skills like communication, teamwork, influence, and problem-solving. These "soft skills" are no longer just desirable—they're essential. But how do we measure and develop these abstract traits at scale?

Soft Skills Intelligence (SSI) isn't based on gut feelings or subjective observations. It combines two powerful psychological frameworks to measure and develop workplace capabilities:

Core Drivers (Big Five Personality Dimensions)

  • Openness: Innovation, adaptability, and strategic thinking
  • Conscientiousness: Organization, reliability, and goal achievement
  • Extraversion: Leadership style, networking, and team engagement
  • Agreeableness: Collaboration, conflict resolution, and empathy
  • Emotional Stability: Resilience, decision-making, and self-regulation

Core Values (Motivational Drivers)

  • Novelty: Innovation orientation and risk appetite
  • Power: Leadership ambition and influence style
  • Mastery: Professional development and achievement drive
  • Inquiry: Learning orientation and diversity appreciation
  • Virtue: Ethical approach and integrity
  • Connection: Relationship-building and team collaboration

The power of SSI lies in its ability to transform these scientific constructs into actionable business intelligence. Here's how:

Measurement to insight

  1. Scientific validity: Both Core Drivers and Core Values assessments are built on decades of research and validation studies
  2. Comprehensive coverage: Together, they capture the full spectrum of workplace behaviors and motivations
  3. Predictive power: These measures have demonstrated strong correlations with job performance, leadership effectiveness, and team success

Intelligence to action

  1. Role alignment: Match personality traits and values to role requirements
  2. Team composition: Build complementary teams based on personality and values diversity
  3. Development planning: Create targeted development plans based on individual trait and value profiles
  4. Cultural fit: Assess alignment between individual values and organizational culture

Business impact through scientific rigor

The scientific foundation of SSI enables organizations to:

  1. Make better hiring decisions
    • Use validated predictors of job performance
    • Reduce subjective bias in selection
    • Improve person-role fit
  2. Develop talent more effectively
    • Create personalized development plans based on trait profiles
    • Target specific behavioral competencies
    • Leverage natural strengths and preferences
  3. Build stronger teams
    • Balance team composition based on complementary traits
    • Improve team dynamics through better understanding
    • Enhance collaboration through value alignment
  4. Drive organizational success
    • Align individual capabilities with business needs
    • Improve leadership effectiveness
    • Enhance organizational culture

By grounding Soft Skills Intelligence in the scientific frameworks of Core Drivers and Core Values, organizations can transform subjective "soft skills" into measurable, developable assets. This science-based approach provides the reliability and validity needed to make confident talent decisions while offering the practical insights required to drive business success.

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For Team Leaders: How to spot collaboration gaps in your team with Sola
Collaboration issues often hide in plain sight: inside project tags, cross-functional teams, and hybrid setups. With Sola’s new tag search, team leaders can uncover hidden communication gaps, spot complementary strengths, and design smarter ways for people to work together.
Read more
Articles
For HR Leaders: How to use Sola to find the right people
With Sola’s enhanced search, HR leaders can quickly spot the right people by filtering with tags, exploring Core Drivers and Values, and checking role fit, all in one place. Read the blog to learn more.
Read more
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For Team Leaders: How to make delegation easier with Sola
Every team member brings different strengths to the table. Sola helps leaders delegate more effectively by turning assessment results into clear guidance on who to trust with what, and how to set expectations that drive ownership and performance. Read the blog to learn more.
Read more
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From insight to impact - a single assessment for every role
One assessment. Every career. Explore how Soft Skills Intelligence transforms hiring, development, and performance in one platform.
Read more
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The hiring problem no one talks about
Vague soft skills like “team player” sound good but mean little. Learn how role-relevant definitions help managers hire better and boost performance.
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All posts

Soft Skills Intelligence: From personality to performance

Author
Anjana Unni
Created on
July 17, 2025

As organizations increasingly embrace AI to streamline technical tasks, the competitive edge now lies in human capabilities—skills like communication, teamwork, influence, and problem-solving. These "soft skills" are no longer just desirable—they're essential. But how do we measure and develop these abstract traits at scale?

Soft Skills Intelligence (SSI) isn't based on gut feelings or subjective observations. It combines two powerful psychological frameworks to measure and develop workplace capabilities:

Core Drivers (Big Five Personality Dimensions)

  • Openness: Innovation, adaptability, and strategic thinking
  • Conscientiousness: Organization, reliability, and goal achievement
  • Extraversion: Leadership style, networking, and team engagement
  • Agreeableness: Collaboration, conflict resolution, and empathy
  • Emotional Stability: Resilience, decision-making, and self-regulation

Core Values (Motivational Drivers)

  • Novelty: Innovation orientation and risk appetite
  • Power: Leadership ambition and influence style
  • Mastery: Professional development and achievement drive
  • Inquiry: Learning orientation and diversity appreciation
  • Virtue: Ethical approach and integrity
  • Connection: Relationship-building and team collaboration

The power of SSI lies in its ability to transform these scientific constructs into actionable business intelligence. Here's how:

Measurement to insight

  1. Scientific validity: Both Core Drivers and Core Values assessments are built on decades of research and validation studies
  2. Comprehensive coverage: Together, they capture the full spectrum of workplace behaviors and motivations
  3. Predictive power: These measures have demonstrated strong correlations with job performance, leadership effectiveness, and team success

Intelligence to action

  1. Role alignment: Match personality traits and values to role requirements
  2. Team composition: Build complementary teams based on personality and values diversity
  3. Development planning: Create targeted development plans based on individual trait and value profiles
  4. Cultural fit: Assess alignment between individual values and organizational culture

Business impact through scientific rigor

The scientific foundation of SSI enables organizations to:

  1. Make better hiring decisions
    • Use validated predictors of job performance
    • Reduce subjective bias in selection
    • Improve person-role fit
  2. Develop talent more effectively
    • Create personalized development plans based on trait profiles
    • Target specific behavioral competencies
    • Leverage natural strengths and preferences
  3. Build stronger teams
    • Balance team composition based on complementary traits
    • Improve team dynamics through better understanding
    • Enhance collaboration through value alignment
  4. Drive organizational success
    • Align individual capabilities with business needs
    • Improve leadership effectiveness
    • Enhance organizational culture

By grounding Soft Skills Intelligence in the scientific frameworks of Core Drivers and Core Values, organizations can transform subjective "soft skills" into measurable, developable assets. This science-based approach provides the reliability and validity needed to make confident talent decisions while offering the practical insights required to drive business success.

Recent posts
Articles
For Team Leaders: How to spot collaboration gaps in your team with Sola
Collaboration issues often hide in plain sight: inside project tags, cross-functional teams, and hybrid setups. With Sola’s new tag search, team leaders can uncover hidden communication gaps, spot complementary strengths, and design smarter ways for people to work together.
Read more
Articles
For HR Leaders: How to use Sola to find the right people
With Sola’s enhanced search, HR leaders can quickly spot the right people by filtering with tags, exploring Core Drivers and Values, and checking role fit, all in one place. Read the blog to learn more.
Read more
Articles
For Team Leaders: How to make delegation easier with Sola
Every team member brings different strengths to the table. Sola helps leaders delegate more effectively by turning assessment results into clear guidance on who to trust with what, and how to set expectations that drive ownership and performance. Read the blog to learn more.
Read more
Articles
From insight to impact - a single assessment for every role
One assessment. Every career. Explore how Soft Skills Intelligence transforms hiring, development, and performance in one platform.
Read more
Articles
The hiring problem no one talks about
Vague soft skills like “team player” sound good but mean little. Learn how role-relevant definitions help managers hire better and boost performance.
Read more
All posts

Soft Skills Intelligence: From personality to performance

Author
Anjana Unni
Created on
July 17, 2025

As organizations increasingly embrace AI to streamline technical tasks, the competitive edge now lies in human capabilities—skills like communication, teamwork, influence, and problem-solving. These "soft skills" are no longer just desirable—they're essential. But how do we measure and develop these abstract traits at scale?

Soft Skills Intelligence (SSI) isn't based on gut feelings or subjective observations. It combines two powerful psychological frameworks to measure and develop workplace capabilities:

Core Drivers (Big Five Personality Dimensions)

  • Openness: Innovation, adaptability, and strategic thinking
  • Conscientiousness: Organization, reliability, and goal achievement
  • Extraversion: Leadership style, networking, and team engagement
  • Agreeableness: Collaboration, conflict resolution, and empathy
  • Emotional Stability: Resilience, decision-making, and self-regulation

Core Values (Motivational Drivers)

  • Novelty: Innovation orientation and risk appetite
  • Power: Leadership ambition and influence style
  • Mastery: Professional development and achievement drive
  • Inquiry: Learning orientation and diversity appreciation
  • Virtue: Ethical approach and integrity
  • Connection: Relationship-building and team collaboration

The power of SSI lies in its ability to transform these scientific constructs into actionable business intelligence. Here's how:

Measurement to insight

  1. Scientific validity: Both Core Drivers and Core Values assessments are built on decades of research and validation studies
  2. Comprehensive coverage: Together, they capture the full spectrum of workplace behaviors and motivations
  3. Predictive power: These measures have demonstrated strong correlations with job performance, leadership effectiveness, and team success

Intelligence to action

  1. Role alignment: Match personality traits and values to role requirements
  2. Team composition: Build complementary teams based on personality and values diversity
  3. Development planning: Create targeted development plans based on individual trait and value profiles
  4. Cultural fit: Assess alignment between individual values and organizational culture

Business impact through scientific rigor

The scientific foundation of SSI enables organizations to:

  1. Make better hiring decisions
    • Use validated predictors of job performance
    • Reduce subjective bias in selection
    • Improve person-role fit
  2. Develop talent more effectively
    • Create personalized development plans based on trait profiles
    • Target specific behavioral competencies
    • Leverage natural strengths and preferences
  3. Build stronger teams
    • Balance team composition based on complementary traits
    • Improve team dynamics through better understanding
    • Enhance collaboration through value alignment
  4. Drive organizational success
    • Align individual capabilities with business needs
    • Improve leadership effectiveness
    • Enhance organizational culture

By grounding Soft Skills Intelligence in the scientific frameworks of Core Drivers and Core Values, organizations can transform subjective "soft skills" into measurable, developable assets. This science-based approach provides the reliability and validity needed to make confident talent decisions while offering the practical insights required to drive business success.

Recent posts
Articles
For Team Leaders: How to spot collaboration gaps in your team with Sola
Collaboration issues often hide in plain sight: inside project tags, cross-functional teams, and hybrid setups. With Sola’s new tag search, team leaders can uncover hidden communication gaps, spot complementary strengths, and design smarter ways for people to work together.
Read more
Articles
For HR Leaders: How to use Sola to find the right people
With Sola’s enhanced search, HR leaders can quickly spot the right people by filtering with tags, exploring Core Drivers and Values, and checking role fit, all in one place. Read the blog to learn more.
Read more
Articles
For Team Leaders: How to make delegation easier with Sola
Every team member brings different strengths to the table. Sola helps leaders delegate more effectively by turning assessment results into clear guidance on who to trust with what, and how to set expectations that drive ownership and performance. Read the blog to learn more.
Read more
Articles
From insight to impact - a single assessment for every role
One assessment. Every career. Explore how Soft Skills Intelligence transforms hiring, development, and performance in one platform.
Read more
Articles
The hiring problem no one talks about
Vague soft skills like “team player” sound good but mean little. Learn how role-relevant definitions help managers hire better and boost performance.
Read more
All posts

Soft Skills Intelligence: From personality to performance

Customer
Job Title

As organizations increasingly embrace AI to streamline technical tasks, the competitive edge now lies in human capabilities—skills like communication, teamwork, influence, and problem-solving. These "soft skills" are no longer just desirable—they're essential. But how do we measure and develop these abstract traits at scale?

Soft Skills Intelligence (SSI) isn't based on gut feelings or subjective observations. It combines two powerful psychological frameworks to measure and develop workplace capabilities:

Core Drivers (Big Five Personality Dimensions)

  • Openness: Innovation, adaptability, and strategic thinking
  • Conscientiousness: Organization, reliability, and goal achievement
  • Extraversion: Leadership style, networking, and team engagement
  • Agreeableness: Collaboration, conflict resolution, and empathy
  • Emotional Stability: Resilience, decision-making, and self-regulation

Core Values (Motivational Drivers)

  • Novelty: Innovation orientation and risk appetite
  • Power: Leadership ambition and influence style
  • Mastery: Professional development and achievement drive
  • Inquiry: Learning orientation and diversity appreciation
  • Virtue: Ethical approach and integrity
  • Connection: Relationship-building and team collaboration

The power of SSI lies in its ability to transform these scientific constructs into actionable business intelligence. Here's how:

Measurement to insight

  1. Scientific validity: Both Core Drivers and Core Values assessments are built on decades of research and validation studies
  2. Comprehensive coverage: Together, they capture the full spectrum of workplace behaviors and motivations
  3. Predictive power: These measures have demonstrated strong correlations with job performance, leadership effectiveness, and team success

Intelligence to action

  1. Role alignment: Match personality traits and values to role requirements
  2. Team composition: Build complementary teams based on personality and values diversity
  3. Development planning: Create targeted development plans based on individual trait and value profiles
  4. Cultural fit: Assess alignment between individual values and organizational culture

Business impact through scientific rigor

The scientific foundation of SSI enables organizations to:

  1. Make better hiring decisions
    • Use validated predictors of job performance
    • Reduce subjective bias in selection
    • Improve person-role fit
  2. Develop talent more effectively
    • Create personalized development plans based on trait profiles
    • Target specific behavioral competencies
    • Leverage natural strengths and preferences
  3. Build stronger teams
    • Balance team composition based on complementary traits
    • Improve team dynamics through better understanding
    • Enhance collaboration through value alignment
  4. Drive organizational success
    • Align individual capabilities with business needs
    • Improve leadership effectiveness
    • Enhance organizational culture

By grounding Soft Skills Intelligence in the scientific frameworks of Core Drivers and Core Values, organizations can transform subjective "soft skills" into measurable, developable assets. This science-based approach provides the reliability and validity needed to make confident talent decisions while offering the practical insights required to drive business success.

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Recent posts
Articles
For Team Leaders: How to spot collaboration gaps in your team with Sola
Collaboration issues often hide in plain sight: inside project tags, cross-functional teams, and hybrid setups. With Sola’s new tag search, team leaders can uncover hidden communication gaps, spot complementary strengths, and design smarter ways for people to work together.
Read more
Articles
For HR Leaders: How to use Sola to find the right people
With Sola’s enhanced search, HR leaders can quickly spot the right people by filtering with tags, exploring Core Drivers and Values, and checking role fit, all in one place. Read the blog to learn more.
Read more
Articles
For Team Leaders: How to make delegation easier with Sola
Every team member brings different strengths to the table. Sola helps leaders delegate more effectively by turning assessment results into clear guidance on who to trust with what, and how to set expectations that drive ownership and performance. Read the blog to learn more.
Read more
Articles
From insight to impact - a single assessment for every role
One assessment. Every career. Explore how Soft Skills Intelligence transforms hiring, development, and performance in one platform.
Read more
Articles
The hiring problem no one talks about
Vague soft skills like “team player” sound good but mean little. Learn how role-relevant definitions help managers hire better and boost performance.
Read more
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