10 Human Skills and Why They Matter More than Ever

Human skills are building blocks that children need to navigate the complexities of life—in school, in relationships, at home, with friends, and eventually, in the workplace. Research shows that programs focused on strengthening human skills lead to increased self-esteem, optimism, and well-being as well as reduced emotional distress and behavioral issues. Kids who participate in human skills programs have also been shown to experience improved academic achievement, better peer relationships, and a more positive school climate.

Children need these essential skills more than ever. And every child deserves to have the support and resources to build them. Like academic skills, they require a comprehensive and integrated pedagogical approach, where human skill-building is a consistent thread through daily learning—in both direct and indirect instruction, through modeling and role-playing, through scaffolding like visual aids and digital media, and even with assessments to measure progress over time.

In this blog series, Why Human Skills Matter More than Ever, we’ll examine each core human skill and its importance in building a strong foundation for students in the classroom and beyond. We’ll also share some guidance on how to help kids strengthen them. To kick off the series, here’s an overview of 10 of the most important human skills according to research and the Second Step curriculum.

1. Collaboration

Collaboration, also referred to as prosocial or cooperative behavior, is the ability to positively relate to and get along with others, especially in pursuit of a common goal. You’ve probably heard the expression, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” This is true in school, in relationships, and in work. Kids need excellent collaboration skills to thrive in nearly every aspect of society, which is why it’s considered an essential, high-priority human skill.

2. Communication

Communication is the key for so many things in life—in learning, in relationships, and in the workplace. The earlier children can learn to clearly express their thoughts and feelings, the better. And the more educators can prioritize strengthening good communication skills in school communities, the better.

As more of children’s social, academic, and—eventually—professional lives move online, the ability to effectively and healthily communicate is more important than ever. Kids need abundant opportunities to foster healthy communication face-to-face, and they need specific skills for the digital world as well.

3. Problem-solving

A friend doesn’t respond to their text. A classmate makes a mean joke about another classmate. A student makes the seventh-grade volleyball team, but their best friend doesn’t and feels left out. How do kids handle these challenging social problems?

Kids handle more than just math problems throughout the day. They also encounter countless social problems that require intentional and practical strategies to handle. And human skills programs give kids opportunities to master those strategies through practice, reflection, and discussion.

4. Resilience

Resilience is the dynamic ability to respond to adversity, which is supported by other protective factors and skills—and it’s as important today as ever before. Educators, parents, and caregivers can help kids build resilience by giving them opportunities to strengthen it in supportive environments. That means giving them opportunities to fail as well as succeed and giving them encouragement to pick themselves up and learn from the experience. For building resilience, the best thing adults can do for children isn’t to remove obstacles or overcome challenges for them but to help them grow the skills to conquer those challenges themselves.

5. Kindness

Kindness is so essential that it almost goes without mentioning—but that doesn’t mean educators should take this essential skill for granted. Kindness is the glue that holds many skills, capacities, and positive experiences together. Without it, skills like communication, collaboration, and problem-solving become strained. For students who show and receive kindness, it’s connected to increased feelings of happiness, optimism, and life satisfaction. Like all human skills, kindness needs to be strengthened through intentional practice and classroom structures.

6. Emotion regulation

The ability to manage emotions of all shapes and sizes—from frustration to embarrassment, from fear to joy—is an indispensable human skill that can be strengthened in the classroom through practice scenarios, vocabulary-building, reflection, and discussion. Emotion regulation is about more than just keeping your cool. It’s a vital skill that helps students maintain focus, enhance motivation, and foster resilience, equipping them to navigate academic and social demands more effectively.

7. Growth mindset

A poor performance on a geography quiz. A trip to the principal’s office for an outburst. Missing the game-winning shot. With a growth mindset, kids can view these challenging experiences not as failures but as opportunities to learn and as stepping stones on a longer journey of growth. A low score can be the catalyst to study harder and ace the unit geography test, and an office referral can help a student recognize what they need to work on. That missed shot can be the motivation to take a hundred more during practice.

Comprehensive human skills programs are designed to help students build healthier, more positive thought patterns that constitute a growth mindset.

8. Empathy

The importance of strengthening empathy—the ability to conceptualize the feelings and experiences of others—can’t be overstated. Empathy is a gateway to learning and growth. It’s a catalyst for imagination, creativity, and compassion. Empathy fosters maturity and supports effective communication. Empathy animates the golden rule of treating others the way you would like to be treated, and helping kids develop empathy should be a priority in every classroom and community.

9. Executive functions

Executive functions refer to the skills children need to make plans, recall information, show self-control, and more. Like resilience, executive functioning is a composite of skills rather than a single skill—and it’s tremendously important in helping kids thrive in and out of the classroom.

Practically speaking, educators can help students build executive-function skills through exercises like making checklists, using planners, and setting time limits. But they can also build executive functioning by strengthening the human skills that support it, like emotion regulation, problem-solving, and goal-setting.

10. Confidence

Finally, confidence—the feeling of belief in one’s abilities, qualities, and judgments—is built on the foundation of the human skills named above, but it also stands alone as an indispensable, distinct skill. It’s that unshakeable sense that no matter what challenges life presents, you’ll be able to handle them. For kids and adults alike, confidence can be summed up in the mantra, “I am enough.” Students with higher confidence and healthy self-esteem tend to exhibit greater enthusiasm and motivation toward academic tasks, greater resilience, and fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression. Without question, helping kids strengthen confidence should be a top priority for educators at every level.

Help kids build a foundation for the future

In today’s rapidly changing world, helping kids strengthen essential human skills isn’t just important—it’s urgent. These 10 foundational competencies empower students to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, now and in the future. Schools and educators don’t have to do it alone. Request a free consultation to learn how Second Step® programs can help you integrate human skill-building into every classroom.