Working in technology requires more than knowing the right programming languages or digital tools. Attributes and abilities that may be more difficult to define or measure—like confidence, emotional intelligence, and resilience—are as foundational to success as any of the traditional tech skills.

For people from marginalized communities, traditional tech culture can be unfamiliar and unwelcoming. Which, among other things, means Black and Latinx men and women are far more likely to drop out of postsecondary STEM programs than their white peers. Cultivating non-tech and metacognitive skills as a team makes it easier for everyone to successfully contribute, creating a more inclusive workplace.

That’s why I’m excited that a version of Microsoft’s Growth and Resilience in Tech toolkit is now freely available to everyone. We partnered with professors in CS, organizational psychology, and leadership and collaborated with STEM mentors to build this curriculum based on essential non-technical skills that foster a better overall work environment including:

1.     Growth mindset. We all make mistakes and face obstacles but everyone is on a learning journey. Reframing them as temporary setbacks and learning opportunities helps to forge a path ahead.

2.     Self-efficacy. This is the belief that you can figure out how to do something. People with self-efficacy persist when faced with challenges, rather than avoiding them.

3.     A sense of belonging. It’s a big barrier to success if you’re convinced that you’re an outsider in tech. Thankfully, everyone can take steps to make the workplace more welcoming.

4.     Emotional intelligence. When we better understand what we’re feeling, we can improve interactions and better navigate challenging situations.

5.     Giving and receiving feedback. Honest feedback is essential—but feedback can sometimes be unnecessarily harsh and put you on the defensive. Being open and used to giving and receiving feedback creates a team environment geared for mutual growth.

6.     Cognitive flexibility. Because change comes fast in tech, approaching challenges in new ways and reframing problems can help you arrive at innovative solutions.

7.     Self-regulated learning. Take control of your learning. Make a plan, execute the plan, analyze the results, and revise based on what you’ve learned.

8.     Mirroring and Coaching. Communicating with others through mirroring and coaching fosters teamwork in the workplace.

9.     Active listening. Listening with purpose is as important to effective communication as the message being communicated.

To date, thousands of college students and Microsoft employees have benefited from the Growth & Resilience program—with 98% reporting that it helped them learn valuable skills, and 98% saying that they’d recommend the program to others. Now you can check out the Growth & Resilience toolkit and build essential non-technical skills.

Throughout my career, self-efficacy has been one of the most important skills I’ve learned and it’s been especially critical for me throughout this pandemic. As a developer, you run into obstacles with your code every few minutes whether you’re debugging a program or learning a new technology with a lot of complexity. Persistence when faced with challenges helps you continue to grow and become a more resilient developer. That’s why the self-efficacy portion of our toolkit is one of my favorites.

If you’re a student or Microsoft employee who’s already been through the program, or have leaned into honing these tech resilience skills, please leave a comment—I’d love to hear about your experience!