Latest / Career Skills with Fexingo: Hard Skills, Soft Skills, and Future-Proofing Your Career / How Skill Shadows Reveal Career Blind Spots
Transcript
- Lucas: So Luna, I was talking to a friend who's a project manager at a mid-sized software company, and she told me something fascinating. She said her boss pulled her aside after a big rollout and said, 'You know, the way you simplify complex timelines is a gift.' And her reaction was, 'Wait, doesn't everyone do that?' Luna: That's so relatable. I think we all have those things we do without thinking, and we assume everyone else can do them too. Lucas: Exactly. And that's what I want to dig into today: what I call 'skill shadows'—the abilities that are so natural to us, we don't even see them as skills. They're in our blind spot. And that's a problem, because if you don't know what your skill shadows are, you can't leverage them in your career. Luna: Before we go deeper, I want to mention something. We keep this show completely ad-free—no sponsors, no interruptions. If you've ever found yourself thinking about a career move because of something we discussed, and you'd like to support that, the link is buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Appreciate that, Luna. And honestly, it's listeners like you who keep this going. Now, back to skill shadows—the term I'm using is a bit of a play on 'blind spot.' Just like a driver's blind spot, these are skills that are there, but you can't see them from your own vantage point. Luna: So how do you actually spot your own skill shadows? I imagine it's not as simple as just listing what you're good at. Lucas: Right. And there's a reason for that. There's this concept in psychology called 'unconscious competence'—it's the fourth stage of learning, where you've internalized a skill so deeply that you don't have to think about it. You just do it. And when you're in that state, you don't consciously register it as a skill. It's like breathing. Luna: So the project manager friend of yours—she had that with timeline simplification. Did she ever figure out how to use that to her advantage? Lucas: That's the thing. She didn't even realize it was a skill until her boss pointed it out. And that's the danger—if you're unaware, you might not put yourself forward for opportunities that require that skill. You might think, 'Oh, that's just what I do,' and undervalue yourself. Luna: I've seen that in my own career. There was a time when I was really good at translating technical jargon into plain language for stakeholders. I thought it was just being clear. But then a colleague said, 'You're the only one who can explain this to the client without their eyes glazing over.' Lucas: Yes, that's a classic skill shadow. And the kicker is, these shadows often end up being the exact skills that make you valuable in ways that are hard to replicate. Because they're not just learned—they're integrated into your way of thinking. Luna: So how can someone start to uncover their own skill shadows? Is there a process, or is it just waiting for a boss to tell you? Lucas: Great question. One method is what I call the 'skill shadow audit.' You take a week and note down every task where you lose track of time, or where you feel that flow state. Those are often the tasks that use your shadow skills. Because when you're in flow, you're not consciously wrestling with the task—you're just doing it. Luna: That makes sense. But I'd also add that you can ask colleagues. In my experience, sometimes the people around you see your skills more clearly than you do. You could ask, 'What do you think I'm really good at that I might not realize?' Lucas: That's a powerful question. And here's a twist—don't just ask for 'skills.' Ask for 'shadow stories.' Ask, 'Can you tell me about a time when I did something that seemed effortless, but you thought was impressive?' You might be surprised by what comes back. Luna: Shadow stories. I like that. It's concrete, not vague. It's not 'What are my strengths?' but 'What have you seen me do?' Lucas: Exactly. And once you've surfaced a few of these, the next step is to integrate them into your professional narrative. That means updating your resume to highlight these skills, even if they don't have a formal title. For example, that project manager friend—she started calling herself 'a specialist in simplifying cross-functional timelines,' which is way more compelling than 'project manager.' Luna: And that's not just about bragging. It's about making sure your value is visible. If you don't articulate it, someone else might not see it either. Lucas: Right. And there's a broader career implication here. Skill shadows can also guide your career direction. If you find that you have a shadow skill that you truly enjoy using, that might be a signal to lean into it more. It could point you toward a specialization or a side project that becomes a passion. Luna: That's a nice way to think about it—not just as a way to get ahead, but as a way to find more fulfillment. Because you're doing what comes naturally, and that's often what you're best at. Lucas: And there's a flip side to this too. Shadow skills can also be weaknesses that you don't see. But I think the more common case is underestimating your strengths rather than overestimating them. Luna: True. I'd say most of us are harder on ourselves than we need to be. But let's come back to the practical side. What if someone does this audit and they don't find anything? Is that possible? Lucas: I'd say it's rare, but it can happen if you're not paying close enough attention. Sometimes shadows are so deep that you literally can't see them on your own. That's when you really need to lean on the input from others. Ask a mentor, a peer, maybe even a direct report. They might see things you've never noticed. Luna: So it's a combination of self-reflection and external feedback. And I'd add that it's an ongoing process, not a one-time exercise. As you move into new roles and learn new things, new shadows will form. Lucas: Absolutely. And here's a thought—what if we treated skill shadows like a career asset to be actively managed, just like we manage our visible skills? That could change how we approach our development plans, our networking, even our personal brand. Luna: I think that's a great place to land. So, to recap: skill shadows are the hidden strengths you take for granted. To find them, do a skill shadow audit, ask for shadow stories, and then make them part of your narrative. And remember to keep checking in as you evolve. Lucas: And maybe the next time someone compliments you on something you think is obvious, pause for a second. That might be a shadow skill trying to get your attention. Luna: Well said. Thanks for listening, everyone. We'll catch you next time.