The Effective Statistician - in association with PSI

3 personal stories of how soft skills have helped me as a statistician

Mar 27, 2025

Dive into the transformative power of soft skills in statistics. Discover why traditional terms may be misleading and what they should be replaced with. Learn how trust can be established in just 15 minutes and hear a tale of a data visualization that received a standing ovation. Experience a negotiation win that redefined value perception. Explore how being part of a community can cultivate these essential skills, ultimately enhancing your impact as a statistician.

18:39

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Quick takeaways

Emphasizing human skills like empathy, trust-building, and communication can significantly enhance collaboration and outcomes in statistical projects.

Innovative data visualization techniques, such as using scatter plots, can engage audiences more effectively and foster valuable discussions during presentations.

Deep dives

The Importance of Human Skills in Statistics

Human skills, often referred to as soft skills, are essential for effective collaboration in the workplace, especially in the field of statistics. These skills encompass communication, negotiation, and trust-building, which can often take precedence over technical knowledge. For example, establishing a personal connection with colleagues and understanding their perspectives can facilitate access to necessary information and resources. Emphasizing these human skills can enhance teamwork and influence, ultimately contributing to better outcomes in medical data projects.

The Essential Role of Soft Skills in Statistical Success

3min

Harnessing Soft Skills for Success in Statistics

15min

Friday Episode with Alexander Schacht

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

✔ Why I believe “soft skills” is the wrong term—and what we should call them instead

✔ How I built trust in just 15 minutes with someone I'd never met before

✔ The story behind a data visualization that got standing ovations

✔ A negotiation win that shifted how I think about value

✔ How the Medical Data Leaders community helps you grow in these areas

🔧 Skills I Talk About:

✔ Leading with Empathy and Influence

✔ Building Trust

✔ Communicating with Impact

✔ Presenting Data in Engaging Ways

✔ Strategic Negotiation

🎧 Give it a listen and hear how these human skills have helped me—and how they can help you too.

Resources & Links

🔗 The Effective Statistician Academy – I offer free and premium resources to help you become a more effective statistician.
🔗 Medical Data Leaders Community – Join my network of statisticians and data leaders to enhance your influencing skills.
🔗 My New Book: How to Be an Effective Statistician - Volume 1 – It’s packed with insights to help statisticians, data scientists, and quantitative professionals excel as leaders, collaborators, and change-makers in healthcare and medicine.
🔗 PSI (Statistical Community in Healthcare) – Access webinars, training, and networking opportunities.

Join the Conversation:
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Let’s keep learning, growing, and making an impact—
Reach your potential, lead great science, and serve patients. Just be an effective statistician.

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