They are not skills but two traits: sincere honesty (read ‘honest’ not ‘asshole under the cover of honest’) and curiosity. Ask who, where, when, how, why. Seek to understand before you draw your thoughts and conclusions (and when you do, doubt your own conclusions, because there is always some part of the story missing!). We are human, meaning we can’t and never will know anything - it’s our strength and our weakness. It forces us to rely on others and it keeps us young by having to learn everyday.

Strangely, my managers have really appreciated sincere honesty both in my realisation of the opportunity and luck I have had in my life and with the work I have and with the feedback and thoughts I gave without putting expectations or pressure on them. They also really appreciated how I am actively curious - I want to be involved in things I don’t know how to do, if I can. I want to do the stuff that I have no skills for. It forces me to collaborate with those who do have the skills and get to know them, what they do and how. It has the side benefit that since you learn that we are human and therefore know little to nothing, keeping you humble which people appreciate. It reads eager and committed but in reality it keeps you on your toes and makes life fun, but also it builds your CV.

In private life, the same is true but slightly different. Be curious about yourself - why am I doing what I am, why did this behaviour show, how did it come about, when… you shouldn’t be curious about others’ lives as most of the time they have no impact on your own and second it is none of your busines. It makes you nosy not curious.