In the previous chapters, you learned about how a solution architect needs to accommodate all stakeholders' needs. Even if the solution architect's role is a technical one, they need to work across the organization, from senior management to the development team. To be a successful solution architect, soft skills are essential and critical factors.
A solution architect should keep themself up-to-date with current technology trends, keep evolving their knowledge, and always be curious to learn new things. You can become a better solution architect by applying continuous learning. In this chapter, you will learn about methods to learn new technologies, and how to share and contribute back to the technical community.
A solution architect needs to define and present an overall technical strategy to address business concerns, which requires excellent presentation skills. A solution architect needs to work across business and technical teams to negotiate the best solution, which requires excellent communication skills. In this chapter, you will learn the soft skills a solution architect must have, such as:
- Acquiring pre-sales skills
- Presenting to C-level executives
- Taking ownership and accountability
- Defining strategy execution and Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)
- Thinking big
- Being flexible and adaptable
- Design thinking
- Being a builder by engaging in coding hands-on
- Becoming better with continuous learning
- Being a mentor to others
- Becoming a technology evangelist and thought leader
By the end of this chapter, you will learn about the various soft skills required for a solution architect to be successful in the role. You will learn about a method to acquire strategic skills (such as pre-sales and executive communication), and develop design thinking and personal leadership skills (such as thinking big and ownership). You will learn about techniques to establish yourself as a leader and continue improving your skill set.