In this modern corporate world where proverbs change from “Success is one percent inspiration and ninety nine percent perspiration” to “Success is one percent hard work and ninety nine percent public relations” it is those people with a good blend of hard skills and soft skills that survive and succeed.
Hard skills are those skills that a person acquires through formal education while soft skills are the basic skills of a person like communication skills, reading and writing skills basic arithmetic skills; higher-order thinking skills like problem solving skills learning skills, strategies, creative, innovative thinking, decision making; affective skills and traits like dependability/responsibility, positive attitude to work, conscientiousness, punctuality, efficiency, interpersonal skills, cooperation, working as a team member, self-confidence, positive self-image, adaptability, flexibility, enthusiasm, motivation, self-discipline, self-management, appropriate dress, grooming, honesty, integrity, ability to work without supervision.
In other words soft skills are all about managing oneself so that s/he can easily relate her/himself with her/his customers and/or peers. All these soft skills or vital competencies are an integral part of a progressive organization. They fall under the umbrella of Emotional Intelligence (EI). These soft-skills, or emotional intelligence skills, revelations open the door to a lot of discussion. The western civilization and our traditional management theories tend to lead us in the direction of individualistic promotion. They display our strengths rather than the demonstration of our humanness. These ideas have been so tightly woven into our leadership mentality that they can be challenging to break.
Unfortunately, most institutions don't teach one how to cultivate one’s soft skills. While courses such as Business Writing and Public Speaking are offered, one may never find a course entitled, "The Effective Art of Listening to Your Customer." We live in a society that measures intelligence through quantifiable metrics. A professor will give the students good grades once they know XYZ, but s/he will not increase their grade for being able to deal with a difficult situation, showing compassion, or solving an unexpected problem. Yet most compliments that an employer or the employees receive deal more with the use of soft skills than with your actual knowledge about a particular situation. Most customers appreciate a "willingness to help" and the fact that "she listened to my complaint." The use of these skills is what elevates an organization above the competition.
The development and utilization of soft skills equips one ‘to seek to strive, to find and not to yield’ in a highly competent world. It helps one to make mark wherever one is and leave with a positive and powerful impact on one’s peers and the organization.
