Importance of “SOFT SKILLS” along with Domain/Subject Knowledge

What Job Skills you will need by 2020 or more in 5 years’ time according to the World Economic Forum (WEF).Top ones is Complex Problem Solving (CPS) followed By Critical Thinking and thereafter

1. Creativity,
2. People Management,
3. Coordinating with others,
4. Emotional Intelligence,
5. Judgement and Decision Making,
6. Service Orientation,
7. Negotiation
8. Cognitive Flexibility

Other than your subject or domain knowledge. All these come under one umbrella i.e. “SOFT SKILLS”. For, the holistic development of any person with a mind to grow and skip to next higher level requirement for “SOFT SKILLS”. At this moment in the country like India where 70% of the population is below the age of 35 years as  ASOCHAM reveals are in bare need of SOFT SKILLS DEVELOPMENT to meet global challenge of SKILL development.

So, “SOFT SKILLS” implies Intrapersonal and interpersonal behaviors that develop and maximize human performance and personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people

“SOFT SKILLS” also includes: Effective Communication, Stress Management, Effective Meetings, Time Management & Organizational Skills, Effective Leadership, Presentation Skills, Conflict Resolution ,High Performance Team, Problem Solving, Strategies Building and Managing Transition & Change, Dealing with Difficult People

Who Benefits from “SOFT SKILLS”?  Executives, Middle Management, Supervisors/Team Leaders Consultants/Analysts, Techno Managers, higher officials, Bureaucrat  Professionals, Employees or even a common man.

Mastering one “SOFT SKILLS” helps mastering other needful “SOFT SKILLS”. Every one can benefit. By ensuring through goals through SMART (Specific, Measurable, Action, Realistic and Time Bound) application. Soft skills are priceless to an organization and motivation is the driving force behind all the actions of an individual.

Meaning of “SOFT SKILLS”  It revolve around your people relationships. They refer to the interpersonal skills comprising a cluster of personality traits, language fluency, social etiquette, attitude orientation, personal habits, friendliness and optimism that mark people to varying degree, in a given environment in relationship to other people.

Importance of “SOFT SKILLS”  Soft skills become important in situations – where interpersonal relations are to be handled, or where appropriate decisions are to made, or where communication must be used effectively, or where a good impression and an impact is to be made to gain a professional advancement.

Why to develop “SOFT SKILLS”  ? It aims at uplifting communication skills (verbal) body language (non Verbal), presentation skills, team work, professional ethics, interpersonal skills, time and stress management skills and more.

• “SOFT SKILLS”  – Covers effective Communication defining communication and the Sender–Receiver model of communication. Communication – basic skills covers verbal and nonverbal communication in the total communication process which involves Speaking 30%, Reading 16%, Writing 9% and Listening 45%.
• “SOFT SKILLS” – Body Language -Why body language is important, what body language means – how you stand, how you move, how you appear to others, how you sound to others and how you must look to others.
• “SOFT SKILLS” – Dressing For Success Explained. Covers a visual exercise about your first impression of the people in the photographs and what influenced your impression of them. Further, the First Impression guidelines are discussed w.r.t. colors to wear and colors to avoid, attire, grooming and accessories.
• “SOFT SKILLS”– Negotiation Skills Explained. Covers Negotiation essentials and the five-step negotiation process:  Prepare Debate, Propose, Bargain, and Agree.
• “SOFT SKILLS”– Email Etiquette Explained. Covers purpose of email etiquette, 21 email rules, enforcing them and email privacy.
• “SOFT SKILLS” Telephone Etiquette Explained. Covers office telephone etiquette about answering a call, placing it on hold, transferring the call, voice mail messages, leaving messages and additional tips.
• “SOFT SKILLS” perception in different countries: The Anglo-Saxon countries and cultures place a very high importance on Soft Skills and an almost equal high importance on Technical Skills. The Asian, East European and Latin countries and cultures place very high importance on Technical Skills over Soft Skills. The Scandinavian countries and cultures place very high importance on Soft Skills over Technical Skills.