A
soft skill is a personal attribute that supports situational awareness and
enhances an individual's ability to get a job done. The term soft skills are
often used as a synonym for people skills or emotional intelligence.
Unlike hard skills, which describe a person's technical ability to
perform a specifically-defined task, soft skills are broadly applicable across
job titles and industries. It's often said that while hard skills might get
someone an interview, soft skills will help that person get (and keep) the job.
Business
executives and leaders are making soft skills more of a priority when hiring, as
they are often essential for workers to succeed in modern organizations. In
2018, LinkedIn listed leadership, communication, collaboration and time
management as the top four most in-demand soft skills. Technology company iCIMS
Inc., which develops recruiting and other employee management-related software,
analysed its proprietary data and found that problem-solving, adaptability and
time management were the top three soft skills that recruiters sought in
candidates. Other important soft skills include adaptability and the ability to
be diplomatic and respectful, even during disagreements.
Soft
skills that are in demand
When
an employee with a high level of emotional intelligence has good communication
skills and interpersonal skills, they are more likely to be able to clearly
articulate goals and lead a team in a positive manner. This is especially
important for multimember, multidisciplinary teams that are geographically
and/or cultural dispersed.
For
businesses that have a customer service/relations component, strong soft skills
are a way to ensure a positive relationship between customer and company
without providing extensive training. Here are several other examples of soft
skills that company leaders’ value:
- creativity
- appropriate use of humour
- confidence
- honesty and integrity
- friendliness
- ability to manage time effectively
- good manners
- enthusiasm
- positive attitude
- good listening skills
- attention to detail
- ability to grasp the big picture
- self-motivation
- common sense
- ability to make good decisions
- empathy for others
- communication skills
- willingness to see a difficult job through to the end
- willingness to change direction when something isn't working
- ability to negotiate
- ability to deal with conflict gracefully
Why
are soft skills important?
Business
projects often require employees to work as a team, making employees' abilities
to have positive interactions with others just as valuable as the technical
tasks they're asked to accomplish. As a result, business leaders are seeking
workers who possess team work, collaboration, communication, problem-solving skills,
and other emotional and cognitive capabilities to work in multimember,
multidisciplinary teams that are geographically and/or cultural dispersed.
Soft
skills training
Businesses
and individuals can help close the soft skills gap through training. Individuals
should start by asking family and trusted colleagues for feedback, which can
help individual employees to identify the soft skills which require
improvement.
Individuals
can also improve their soft skills through mentoring and classes, as well as by
simply observing and emulating how others successfully interact with peers and
handle difficult interpersonal situations.
Working with a
professional coach and reading self-help books and articles can assist in this
process, as well as self-assessment tools like the Myers-Briggs personality
profile test.
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