Meaning of Soft Skills?
Soft skills are the people’s skills or it can be said as the emotional intelligence of an individual that help to build, maintain and strengthen relationships. In our daily life’s we come across various situations that can be tricky or against our current circumstances. These skills help us to adapt to the changes that we come across in our personal and professional lives. In such conditions, soft skills come into the play. A more complex definition of soft skills is “a range of abilities including work ethics, courtesy, teamwork, self-discipline and self-confidence, professional presence, language proficiency, cultural sensitivity, communication skills, ability to accept and learn from criticism, ability to handle client relationships, networking, creativity, ability to motive yourself and lead others, time management, leadership and interpersonal skills”. It is basically, the interpersonal skills to see ourselves from the view point of others and how our ways affect them.
Examples of Soft Skills
The upcoming generation today needs to be aware that the post- pandemic work place environment has changed drastically. To ensure a boost in their career and smooth sailing of work place they need to have various soft skills. A few of them have been listed below.
1. Effective Communication
The most important and basic soft skill is communication. It is a tool we use to clearly and effectively converse with others, set expectations and collaborate on projects. Communication can be in various ways but the Face to face conversation with each other is the most effective way. Reason being the Body language of the person gives you the vibes which either u can catch or ignore. If the communication is written at first, we might develop a certain kind of perception as well.
2. Self-Motivation
This skill is necessary for all the individuals at the work place as it is understanding the purpose of the work and keeping the objective clear in the mind and work upon fulfilling the task effectively. Self-motivation requires boosters. You need people or surroundings around you which should encourage you to self-motivate yourself and generate positive energy
3. Growth Mindset
According to ‘’Carol Dweck’’ mindset is a frame of thinking that reflects the abilities, talents and intelligence as skills one can grow and improve.
4. Time Management
It is the ability to manage time appropriately and tells how to prioritize task, meeting deadlines and setting effective goals at work place. Time management should not be limited to work place only. Personal life and work place should always be balanced with time management.
5. Adaptability
This soft -skill refers to as being flexible and adjusting to the changing circumstances. A person skilled at dealing with changes at work place and adapting to it positively is highly appreciated.
6. Open to feedback
When the employees are open to feedbacks, it helps them to receive constructive criticism and use the information for the feedbacks for their improvement at the work place.
From the above-mentioned few examples, it can be determined that the soft skills can be acquired by a formal Soft Skills Training.
Meaning of Soft Skill Training
A soft skill training is a training to help, develop or improve interpersonal skills. It trains the Individuals to build relationships with co-workers and customers, which promotes co-operation and communication in the workplace amongst the colleagues, clients and customers. The training improves communication skills, increase active listening skills, resolve conflicts, negotiations and more.
While hard skills are specific to industries and they focus on the theoretical knowledge soft skills are referred to personality and attitude. Soft skills training provides opportunities for career advancement.
According to LinkedIn learning survey, almost 57% of the senior leaders said that soft skills training is more important in comparison to technical training at the workplace. In a workplace the employer can dedicate a whole soft skill training course that can be taken up by any Certified Soft Skill Trainer having a work experience in training topics like emotional intelligence, communication skills, personal organization and self -motivation They can also have short term training program.
Benefits of Soft Skill Training
Soft Skill Trainings are like investment by the employer on their workforce that will provide with them various benefits in the current scenario as well as in future. The benefits gained by getting trained have been listed below:
1. To have good impression and impact to gain professional development
2. To Communicate effectively.
3. Improved problem -solving skills
4. Enhanced critical thinking and creativity
5. Better leadership and teamwork
6. Boost productivity
7. Stress management effectively
8. Increases self confidence
9. Funds credibility
10. Improved customer services
Conclusion
Organizations should conduct soft skills training on quarterly basis as it empowers the employees to work together and achieve their goals and objectives effectively. Soft skills are increasingly becoming the hard skills of today’s work force. The acts of listening, presenting ideas, resolving conflict, and fostering an open and honest work environment all come down to knowing how to build and maintain relationships with people. It’s those relationships that allow people to participate fully in team projects, show appreciation for others, and enlist support for their projects. Most important one should be clear and intentional about what you want.
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