SOFT SKILLS TRAINING - Why we need it

WHY TRADITIONAL ACADEMIC KNOWLEDGE IS JUST NOT SUFFICIENT ANYMORE

For decades employers as well as educators frequently complain about a lack in soft skills among graduates from traditional education institutions. Predominantly missed are communication skills, but additional knowledge in business or project management is also ranking highly on the list of missing skills desirable for graduates entering the business world. This problem is in no way restricted to developing nations; it is also well known to industrial countries around the world.

Let’s first talk about and define the following:

WHAT ARE SOFT SKILLS?

According to Wikipedia, Soft skills is a sociological term relating to a person's "EQ" (Emotional Intelligence quotient), the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that characterize relationships with other people. Soft skills complement hard skills (part of a person's IQ), which are the occupational requirements of a job and many other activities.

A person's soft skill EQ is an important part of their individual contribution to the success of an organization. Particularly those organizations dealing with customers face-to-face are generally more successful, if they train their staff to use these skills. Screening or training for personal habits or traits such as dependability and conscientiousness can yield significant return on investment for an organization.For this reason, soft skills are increasingly sought out by employers in addition to standard qualifications.

It has been suggested that in a number of professions soft skills may be more important over the long term than occupational skills. The legal profession is one example where the ability to deal with people effectively and politely, more than their mere occupational skills, can determine the professional success of a lawyer.

Increasingly, over the last two decades, it has been recognized that when IT Professionals acquire soft skills, better relationships are built between IT and the other business units within the enterprise, fostering alignment.

Soft Skills are behavioral competencies. Also known as Interpersonal Skills, or people skills, they include proficiencies such as:

- Communication skills,

- Conflict resolution and negotiation,

- Personal effectiveness,

- Creative problem solving,

- Strategic thinking,

- Team building,

- Influencing skills and selling skills,

- and many more

SOFT SKILLS TRAINING – A MUST IN TODAY’S CORPORATE WORLD?

Soft Skills Training today is a part of any Management program across the world because it helps shape one's personality and thereby plays an important role in his/her professional development. Organizations across the world have realised the importance of Soft Skills as a part of Management Curriculum since good soft skills help maintain long term relationships with customers and thereby facilitate business success. Hence, organizations have started feeling that it is worthwhile to invest in imparting soft skill training to their employees. Imparting soft -skill training not only helps improve service transactions but also makes the employees feel that the organization has taken a keen interest in their professional development, which goes a long way in employee retention.

Research studies conducted all over the world have shown that soft-skills such as cultural sensitivity, business etiquette and good communication skills go a long way in generating global business and are therefore indispensable to an organization’s well being.

A typical soft-skills training program is divided into four broad categories:

1. Building relationships - Teaching students people skills and effective human relations

2. Getting things done - Teaching Total quality Leadership, Power Dynamics, Transitions and the Art and Practice of Agreement

3. Developing the organization and the people in it - Teaching Total Quality Culture, Strategies for leading change, resolving differences and growing a business

4. Specialized skills - Coaching, consulting, negotiation and group facilitation

While emphasizing the importance of soft skills¸ there is a need to view its importance especially in the context of Indian companies. There is a reason why there is a strong demand for soft-skill training in India. Technical skills alone are not sufficient for them to be competitive globally. Cultural, language and environmental barriers can only be crossed with the help of soft-skills. Besides, Indian companies are in a position of competition with global companies since they offer similar services in most industries. 


Hence, without adequate soft skills, Indian companies are bound to fall behind them. According to Pramila Mathew, CEO of MMM, a training solutions provider, "The world is flat and we are constantly interacting with people who come from different cultures and countries. This is the reason that why there is an increased demand for soft skills training like Managerial Training, Team Leadership, Outbound Training, Executive Training and Corporate Leadership Training.

Research studies conducted on IT recruitment revealed that at entry level positions, there was a strong requirement for technical skills. However, soft skills are a must-have if one wants to move up the corporate ladder. Moreover, with leadership styles becoming more open, managers expect that their team members will be able to communicate their ideas openly. According to an ERP Consultant with a big Consulting firm, "Soft skills are very important in business. It is essential to be technically sound, but one should also have the ability to convey the idea to the masses in the simplest possible manner." What had made soft skill most important today is the outsourcing boom. This requires professionals and subject matter experts to communicate directly with their clients.

After all: What’s the point of having the best product or service and being unable to sell it or explain it to potential buyers or customers?

ASO TERRA LINGUA’S SOFTSKILL TRAINING

Find out the hard truth about Soft Skills!

Soft Skills Training is an important part of Management Training as it has a significant impact on Personality Development. The Soft Skills Training conducted by ASO Terra Lingua focuses on elements of Training and Development that require changes in behavior and thinking.

Soft Skills as opposed to hard skills (such as technical skills), greatly impacts the personality development of employees. Organizations today recognize that the professional development of their employees play an important part in maintaining relationships with their customers and developing a successful business.

Soft Skills Training Objectives:

Behavioral training experts say there are several soft skills are required in these circumstances. Some of them include:

·         Interpersonal skills

·         Team spirit

·         Social grace

·         Business etiquette

·         Negotiation skills

·         Behavioral traits such as attitude, motivation and time management

Do you have these? If your answer is yes, good for you!

But if your answer is no, then you know it is time to approach ASO Terra Lingua.