In today's workplace the benchmark for excellence at all levels, specially managerial, is not how intellectually qualified one is but rather on a positive attitude, ethical values, and personal and interpersonal skills which are collectively termed `soft skills'. An organization should aim at a balanced integration of soft skills, hard skills and a supportive Human Resource Management System in order to gain a competitive advantage.
At a career conference I had organized for undergraduates in a college in Mumbai, recruiters were asked what they looked for in the candidates they were recruiting. The unanimous agreement was the need for soft skills. Competencies in effective communications and good presentation skills were on top of the list. Some spoke of the right attitude, team skills, ethics and discipline.
An organization may have the best of financial experts, most innovative design engineers, or savvy lawyers, but technical knowledge and expertise are only one aspect of competency. To translate technical know-how into business results, these professionals require certain special skills that complement professional skills and are collectively described with a common term `soft skills'. |
