Soft Skills

A whole new perspective

 Agenda

1. Definition - Soft skill

2. Examples of Soft skills

3. 6 “soft” steps

4. Case Study
 Technical Skills Vs Soft skills

Are technical/ job-related skills enough?

Technical and job-related skills are a must, but they are NOT sufficient when it
comes to progressing up the ladder. Why?
Coz with the traditional paternalistic style of leadership becoming passé, professional managers expect
their teams to be proactive and communicate openly.

"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”.

With the boom in outsourcing taking root across industries, many professionals
and subject matter experts directly deal with their clients on a regular basis.
 Definition - Soft skill

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.

Lets analyze: - What do each of these mean?

EQ
Personality Traits
Social Graces
Communication
Language
Personal Habits
Friendliness
Relationships
 Examples - Soft skill

Participate in a team

Unite a team amidst cultural differences

Teach others

Coach others

Motivate others

Learn from others

Provide services

Negotiate

Decision making

Problem solving

Observe forms of etiquette

Active Listening

Maintain meaningful conversation (discussion/debate)

Defuse arguments with timing, instructions and polite, concise language

Foresee situations

Establish rapport

Empathic communication

Self-awareness

Proactive Attitude
 6 “soft” steps

Behavioral training experts say there are several soft skills are required
Some of them include:

i. Interpersonal skills
ii. Team spirit
iii. Social grace
iv. Business etiquette
v. Negotiation skills
vi. Behavioral traits such as attitude, motivation and time management
 Be your own trainer!

While organizations are definitely investing in augmenting their staff's

people skills, here are some inputs for professionals and students who
would like to initiate the process themselves:

Be a part of team activities

Ask family members or close friends to write down your best and worst
traits.
How well do you manage your time?
Introspect on how you react to feedback
How good are you at critiquing?
Live consciously
 Case Study

A reputed software company in India is all geared up for a client visit.

The clients have indicated that, after inspecting the progress of the project they have

outsourced, they would like to meet the team members working on it.

Why? To select one team member for a stint onsite -- something almost every software
engineer aspires for.

What traits are needed for team member to be selected?

Thank You