A survey with 261 human resources professionals conducted in 2020 for the report, "Developing Hard and Soft Skills in Today's Workplace", shows a finding that more than 85% agreed soft skills are more important to long-term success,  but the same individuals admitted that that their organisation was more likely to focus on hard skills training.

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We see the value of soft skills training, particularly training in the art of communication.  Effective communication is crucial for business success which is the significance of soft skill development.

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THE QUALITY OF COMMUNICATION

 

Effective communication is the most valuable of the soft skills, and the one on which the other soft skills find a solid foundation. 

 

• The quality of communication has a direct impact on relationships

• The quality of relationships determines the quality of the organisation

• Genuine, compassionate, adept conversations enhance the connection between employees, thus creating a healthy company culture and an organisation capable of successfully accomplishing its mission.

 

SOFT SKILLS DEVELOPMENT:  ROI AND VALUE

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Most leaders feel that soft skills development actually delivers a higher return on investment (ROI) than hard skills, but because soft skills tend to be intangible, they are more difficult to measure  This may explain while soft skills need to be the focus of development in organisational leadership, organisations tend to focus more on hard skill training.

 

SOFT SKILLS ARE COMMUNICATION-CENTRIC AND MUST BE TAUGHT

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Even so, the leadership teams in many organisations may believe that employee communication presents a significant challenge.  Why?  Soft skills often fall short in common communication area such as listening skills, openness, trust and the ability to provide constructive feedback.  Of course, these soft skills are crucial for effective collaboration, problem-solving and decision-making among employees.

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Soft skills are not job-specific.  They are behavioural, social and cognitive abilities, and they include communication, character, emotional intelligence and the ability to be a team player, resolve conflicts, collaborate, adapt and solve problems.  These skills are crucial and must be taught,  They are needed to build trust in organisations where individuals often see things from a variety of unique perspectives.  And in case you have not noticed, these soft skills are all communication-centric skills.

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THE ASPECTS OF COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS

 

An organisation's leadership and employees communicate in a number of ways;  face to face or by phone, video, email or text.  In any organisation, you will likely find the most common method of communication between managers and direct reports mirrors the way employees communicate with one another.

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LEADERSHIP JOURNEY AND INFLUENCE

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It is not about expecting managers to have all the skills needed to fully develop their employees' soft skills.  In most cases, leaders are on their own journey of development.  And when managers are viewed as excellent coaches who are honest and build trust among their team members, employees are able to have honest, authentic conversations to earn and build trust.

 

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Source:  Extract from Forbes Business Council

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Tags:   Leadership  /   Training   /    Soft Skills   /   Communication Skills

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