A View on Soft Skills - Its relevence on individual success 

Hello Friends, Few days before i conduct a session on how to give feedback and how to receive
feedback, though it was part of regular awareness session happen to make teams aware on
appraisal process, its objectives and how to follow appraisal system. During Question &
Answers session there were very interesting thought raised about how an individual need to have
to grow and be successful in organization. Almost everyone is having same skills and expertize
but only few of them possibly will move and will move up more in coming time. what is that
difference. somehow i felt i should write something on that and here it is , though it looks little
theory but i 100% sure if follow it consciously and put some energy in genuiue approach, it
works. We make progress by meeting the challenge and conquering our fears. In that way our
emotions motivate greater effort, which invites growth and development. Behavioral training
experts say there are several soft skills are required in these circumstances. 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  
 
In the initial years of your career, your technical abilities are important to get good assignments.
However, when it comes to growing in an organization, it is your personality that matters, more
so in large organizations where several people with similar technical expertise will compete for a
promotion.
 
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:
 
i. Be a part of team activities : Observe your own behaviour in the group and how you relate to
others.
ii. Ask family members or close friends to write down your best and worst traits. Ideally, have at
least four to five people do this for you. Evaluate the common traits all of them have mentioned.
Thus, you can be aware of your strengths and work improving your weaknesses.
iii. How well do you manage your time.  Think.  Can you do more in life  Or is your day too
crammed with activities  Effective time management is very essential in the corporate world.
iv. Introspect on how you react to feedback.  In organisations, people skills mostly come into the
picture when there is feedback given — be it for an idea, an executed project or a presentation.
You are judged by the way you respond to feedback.  Do you get defensive?  Do you insist you
were right?   Do you meekly accept criticism?   Remember, people tend to be judged and
stereotyped according to their responses. You will, too.
v. How good are you at critiquing. While responding to feedback is one side of the coin, giving
feedback is the other side. Are you aggressive?  Pessimistic?  Do you believe in constructive
criticism?  Or prefer to be the yes-man
vi. Live consciously. Any organisation is manned by people, therefore soft skills are all about
how you deal with people and present yourself.
 
plz share your feedback and comments, also plz contribute if you have anything in this topic or
in general.