UNIT 1 Introduction and Basics of Soft

Skills

Course MBA
Subject English Communications and
Life Skills
Unit - 1

Meaning Soft Skills

Soft skills is an essential
dimension and a corner stone
of an ideal person. It can be
explained as a personality
trait which is extremely
crucial for succeeding in our
career and to live a better life.
Soft skills usually include
communication
skills,
communication
language,
ability to express our ideas
and related areas. These
aspects are very important if
one wants to succeed in life
and live a proper life. Soft
skills usually are dependent
on the inner self of the person
and not the physical body of a

Hence, the soft skills

like communication skills
need to be improved by
every person in order to
excel in social life as Soft
skills are basically social
skills. Sometimes, it is
also known as People
Skills or Interpersonal
Skills. Today soft skills
are more essential than
the technical abilities of
a person and hence
these have a prominent
place in deciding the
fate of a person in this
modern world.

Meaning Hard Skills

Hard Skills are basically
technical skills. Hard skills are
quantifiable capabilities required for
specific occupations. They are
opposite of Soft Skills. Careers
require practitioners to have certain
practical and personal abilities.
Hard skills are the practical abilities
learned through education and
training. For example, the hard
skills that an accountant would
need include arithmetic, familiarity
with Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles (GAAP), etc.

Hard Skills mean Technical

Skills
and
Conceptual
Skills. (Definition:) By the
term Conceptual Skills we
mean the ability to think
creatively, analyze and
understand complicated
and abstract ideas. An
individual
seeking
work
typically lists his or her hard
skills as part of a resume. In
order to be irreplaceable one
must possess unique and
impressive Hard Skills.

Definition: Soft Skills & Hard

Skills

Soft skills are personal attributes that

enhance an individual's interactions,

job performance and career prospects.
Hard Skills are about a person's skill
set and ability to perform a certain
type of task or activity.
It's often said that hard skills will get
you an interview but you need soft
skills to get (and keep) the job.

Distinguish between Soft Skills and

Hard Skills

Soft
Skills

Hard
Skills

1) Definition:
Soft
skills
are
personal
attributes
that
enhance
an individual's
interactions,
job
performance
and
career prospects.

Definition:
Hard Skills are
about a person's
skill set and ability
to
perform
a
certain type of task
or activity.

2) Example:
Personal Qualities,
Interpersonal Skills,
etc.

Example:
Job Skills like
typing, reading,
writing, etc.

Soft Skills

Hard Skills

3) Importance:
Soft skills will land the job
because employers want
someone who won't just
perform their job function, but
will be a good personality fit
for the company and make a
good impression on
clients/customers.

Importance:
Hard Skills are essential to
getting the interview.

4) Measurement:
Soft Skills are hard to
quantify/measure.

Measurement:
Hard Skills are teachable
abilities which can be
measures.

5) Attributes:
Keep calm under pressure;
responsibility and common
sense; leadership; teamwork;
communication; negotiation;

Attributes:
Accounting
and
finance;
proficiency
with
software
applications;
operating
machinery; speaking foreign

Soft Skills

Hard Skills

6) Requirement:
To be good at Soft Skills
Emotional Intelligence or
EQalso known as your right
brain- the emotional center is
required.

Requirement:
To be good at Hard Skills
Intelligence Quotient or
IQalso known as your left
brain-the logical center is
required.

7) Rules:
The rules change in soft skills
like Communication Skills, Self
Management Skills, etc. from
time to time depending on the
company culture and people
you work with.

Rules:
The rules remain the same in
hard skills, like for example
programming is a hard skill
and technical skills remain the
same.

8) Learning:
Most soft skills are not learnt
well in school, they are
generally learnt by trial and
error and books and guides.

Learning:
Hard Skills can be learnt in
school and from books. We
can also learn on how we can
master Hard Skills.

Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills,

which is more important?
This depends highly on the career you
choose. Careers can be put into three
kinds of categories:
1) Careers that need hard skills and little soft
skills: (example: Physicists);
This is where
you see brilliant people who cannot deal well
with people. They can still be very successful
in their career look at Albert Einstein.
2) Careers that need both hard and soft skills
many careers are in this category (example:
Accountants, Lawyers they need to know the
rules of accounting or law well but they also
depend on selling to clients to build a
successful career. Dealing well with clients
require excellent soft skills like communication

3) Careers that need mostly soft skills

and little hard skills (example: sales. A
car salesman doesnt really need to
know that much about cars, just a
little more than the consumer. His job
is more dependent on his ability to
read his customers, communicate his
sales pitch, persuasion skills, and skills
to close to deal. These are all soft
skills Soft skills are more important in
most business careers than hard skills.
We all know or have worked for senior
people who in some cases have
limited hard skills. The fact remains
that they are in senior positions
because they have exceptional soft
skills .

Discuss interdependence between

Soft Skills and Hard Skills

In todays era of cut throat competition, one

cannot deny the importance of skills, soft as well
as hard. To get an edge over competitors
individuals are left with no choice but to add
values to their hard skills with soft skills to exhibit
their true potential.
Some of the literature suggests that hard skills
contribute to only 15 to 20 percent of ones
success while remaining 80 to 85 percent is made
by the soft skills. Most employers these days want
to hire, retain and promote persons who are
dependable, resourceful, ethical, self-directed,
having effective communication, willing to work,
and learn and having positive attitude.

Technical
and
jobrelated skills are a
must, but they are not
sufficient
when
it
comes to progressing
up the ladder. With the
traditional paternalistic
style
of
leadership
becoming
pass,
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.
A typical business degree program or executive training
program will focus on what are considered hard skills.
Examples might include strategic business planning, financial
analysis, budgeting or product development. An increasing
number of companies are also interested in the so called soft
skills. These soft skills are best defined as how a manager
interacts with people.
The bottom line is that when it comes to being a good manager
or leader, you must master the hard skills of your specific job
as well as the soft skills of interpersonal relations. Interpersonal
skills must be a focus of your leadership development. Some
people are naturally better at personal interactions, but anyone
can learn to do
better. The key is to recognize the importance of interpersonal
relations, honestly evaluate your skill level, and consciously
improve those behaviors those are the requirement of global
and competitive world.

Importance of Soft Skills in an

Industry

Technical abilities may be important to get good

assignments in the initial years of ones career, but

when it comes to growing in an organization it is ones
personality that counts, especially on a large platform
where people with similar technical expertise,
proficiency and competitiveness are vying (competing)
for promotions.
In a country like India, soft skills training becomes
even more important since the education system does
not include personality development anywhere in its
stream of academic curriculam. Corporate houses are
forced to invest more and more on soft skills training in
order to groom their employees to present themselves
in a better manner and improve their performance.

 Nowadays companies recruit employees

not merely considering their technical

expertise but also after seeing how
proficient they are in portraying their
soft skills. A high premium is placed on
individuals
having
both
technical
abilities as well as the requisite soft
skills in the present, rapidly growing
and
competitive
corporate
world,
especially in the IT and ITES sector.

Todays software engineer in India is no

longer restricted to his own area of

work, but has to interact with various
kinds of clients, locally as well as
globally. More and more employees are
going
abroad
on
projects
and
assignments. Tele-conferencing and
video conferencing has become the
most common mode of communication.
WebEx is the most convenient way to
communicate across places even within
the country.

Importance of Soft Skills in an

Interview
Soft skills in a job interview
are those characteristics
that you use to make
decisions and interact with
others while on the job.
When an employer asks
questions
designed
to
determine
soft
skills
competencies during the
interview process, she is
trying to determine your
workplace personality and
how you will react in
various
situations.
The
more prepared you are to
answer soft skills questions,

Importance of Soft Skills in a

workplace
Work ethics, teamwork,
communication skills, decision making
and problem solving are important soft
skills attributes for a workplace.
Companies value soft skills because they
are often linked to job performance and
career success. Soft skills may mean the
difference between who can do the job
and who actually gets the job.
The workplace needs to function
ethically and be legally responsible.
Employees need to be honest and
trustworthy. Take your work seriously, be
ethical in all your dealings, and follow
the
rules.
Employers
want
selfdisciplined people who follow company
policies. Failure to do so will result in
disciplinary or legal action. Always act
professionally and with maturity while at
work.

Importance of Soft Skills for

Students

Soft skills will enable students with a strong

conceptual and practical framework to build, develop
and manage teams. They play an important role in the
development of the students overall personality,
thereby enhancing their career prospects.
Training in soft skills provides strong practical
orientation to the students and help them in building
and improving their skills in communication, the
effective use of English, business correspondence,
presentations,
team-building,
leadership,
time
management, group discussions, interviews and
interpersonal skills. It also helps students in career
visioning and planning, effective resume writing and
dealing with placement consultants and head hunters.

Soft Skills training has become a must for the students who want
to go for
job or higher studies. Soft skill is not a visible skill like the
domain subject
content in a student but it helps in improving the personality of
the person.
It gives finishing touch to the personality. It includes
communication skills,
Interpersonal skills, group dynamics, teamwork, body language,
etiquettes,
selling skills, presentation skills, confidence building etc.
Soft skills along with grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary
exercises will
boost the confidence of students. For students, the blend of both
soft and
hard skills is essential for personal, professional and social
success.

Merits of Soft Skills

MERITS
1) Soft Skills help you grow in
career.
2) It gives you an eye to identify
and create opportunities.
3) It helps develop relationships
with clients and colleagues.
4) It
helps
develop
good
communication
and
leadership qualities in you.
5) It helps executives and
professionals
create
an
impact and brand value.

6) It helps get recognition.

7) It helps get promotions
and advanced
opportunities.
8) It increases ability to
perform the job.
9) It encourages incentives,
rewards and challenges
for the employees.
10) It helps have a positive
work environment.

11) Soft Skills help us

adapt and fit in a
social structure.
12) Soft Skills improve
our work efficiency
and performance.
13) Soft Skills offer
personal growth.
14) Soft Skills increase
our value in the
market.
15) Soft Skills help bring
clarity in
communication.
16) Soft skills help
contribute strongly to

SIGNIFICANT SOFT SKILLS

Soft Skills is a vital part of
the success of an
organization/individual.
Major Soft Skills are as
follows:
a) Communication Skills
b) Decision Making and
Problem Solving
c) Leadership Skills
d) Teamwork & Self
Confidence
e) Ethics, morals and
professionalism

Major Soft Skills

1) Communication Skills :
The communicative skills
involve
effective
communication in both the
national language and English
language in different contexts
and with different people. The
communication
skill
an
important component that
lacks in the present human
capital.
The
ability
to
communicate through the
spoken and written word is a
necessity in nearly every
industry
and
in
every
workplace.
Communication
skills can be learned and
improved
with
the
right
training.

2)
Decision
Making
and
Problem Solving :
Being
able
to
make
quick
decisions, think on their feet, and
solve
simple
problems
are
important employee traits. Even
simple problems can grind an
office to a halt if no one displays
these simple skills. At least one
employee needs to have the
ability to take charge of a
situation and guide the others
through if they have difficulty. The
employees who display these
decision making skills are often
excellent candidates for promotion
to management level. When
taking a decision it is important to
look for solutions than wasting

3) Leadership Skills :
Corporate leaders need to know
their
business,
know
their
customers, and have the ability
to
execute
a
strategy
successfully. And leaders need to
be especially agile to stay
current with their business as the
pace of change has accelerated
so dramatically. Great leadership
as a soft skill also requires not
only understanding customers
current needs, but accurately
predicting future needs as well.
This knowledge of business and
customers
becomes relevant
only when leaders also have the
ability to execute a strategy that
drives growth. Therefore, strong

4)
Teamwork
and
Self
Confidence :
The ability to work well within a
team is another important soft
skill. Some employees may
naturally
feel
comfortable
working within a group, while
others may have problems and
prefer to work alone. It is
necessary
to
spot
these
personality types ahead of time
for proper group formation.
Every team should have a
diverse set of personalities that
mesh together as a cohesive
whole. Team building exercises
can be very beneficial in helping
employees develop this skill.
To achieve even the smallest of

5)
Ethics,
Morals
and
Professionalism :
Employees
typically
either
display a strong work ethic and
the drive to complete tasks, or
they don't. While a work ethic
is largely an innate skill, it can
be learned with proper training
and
motivation.
Some
employees may be able to
develop a stronger work ethic
with incentive based pay or
monetary rewards such as
bonuses if they reach a certain
goal.

Other essential Soft

Skills
1) Multi-tasking
2) Entrepreneurship
skills
3) Self Management
Skills
4) Observation
5) Positive Outlook
6) Introspection
7) Assertiveness
8) Delegation

Ways to develop Soft

Skills
1) Actively Listen
2) Communicate with
Active
listening
involves
focusing on the moment,
participating
in
the
conversation, waiting your
turn to speak, and asking for
clarification when necessary.
Active listening helps us
focus on the problem and
think for a solution. It helps
us analyze and understand
things and situation better in
a workplace.

Illustrations
Choosing common terms or
illustrations to demonstrate
your point will help facilitate
communication.
Communicating with the help
of Jargons with a nontechnical
person confuses him.
Explaining with the help of
analogies or comparisons
leads to clear understanding
and concept.

3) Take the lead (when

required)
The ability to lead others, even
if only on small initiatives, is a
key strength.
Chances are youll be guiding
otherswhether
newcomers
within the department or junior
members of your teamat
some point in your career.
Take the time to observe some
of the successful leaders within
your company and note their
actions and management style.

4) Nurture your inner

writer
Being able to write well is an
asset quality. It helps a lot in
written communication and
formal communication.
If you observe people at high
designation possess good
writing skills. Hence, we need
to develop our writing skills
and the only solution to
develop this skill is practice.

5) Develop
communication skills
Your goal should be to communicate
clearly through written, oral, and
nonverbal
communication.
Start
simply by being aware of how others
feel when they are around you or are
talking with you.
It is equally important that you make
eye contact, practice speaking and
monitor your body language.
Communication is a vital attribute in
the corporate world but not everyone
is capable of appropriate conduct in
a professional setting.

6) Step out of the box

physically and
mentally
Its easy to spend an entire day
in your cubicle or office, but its
not the best career move.
Involve
yourself
into
committees and know what
your employer expects from
you and how your efforts add to
the companys overall goals.
Read business magazines and
articles online, stay up to date
with
current
trends
and
industries.

7) Develop Interpersonal
Skills
A person in the managerial
level is expected to have good
inter personal skills. Being the
leader of the team, it is his
prerogative to handle inter
personal conflicts, personality
clashes
and
other
issues
related to the team. He should
be able analyze the differences
in his team and take impartial
decisions.
A healthy formal interaction
among the employees in the
organization
encourages
increased productivity. In this
age of globalization, it is
necessary
to
have
interpersonal skills to work with

8) Develop and enhance

Presentation Skills
People who are working for
corporate, more or less need
to be good presenters. Every
area
of
corporate
life
requires presentation. It can
be presenting before existing
or prospective customers,
suppliers, media or people
within
the
organization.
Presentation in both forms;
oral as well as written form,
is important for managers
and
professionals.

9) Be attentive
Pay attention to colleagues.
Observe
your
surroundings.
Express concern and sympathy
towards difficult situations.

10) Be Positive
Positive Attitude draws people
towards you. Be friendly and
upbeat.
Be
appreciative
about
your
colleagues and their work.

11) Take initiative

Demonstrate responsibility and
enthusiasm for your job by
striving to go the extra mile. This
starts by finishing work without
constant reminders from your
supervisor.

12) Learn to listen

Practice listening and not
arguing. Understand the
other persons point of view.
Co-workers will appreciate
the fact that you took time
to listen. Listening requires
focus and self discipline. Do
not interrupt other people.
Respect them by listening
attentively to what they are
saying. Pay attention and
observe
while
listening
other
persons
body
language.

Conclusion:
Soft skills revolve around personal relationships, character, and
attitude. By developing these skills, you can increase your work
performance, build stronger relationships, and work toward earning a
promotion. Soft Skills help advance your career and personal growth.

References and Bibliography

2.
3.
4.
5.

1. http://www.indiastudychannel.com/forum/891
18-What-meaning-soft-skills.aspx
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/soft-skills-compe
tencies-during-interview-process-11412.html
www.riseabove.in
www.gopixpic.com
www.quotehd.com

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