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What are soft skills as opposed to hard skills? The term "soft skills" refers to a collection of interpersonal attributes and competencies that enable you to communicate and work effectively with those around you. This is as opposed to "hard skills" which, on the other hand, are specific, trainable abilities necessary to carry out the professional or technical requirements of a job or occupation. So whilst soft skills may be less tangible and harder to define than hard skills, they are nonetheless an increasingly important asset for most employees. Most workplaces have evolved an interpersonal dynamic that can't be ignored. Listening, presenting ideas, resolving conflict, and fostering an open and honest work environment are all vital skills in the modern working environment and the success of your employees and your business all ultimately come down to knowing how to build and maintain relationships with people. It's those relationships that allow people to participate fully in team projects, show appreciation for others, and enlist support for their projects. The more of these things you see around you, the better your team’s soft skills are likely to be. The more positive a member’s attitude is, the better their staff relationships will be and this can have a significant impact on the attitude they bring to interactions with clients, customers and colleagues. Soft skills foster great team performance, and can lead people to contribute strongly to the organisation's vision and strategy. Important examples include: • Personal accountability • Collaboration • Negotiation skills • Conflict resolution • Adaptability and flexibility • Clear communications • Creative thinking • Inclusion • Coaching and mentoring Whilst some employees will naturally have these abilities, for those whose interpersonal skills are lacking or require some polish it is possible to undertake professional development training, either in the work place or in a professional training environment. There are a number of courses available for specific soft skills, with more holistic solutions available if required and these can be tailored to meet your specific requirements. Remember that by investing in your employee‘s soft abilities, they should become a more useful asset to your business and you will reap the rewards of this investment during their employment. So as you can see, an employee’s soft skills are an important part of their professional development training and a very desirable attribute, in addition to any vital hard skills necessary to perform a role effectively, and should not be overlooked.
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Professional development training, soft skills training,
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