The "soft" is hard.
We call them "soft" skills, and they are anything but soft: empathy, vulnerability, curiosity, listening with the intent to understand, compassion, kindness, emotional regulation, self-control, among others. These are, in most cases, traits that "belong" in our DNA, but, somehow, throughout our school and work years we forget to put into practice. And once the "soft skills" muscle has atrophied, deciding to go back to the "gym" and getting the soft skills workout in can be hard.
"Soft" skills (we will continue to refer to them as "soft skills", even though we know that they are human powerful skills!) play an essential role in driving personal and professional success triumphs. In fact, without them, technical skills can only take people so far, and, more likely, in an unsustainable fashion.
For example, according to a report by the World Economic Forum, the top three skills that employers will seek in employees by 2025 are complex problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity - all of which are quintessential soft skills. The Harvard Business Review reported that companies that prioritize soft skills training witness a substantial return on investment, with a 256% increase in overall performance.
Yet, paradoxically, "soft skills" are often overlooked or underestimated in favor of more tangible and quantifiable attributes, often called "technical skills". It certainly is paradoxical to call human skills "soft" when they are so hard to learn (or relearn).
Unlike their technical counterparts, soft skills are not easily acquired through rote learning or theoretical lectures.
They demand a profound level of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and continual practice. Empathy, active listening, conflict resolution, and the capacity to inspire and motivate others are part of the mosaic of "soft skills".
Developing soft skills is akin to refining an art, where every interaction, every word, and every gesture constitutes a brushstroke on the canvas of professional and personal growth.
Please, do not underestimate the true measure of strength that lies within these seemingly "soft" abilities.
Workplaces can unlock a limitless world of possibilities by helping people, and particularly business leaders, develop their "soft skills". Remember, the soft is the hard, and therein lies their transformative power to create sustained personal and organizational success. "Hard" skills (technical skills) will become obsolete overtime (with the advent of new technologies and tools, and the obsolescence of others), but humans skills will continue to be more relevant than ever before and will only increase in value.
(Image credit: unknown - it was not created by us in Hacking HR. We just wrote the caption).
