Soft Skills & Personality Development (SSPD)

Dr. Rishiraj Sarkar

Unit 1: Introduction to Soft Skills and its Significance:

 Introduction of Soft Skills:

“If you are searching for that one person who will change your Life, Look in the Mirror.”
- Anonymous

 WHO defines soft skills as “The abilities for adaptive and positive behaviors that enable individuals to deal with the
demands and challenges of everyday life”.

 UNICEF calls soft skills as “Life Skills” and defines as “ A behavior change or behavior development approach designed to
address a balance of three areas: Knowledge, attitude and skills”.

 Broadly Skills can be categorized into:–

 Technical and Digital Skills,
 Productivity Skills,
 Leadership and Management Skills,
 Soft Skills
 Soft skills:

 Soft skills are qualities that are innate to your personality and aren't part of a formal education.

 In the Soft Skills, there are two kinds of skills – thinking skill (personal skill) and skills related to dealing with others called social
skills (interpersonal skills).

 Soft skills are also often referred to as “people skills” because they are strongly associated with a person’s emotional intelligence.

 The best part about learning or picking up new soft skills is that there is no age or location barrier, unlike hard skills which require
learning within a certain age limits.

 At any point of time in life one can learn the soft skills and at their own pace. All it needs is the intent to learn and courage.

 Even though mostly soft skills are associated with Employment scenario, none the less most of the same are required in a
Professional practice also – as the Professional practice is also a business and involves dealing with staff, students, businessmen and
entrepreneurs.

 Soft skills are sometimes referred to as transferable skills or interpersonal or meta skills. Soft skills are the difference between
adequate candidates and ideal candidates.
 Types of Soft Skills:
There are more than 200+ soft skills identified. However for convenience sake the same are grouped into eight major headings and
presented in the following order (in alphabetical order):

1) Communication

2) Independence

3) Leadership

4) Personality Development

5) Problem Solving

6) Team Work

7) Time Management

8) Work Ethics
Top ten Must-have Soft Skills for success in work environment:
 Hard skills vs. soft skills:

Hard skills (or technical skills) are specific to the type of work that you do, while soft skills (or workplace skills) are how
you do your work. For example, to work as a sales representative, you need to have good customer service skills (a hard skill) as well
as good communication skills (a soft skill).
Technical and workplace skills are complementary because you need a mix of both to perform almost any work.
Employers typically look for candidates with a mix of technical and workplace skills because technical skills indicate that you are
proficient in the practical aspects of your role. In contrast, workplace skills indicate that you can contribute to a positive and
productive work environment.
Technical skills Workplace skills
Computer programming languages (Python, Ruby, Creativity
etc.) and coding Empathy
Proficiency in a foreign language Teamwork
Database management Problem-solving
Sales or business analysis Critical thinking
Financial management Adaptability and flexibility
Medical proficiency Effective communication
Bookkeeping Reliability and dependability
Plumbing Open-mindedness
Writing and editing Punctuality
Reporting Time management
Teaching Strategic thinking
Cooking and baking Conflict resolution
Engineering Work ethic
 Significance of soft skill:

Soft skills, cannot be taught and are more difficult to develop. They are concerned with a person’s character,
relationships, and personality. Without soft skills, everyday business would be very difficult, since almost all aspects of work involve
people. Many jobs also involve collaboration and interaction with different types of people, and interpersonal skills are vital to make
this happen.
Even if one has a very technical job, such as an IT role, they will need to interact with colleagues or clients regularly,
often imparting complicated information or having to listen carefully to requirements. Having excellent technical capabilities on
one’s resume won't necessarily be enough to get you the job.

 FOR ONESELF:
1) The current industry is interpersonal, and the tomorrow will be defined by soft skills development.
2) They are complex and time-consuming skills and therefore will highly be in demand.
3) Opportunities for professional development, elevation, and expansion.

 FOR BUSINESS:
1) Productivity increased.
2) Better management and teamwork.
3) Increased Employee engagement.
 Behavioural Approaches to enhance Communication Skills:

Strategy One: Be Positive

 Be friendly to everyone.
 Maintain a positive upbeat attitude at all times.
 Smile and draw others to you.

Strategy Two: Be Appreciative

 Focus on those things that are positive.
 Praise others
 Be supportive and encourage others.
 Say ‘thank you” for compliments and when others help you.

Strategy Three: Be Observant

 Acknowledge what is going on around you.
 Make positive eye contact and address others by the name they prefer to be called.

Strategy Four: Active Listening

 Actively listen to others.
 Be aware of your body language to show you care about what is being said.
 Listen to understand another person's perspective.
 Confirm your understanding by restating what was said in your own words.
Strategy Five: Treat Everyone Equally
 Do not talk about others behind their back — keep your comments to yourself.
 Confirm you are understood when you present an idea or announcement.

Strategy Six: Resolve Conflicts

 Be seen as a person who can resolve conflicts.
 Be an effective negotiator
 Resolving conflicts will position you as a leader to gain the respect of others.

Strategy Seven: Clear Communication

 What you say is as important as how you say it.
 Clear effective communication helps to avoid misunderstandings.
 Think before you speak — to gain the respect of others.
 Speak clearly and confidently.

Strategy Eight: Be Happy

 Humor is an effective tool to overcome barriers and gain acceptance.
 A little humor goes a long way.
Strategy Nine: Empathy
 See things from another person’s perspective.
 Stay in touch with your own emotions.

Strategy Ten: Do Not Complain

 Avoid a bad reputation by not complaining to management, co-workers and associates.
 If you must vent — do so to those outside of the workplace.
 Positive Thinking:

Ques.) What Is Positive Thinking?

Ans.) Positive thinking means approaching life's challenges with a positive outlook. Positive thinking does not necessarily mean
avoiding difficult situations. Instead, positive thinking means making the most of potential obstacles, trying to see the best in other
people, and viewing yourself and your abilities in a positive light.

Health Benefits of Positive Thinking:

Positive thinking is linked to a wide range of health benefits, including:

 Better stress management and coping skills
 Enhanced psychological health
 Greater resistance to the common cold
 Increased physical well-being
 Longer life span
 Lower rates of depression
 Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease-related death
How to Practice Positive Thinking:
 Notice your thoughts:
Start paying attention to the type of thoughts you have each day. If you notice that many of them are negative, make a conscious
effort to reframe how you are thinking in a more positive way.

 Practice and show gratitude:

Practicing gratitude can have a range of positive benefits and it can help you learn to develop a better outlook. Experiencing grateful
thoughts helps people to feel more optimistic.

 Use positive self-talk:

How you talk to yourself can play an important role in shaping your outlook. Studies have shown that shifting to more positive self-
talk can have a positive impact on your emotions and how you respond to stress.

Potential Pitfalls of Positive Thinking:

 While there are many benefits to thinking positively, there are actually times when more realistic thinking is more advantageous.
For example, in some situations, negative thinking can actually lead to more accurate decisions and outcomes.

 Positive thinking can have pitfalls at times. While it is important to have an overall positive outlook, unrealistically high
expectations can lead to disappointment. Being unable to accept any negative emotions, known as toxic positivity, can also have a
negative effect on mental well-being.
 Negotiation Skills:

Ques.) What Are Negotiation Skills?

Ans.) Negotiation skills are inherent qualities that help two or more parties agree to a common logical solution. In the workplace, you
may have to display your negotiating skills in various situations such as:
 Negotiating a salary hike with the HR manager after promotion.
 Negotiating a project deadline with your team lead or manager.
 Negotiating few days off for a family holiday with your manager.
 Negotiating contract terms with a potential customer.
Lack of negotiation skills affects the business bottom line and could ruin customer relationship. Negotiation skills are soft
skills and essential to become a negotiator and resolve workplace conflicts.

Benefits Of Negotiation Skills:

 Builds a relationship.
 Delivers excellent solutions.
 Avoids future conflicts.
 Create an environment of business success.
Examples Of Negotiation Skills:

 Communication
 Strategizing
 Planning
 Persuasion
 Listening
 Problem-solving
 Emotional intelligence

Types Of Negotiation Strategies:

 Distributive negotiation: It is also sometimes called "hard bargaining" because both parties argue over a single conflict.
Distributive negotiation is a win-lose strategy because each party considers that their loss would benefit the counterparty.

 Integrative negotiation: It is also sometimes called "interest-based bargaining" because it asserts that both parties can gain
something and create value by offering trade-offs. This is a win-win strategy because the negotiation creates mutual gains for both
parties.
Tips To Improve Your Negotiation Skills:

 Prepare for the negotiation

 Be ready to compromise

 Set a timeline

 Offer multiple solutions

 Speak with confidence

 Learn to accept failures

 Work on your weakness

 Practice negotiation
Thank You!