In a competitive environment where parents and peers are constantly emphasizing the need for academic qualifications, we have modelled mindsets that academic excellence equates to life success. Despite possessing a repertoire of academic qualifications, skill certifications or even a set of competent technical skills required of our jobs, most of all may experience a standstill in our careers.
Isn’t all the above enough for me to deserve that long overdue promotion, salary increment etc?
Most of us speculate and let our minds run wild without actually pinpointing and recognising the obstacles and the probable individualistic deficiencies that curbed our progression. Possessing the relevant technical skill, qualifications, and certifications don’t entitle us the claim to a promotion or increment.
The day you were employed and trained to perform your designated job, you were presumed to have possessed a certain level or adequacy and relevant skills. Over the course of work, you would have enhanced your job required skill competency but were your soft skills development neglected?
To keep things simple, let’s question ourselves on the following:
1. What are the distinctive soft skills my management personnel possesses?
2. Beyond competent technical knowledge and skills, what other skills are needed to supervise/manage a team?
3. What are the non-technical problems that may arise and how do I handle such problems?
4. What would be the soft skill needs at various echelons of my organisation?
5. How can I develop those skills?