Soft Skills for Managers & Supervisors

Professional Development OfficeIndiana State Library

What are Soft Skills? Examples of Soft Skills Technical Skills vs. Soft Skills Managers vs. Leaders Key Points Myths and Truths Wrap up/Review Questions?

What We’ll Cover:

At the end of this presentation, you will be able to identify 10 soft skills and 10 myths; this content will help you to effectively manage, inspire, and coach current staff and groom potential leaders in your organization.

Learning Objective:

“The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world.”-Lao Tzu

Personal character traits or qualities each of us has.

Less tangible than hard, or technical skills.

Soft skills complement hard skills, which are technical requirements for a job.

What are soft skills?

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Problem solving and critical thinking skills

Active listening skills

Active learning skills

Examples of Soft Skills:

Organizational skills

Team Player

Professionalism

Leadership skills

Mentoring/coaching skills

Examples of Soft Skills:

The skills required to complete a particular task.

Many occupations require that those who work in a particular field have abilities that allow them to do their jobs.

What are Technical skills?

Are surprisingly scarce! In this highly competitive world, soft skills help you “stand out” with others.

Good Soft Skills:

If you have a lot of staff turnover and have to keep retraining people, you may have a soft skills gap in your organization.

When you have lots of managers, but no real leaders-that’s a soft skills gap.

Do you have a Soft Skills Gap?

Managers vs. Leaders:

Management vs. Leadership: Management is “the process of dealing with

and controlling people or things.”

A leader is “someone who people follow.”

Successful managers consistently control outcomes while alleviating risks.

Leaders rely upon others to perform in the face of stress, risk, or pressure.

Managers vs. Leaders:

Reinvest in their strengths when they spot an opportunity

Stay true to who they are

Have the right people around them

Leaders:

Understand who you have on your team and what soft skills they’re already using.

“Focus on the whole person, mind and heart, to succeed.”

“Respect is having an equal, objective approach to all….every person has value and importance.”

Is your management team utilizing soft skills?

1. Praise successful leadership◦ Recognize contributions ◦ Coaching

2. Offer professional development◦ Staff development ◦ Succession planning-’grow your leaders from

within!’

Key points…..

Myths and Truths about Soft Skills:

Soft skills are connected with the English language.

Myth #1:

Soft skills are the same as communication skills.

Myth #2:

Emotional intelligence alone encompasses soft skills.

Myth #3:

Soft skills are interpersonal skills.

Myth #4:

Soft skills mean people are soft.

Myth #5:

Soft skills make you more ‘employable.’

Myth #6:

Soft skills alone ensures professional success and career advancement.

Myth # 7:

Women have better soft skills and men have better hard skills.

Myth #8:

Soft skills are not transferable.

Myth #9:

Frontline employees are better at hard skills, while support staff are better at soft skills.

Myth #10:

Soft skills are difficult to quantify, or measure.

“Soft skills are the traits and abilities of attitude and behavior rather than of knowledge or technical aptitude.”

Wrap up/Review:

Soft skills are an evolving discipline.

Acquiring soft skills can be done through education and training; coaching and mentoring; and practice.

Wrap up/Review:

Questions??

Mayo, William D. 2013. “Soft-Side Leadership: why is it always the hardest part?” Leadership Excellence no. 30: 8. Corporate ResourceNet, EBSCOhost (accessed July 24, 2015).

Perkins, Cheryl A. 2011. “Recognizing Leaders that Excel at People Skills- -a Perspective from Global Women Executives. Diversity Factor no. 19: 2. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed July 24, 2015)

Rao, M.S. 2012. “Myths and Truths about Soft Skills.” T+D no. 66:5 MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed July 24, 2015)

Sources

Rath, Tom; Conchie, Barry. Strengths Based Leadership. Gallup Press. 2008

Smith, Caroline. Why Soft Skills Matter; Making Sure your Hard Skills Shine. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCDV_34.htm.

Soft Skills; Soft Skills Training for Job Readiness. http://www.slideshare.net/kgay228/26-soft-skills-training-for-job-readiness.

Soft Skills: What they are and Why You Need Them. http://careerplanning.about.com/od/importantskills/a/soft-skills.htm.

Sources

Contact Information:Kimberly Brown-HardenProfessional Development OfficeIndiana State Library 317-650-8492Kbrown-harden@library.in.gov