Letters: Soft skills, great impact

With reference to Ajit Balakrishnan's article, "The soft skills trap" (May 3), while certain examples given by him do represent soft skills, these belong to the domain of human resources development (HRD). HRD experts revel in their expertise of soft skills. Interpersonal relationship skills, motivation, communication, counselling and team-building belong in the soft skills area.

Even top professionals are taught soft skills. The trainers articulate soft skills quite clearly. Experiential-based inputs, too, are provided in these training sessions. As these training programmes last less than a week or so, the inputs or knowledge acquired during that time are not practised by the participants. It is difficult to imbibe these inputs in everyday life. The point is: Either one has these skills - not the outcome of training - or does not. Professionals having these skills acquired them over a period and are good practitioners. But those who acquired them on a knowledge basis, find it difficult to practise them.

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In some training sessions, personal laboratories are organised to inculcate these skills. Further, soft skills are also part of behavioural science inputs and imparted to participants on a long-term basis. If soft skills become part of one's DNA, his or her personal effectiveness is bound to improve.

It is difficult to ascertain the proficiency level of soft skills in an individual through an interview or even a written test. A person's behaviour has to be observed to identify the extent of soft skills ingrained in him/her. With superior soft skills in one's armoury, climbing the career ladder is guaranteed.

K V Rao, Bengaluru

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