| Doing what I do in developing effectiveness in | | | | barking orders does get people to stand to |
| professional it is inevitable that I occasionally come | | | | attention and can even get short term results. |
| across the term "soft skills" uttered with | | | | But as we have seen at the highest level in our |
| little-disguised contempt as if they were the latest | | | | own political system, these tactics lead to own |
| invention of lily-livered business vegetarians sent | | | | goals, a focus on the mechanics of relationship |
| to hamper the red-blooded business man or | | | | rather than what productive relationships serve. |
| woman in going about his/her business and | | | | These tactics can also lead to the creation of |
| making a profit. | | | | "yes" people, a sabotage culture where the |
| If the so-called "soft skills" had no impact on | | | | down-trodden leak their bitterness, stress and |
| performance and the bottom line, I would agree. | | | | revenge through covert avenues- and where |
| Businesses have enough red-tape and | | | | effort is directed not at productive goals but at |
| bureaucracy to contend with. But here's the rub- | | | | in-fighting and destructive outcomes. |
| the acquisition and implementation of these skills | | | | I contend that for long term, healthy, productive |
| are not just a nice-to-have extra to keep HR off | | | | organisations- soft skills- knowing how and when |
| your back, they are the skills that maximise your | | | | and with whom to communicate; knowing how to |
| biggest resource and investment- your people; | | | | consciously align behaviour with desired outcomes |
| attract and retain your clients; and by achieving | | | | are not only key- they are indispensable. Dismiss |
| these, minimise costs and boost your profits. | | | | their importance and you may find you leak talent |
| What are these skills? How are they central to | | | | to other organisations that don't pay lip service to |
| minimising costs and maximising resources and are | | | | these competencies! |
| you doing enough to cultivate and implement | | | | In his book "The new Leaders (transforming the |
| them in your own areas of influence? | | | | art of leadership into the science of results" |
| In the majority of businesses, people are the | | | | Goleman writes "Understanding the powerful role |
| most costly and valuable resource. Their | | | | of emotions in the workplace sets the best |
| productivity - however that is measured- directly | | | | leaders apart from the rest- not just in tangibles |
| affects the bottom line. It therefore follows that | | | | such as better business results and the retention |
| how they communicate, how they foster | | | | of talent, but also in the all-important intangibles, |
| teamwork and achieve engagement, how they | | | | such as higher morale, motivation and |
| filter information to understand what matters, is | | | | commitment." I would argue that high |
| of paramount importance. | | | | competence in the intangibles leads inexorably to |
| Of course, there is always the short-cut of | | | | sustainable results in the tangibles. |
| creating a climate of fear- banging the table, | | | | |