| It is becoming very clear today that who we are | | | | bring out the best in others. They can motivate |
| and what we stand for is as important as the | | | | and inspire people. They are passionate and |
| service or product we "sell". So knowing how to | | | | empowering. They manage stress and conflict |
| work on ourselves and understanding what we | | | | constructively. As a result they have rich |
| need to be working on takes on a relevance we | | | | relationships and many of them. |
| need to address. | | | | They have people who will always be there for |
| Professionals are fairly clear about why their | | | | them. They have people who will lay down their |
| technical skills are important. After all, most have | | | | lives for them. They are valued and appreciated |
| done a university degree of at least three years | | | | enormously by people who will offer them |
| learning all about the technical skills they need to | | | | opportunities in abundance. |
| be the professional of their choice. They were | | | | Having a wealth of rich relationships will always be |
| given a body of knowledge and a set of technical | | | | more valuable than money and it really depends |
| skills in their professional area to prepare them to | | | | on how well-developed your soft skills are. That is |
| do their work. | | | | what allows you to build such rich relationships. |
| Most professionals, however, are given little or no | | | | 2. As a result of making that commitment to |
| professional development or training in developing | | | | developing and enhancing their soft skills, and |
| their soft skills, the all important interpersonal, | | | | acquiring all these qualities, these people are highly |
| communication and people skills. | | | | sought after in companies and organisations. They |
| There are two types of soft skills we need to be | | | | have an exceptional ability to manage people. |
| successful: | | | | They know how to get the best out of them. |
| - skills to manage ourselves so that we become | | | | They can build high performing teams. They draw |
| top performing professionals. Interestingly, these | | | | clients to their companies and organisations |
| are the same skills that make us great partners, | | | | because of their reputation. We could go on and |
| wives, husbands, parents, mothers, sisters, | | | | on. These people get to the point where they can |
| brothers and friends. | | | | command high salaries and can choose where and |
| - skills to manage others, to be people of | | | | with whom they work. Their soft skills have |
| influence, who make a difference, bring about | | | | made them wealthy too in a monetary and |
| change, create better workplaces, better | | | | professional sense. |
| communities and ultimately a better world. | | | | So soft skills are not just a discretionary option. |
| Well-Developed Soft Skills Also Create Two Kinds | | | | They are essential to the advancement of your |
| of Wealth. | | | | career. They are what will give you a professional |
| 1. Those people with well-developed soft skills | | | | edge. |
| relate well with other people. They know how to | | | | |