Let’s get real about “soft” skills

For decades, managers have referred to interpersonal capabilities – the oil that lubricates and enables corporate culture, teamwork and business development – as “soft” skills. This is a disservice that relegates the most necessary and invaluable corporate competency to one corner of a perfunctory appraisal document which, in equally perfunctory fashion, occasionally recommends a short training programme to remedy the deficit.

Interpersonal skills are abilities that enable one to engage with people and develop meaningful relationships ­­– both within and outside the organisation, home or school, or, indeed, any social unit, in order to:

• Communicate clearly
• Manage and Resolve conflicts
• Show Empathy
• Motivate and Inspire others
• Use Humour and light-heartedness to diffuse situations
• Articulate Flexibility in thinking
• Provide Mentoring and Coaching

We have been led to believe that manifesting certain behaviours and deploying clever tactics are more than enough to get the job done. But this is not enough. To be credible, one must be authentic, comprehensible and persuasive. Communication skills provide the finesse to utilise behavioural traits in a manner which renders them palatable to the recipients and beneficiaries of these actions. This is why language plays such a key role in establishing interpersonal skills.

The importance of being precise, polite, coherent, fluid, helpful and convincing – particularly in English, the language of business and academics – is extremely important today. In an increasingly competitive world, dominated by automation and artificial intelligence, many traditional skills and credentials may become over-commodified or irrelevant. In such a scenario, “soft” skills may become the only “real” skills, fundamental and necessary for success.

How can the ALSOWISE^® Masters Programme help you?

The ALSOWISE^® Masters Programme is designed to enhance proficiency in the English language for graduate students and young working professionals. Demanding only 80 minutes per weekly module, it focuses on:

1. Revisiting the foundations of grammar and vocabulary which were last experienced in school.
2. Building critical reading skills which are necessary for building knowledge and for instilling a self-learning orientation.
3. Developing both verbal and written business communication skills for the workplace.

Using technology to recreate a one-to-one classroom environment, in which users are made to listen, read, engage, and practice, on a mobile device of their choice goes a long way in building familiarity with, and expertise in, the English language.

It is never too late to learn and hone this valuable skill. So, if you’re looking to improve your English communication abilities and Interpersonal skills with a view to standing out in a crowded field, and getting ahead in your career:

1. Download the ALSOWISE^® app today.
2. Register immediately – the process is quick and simple.
3. Sample the FREE Demo and discover for yourself that ALSOWISE^® is the English language enhancement app that you were looking for.