Explain the meaning and nature of Skills

Explain Meaning & Nature of skills.

Ans.    A skill is anything one can do competently, a developed aptitude or ability.

            Soft skills include a wide range of traits and qualities. They include “communicating, listening, engaging in dialogue, giving feedback, cooperating as a team member, solving problems, contributing in meetings and resolving conflict,” Soft skills, also include creativity, analytical thinking, diplomacy, flexibility, change-readiness, leadership and team building.

In simple words, soft skills are skills relating to people issues. They are skills that enhance human relations and create a favourable work environment.

HARD VERSUS SOFT SKILLS :

Hard skills are the essential core skills that one needs to get the job done. These skills include work experience, educational skills, and technical skills. Technical skills are basic requirements for all people working in an organization. They are sometimes called as threshold skills.

Hard skills are the specialized skill, knowledge or experience required for a certain industry, a profession or a job function. It is specialized knowledge and training in a particular professional field. For example, a Certified Public Accountant needs to know all the tax codes or a bankruptcy attorney needs to be familiar with the bankrupt laws and the filing process.

Soft skills complement hard skills. Hard skills land us our first job but soft skills help in building a career.

Organizations value soft skills because research has found that soft skills are as good an indicator of job performance as traditional job qualifications or hard skills.

Managers without adequate soft skills will struggle to retain both customers and employees who are continually demanding more and more. Soft skills are today a trademark of an organization’s professionalism and excellent customer service.