There has been a great deal said by employers and HR professionals about the relative importance of skills and qualifications. Of course qualifications play a vital role in confirming that certain standards have been achieved and can be quantified.
However, one of the key shortcoming many employers flag up is the lack of the softer skills... the general management and interpersonal skills. Interestingly, it appears the higher the qualifications... in many cases the lower the other skills. Rarely are this skills 'taught'. In fact it may be true that such skills are more amenable to training and coaching than teaching.
I have worked with some very highly qualified people such as lawyers and doctors. They are often are first to recognise the need for the development of those soft skills. Other professionals however, engineers, architects etc. though equally qualified, seem slower to embrace training in more general skills. There seems still to be an assumption that skills like relationship building, communications, incisive thinking and problem solving are innate talents, and wishful thinking that will be individuals in the organisation posesss those skills. But such skills can be learned - indeed they MUST be learned if we are not to leave our skills base totally to chance.
However, one of the key shortcoming many employers flag up is the lack of the softer skills... the general management and interpersonal skills. Interestingly, it appears the higher the qualifications... in many cases the lower the other skills. Rarely are this skills 'taught'. In fact it may be true that such skills are more amenable to training and coaching than teaching.
I have worked with some very highly qualified people such as lawyers and doctors. They are often are first to recognise the need for the development of those soft skills. Other professionals however, engineers, architects etc. though equally qualified, seem slower to embrace training in more general skills. There seems still to be an assumption that skills like relationship building, communications, incisive thinking and problem solving are innate talents, and wishful thinking that will be individuals in the organisation posesss those skills. But such skills can be learned - indeed they MUST be learned if we are not to leave our skills base totally to chance.
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