The Hindu Business Line : Mythili Kesavasamy, Associate Professor, Asian School of Business, Thiruvananthapuram; University Institute of Technology, Kottarakara

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Mythili Kesavasamy, Associate Professor, Asian School of Business, Thiruvananthapuram; University Institute of Technology, Kottarakara

Ms Mythili Kesavasamy, Associate Professor, Asian School of Business, Thiruvananthapuram, delivering the Business Line Club lecture at the University Institute of Technology, Kottarakara, on Thursday.

Our Bureau

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec. 19

Soft skills are among the most essential competencies in any aspiring manager’s skill set. Yet, they are the hardest to acquire and the most difficult to practise unless they become habits, said Ms Mythili Kesavasamy, Associate Professor, Asian School of Business, Thiruvananthapuram.

Delivering a Business Line Club lecture at the University Institute of Technology- Kottarakara on Thursday, she pointed out that soft skills include communication, time management, assertiveness, personal grooming, business etiquette, team work, conflict resolution and even professional ethics.

They act like grease to ensure that the cogs of organisational life rum smoothly. In the long run, soft skills are perhaps more important than technical skills, she added.

According to Ms Kesavasamy, communication tops the list of soft skills that managers need to possess. Communication includes both verbal and non-verbal communication, spoken or written, in both formal and informal situations. Non-verbal communication includes things such as attire, posture, body language, eye contact and gestures, she pointed out.

For a manager, effective time management is another vital tool whose importance cannot be overstated. Managers must be able to identify what tasks consume the most time and then prioritise tasks so as to use their time effectively. Similarly, managers must possess the ability to work effectively in teams and must hone their presentation skills, she added.

Those who aspire to a career in the corporate world, especially in a managerial role, should learn the basics of effective communication and presentation, Ms Kesavasamy said. This includes apparently routine things such as talking on the phone, as good telephone skills are a part of a manager’s skill set. Aspiring managers can also improve their soft skills by reading more, involving themselves in activities such as book clubs and discussion forums and reading newspapers, she added.

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