SOFT SKILLS IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP Soft Skills definition Soft

SOFT SKILLS IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Soft Skills definition Soft Skills Are: Skills, abilities and traits that pertain to personality, attitude, and behaviour ➤ Soft Skills Are Not: Formal or technical knowledge ➤

Soft skills Many people have characterised soft skills as those relating to Emotional Intelligence, the ability to recognise and manage your own and others’ emotions. However, in reality, they go beyond that. The good news is that you can learn and develop soft skills as well as hard skills. The bad news is that it’s often much harder, and there is no easy measure of success.

What are the Most Important Soft Skills? Communication Skills ➤ Making Decisions ➤ Self Motivation ➤ Leadership Skills ➤ Team-Working Skills ➤ Creativity and Problem Solving Skills ➤ Time Management – working under pressure ➤ Adaptability to change ➤

Soft skills vs Hard skills

Soft skills vs Hard skills Hard Skills – Technological / Economical knowledge ➤ Soft Skills - Personal traits / Emotional intelligence ➤ ➤ Both needed, but not both taught ➤ All Entrepreneurs need them

Importance of soft skills Soft skills are very important Ø To handle interpersonal relations Ø To make appropriate decisions Ø To communicate effectively Ø To develop yourself and others around you

Examples of soft skills sets Skill sets that include: Ø Ø Ø Oral and written communication skill Critical thinking ability Problem-solving resourcefulness Ability to work productively on a team Ability to laugh at yourself and at the world Self Confidence & Optimism

Soft Skills Traits in Business World Scarce compared to hard skills ➤ Intangible ➤ Needed to stay sane and function better: ➤ ➤ With your employees ➤ With your clients / suppliers ➤ With yourself!

Soft Skills Categories - Communication ➤ ➤ ➤ More than a conversation or written communication between two parts Proper sending and receiving information Successful communication must include: ➤ ➤ ➤ Focus & concentration Proper presentation of information whether verbally or written Active listening Asking questions Business communication Public speaking

Communication skills form the corner stone of soft skill ➤Every human being has to essentially & effectively communicate with others ➤Effective communication is the hallmark of one’s education ➤

Communication skills

Communication skills ➤ Ø Ø The ability to speak fluently using the right word in the right order is good communication Message using appropriate vocabulary and syntax form effective communication Learn Languages!

Body Language

Body language Ø Body language presents what we feel & think about the particular matter, to the audience. Ex: Nodding one’s head

Examples of body language Body language (e. g. arms crossed, standing, sitting, relaxed) Emotion of the sender & receiver (e. g. speaking clearly, enthusiastic) Smiling when answering the phone Head tilted to one side. A tilted head demonstrates that a person is listening keenly, or is interested in what is being communicated.

Written communication Skills Writing evaluates a person’s proficiency indications, spelling grammar etc… ➤ Errors committed while writing sales materials, reports & financials considerably spoil the image of the writer ➤

Written communication Skills Good visual presentation using graphics, colour, balanced design layout- adds so much to written communication ➤ Keep handouts and other written materials for your presentation ➤

Verbal Skills Success in life depends on presenting ideas in an appropriate manner ➤ Look at the eyes of audience & speak in a natural, conversational voice ➤ Appropriate voice will make the presentation effective and interesting ➤ SMILE! ➤

Ask for feedback § § Ask for feed back from your audience about your presentation & change accordingly In presentations especially, stop occasionally to ask the audience whether they understand what you have said

Teamwork Ability to successfully work cooperatively with others ➤ Exchange ideas & support ➤ Building trust ➤ Willing to assist ➤ Recognize each other’s accomplishments ➤ Quality work & commitment ➤ Proper allocation of tasks ➤

TEAM WORK People of either gender, different age groups, qualification, status & skills work as a team with a common objective of accomplishing the task ➤ The success of any organization largely depends on in the coordinated efforts of its employees ➤ It mainly refers to the agreeableness & cooperation among the team members ➤

Interpersonal Skills Interpersonal skills are the life skills we use every day to communicate and interact with other people, both individually and in groups. People who have worked on developing strong interpersonal skills are usually more successful in both their professional and personal lives.

Interpersonal Skills ØMan is a social animal & his success in life largely depends on his relationship & interaction with others Ø We must respect the views & sentiments of others Ø When we want to differ their views, we must very politely give hints to them without wondering their feelings

Leadership & Project Management skills Capable of organizing time & workload ➤ Potential to lead others ➤ Self directed to priorities ➤ Meeting deadlines ➤ Proper planning of daily tasks ➤ Monitoring assigned tasks ➤ Set a role model ➤ Leader vs. manager ➤ The manager's job is to plan, organize and coordinate. The leader's job is to inspire and motivate.

Leadership & Project Management skills Leaders, executives & managers need to be very clear about what they expect from others ➤ Trust yourself ➤ Adapt to situations ➤ Be dependent ➤ Be decisive ➤ Keep smiling ➤ Share & stay together

Leadership skills Always learn new things ➤ Accept responsibility for yourself & your actions ➤ Look at problems & challenges ➤ Be grateful always ➤

Time Management skills Time management is not very difficult as a concept, but it's surprisingly hard to do in practice. It requires the investment of a little Time upfront to prioritise and organise yourself. Prioritize the work & schedule your time accordingly ➤ Important work should be allotted more time & taken up first ➤

Time Management skills ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤ Delegate Tasks Prioritize Work Avoid Procrastination Schedule Tasks Avoid Stress Set up Deadlines Avoid Multitasking Start Early Take Some Breaks Learn to say No

Multitasking The art of doing twice as much as you should, half as well as you could.

Stress Management skills ➤ ➤ ➤ Take an alternate route to work. The change in scenery will help you stay alert to the road and keep your mind off the job. Plan your work and work your plan. Devote every paid minute to your job. Deviate from your work plan only when absolutely necessary. Take your allotted breaks. Remember: the opposite of stress is relaxation. Don’t work through lunch or weekends. This also means don’t think or talk about work during your breaks.

Stress Management tips ➤ ➤ ➤ ➤ Ask yourself what you can do about the sources of your stress Keep a positive, realistic attitude Stand up for yourself in a polite way Learn and practice relaxation techniques Exercise regularly Eat healthy Try to manage your time wisely

Sense of Humour! ➤ Creating a happier work environment: Humour goes a long way in the workplace atmosphere. Laughter can create a happier environment, which in turn creates a more harmonious team.