Soft

Skills
Know Yourself and Know the World

(i)
(ii)
 Soft
Skills
Know Yourself and Know the World

[Focuses on: Career Planning, Group Discussion, Art of Listening,

Speaking and Writing, Body Language, Team Building, Teamwork,
Etiquette and Manners, Time and Stress Management]

Dr. K. ALEX
Ph.D.
Associate Professor
St. Josephs College
Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu

S. CHAND & COMPANY PVT. LTD.

(AN ISO 9001 : 2008 COMPANY)
RAM NAGAR, NEW DELHI - 110 055
 S. CHAND & COMPANY PVT. LTD.
(An ISO 9001 : 2008 Company)
Head Office: 7361, RAM NAGAR, NEW DELHI - 110 055
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Pune - 411 011, Ph: 64017298, pune@schandgroup.com (Marketing Office)
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Ph: 2443142,Mb. : 09981200834, raipur@schandgroup.com (Marketing Office)
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Upper Bazar, Ranchi - 834 001, Ph: 2208761, ranchi@schandgroup.com (Marketing Office)
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VISAKHAPATNAM : No. 49-54-15/53/8, Plot No. 7, 1st Floor, Opp. Radhakrishna Towers,
Seethammadhara North Extn., Visakhapatnam - 530 013, Ph-2782609 (M) 09440100555,
visakhapatnam@schandgroup.com (Marketing Office)
Dr. K. Alex
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied in any material form (including photo
copying or storing it in any medium in form of graphics, electronic or mechanical means and whether or not transient
or incidental to some other use of this publication) without written permission of the copyright owner. Any breach
of this will entail legal action and prosecution without further notice.
Jurisdiction : All disputes with respect to this publication shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Courts, Tribunals
and Forums of New Delhi, India only.
First Edition 2009
Subsequent Editions and Reprints 2010, 2011, 2012 (Twice) 2013
Third Revised Edition 2014
ISBN : 81-219-3192-4
Code : 01B 221
printed in india

By Rajendra Ravindra Printers Pvt. Ltd., 7361, Ram Nagar, New Delhi -110 055
and published by S. Chand & Company Pvt. Ltd., 7361, Ram Nagar, New Delhi -110 055.
 Preface to the Third Edition
The demand for and reliance on soft skills is on the increase due to constant change in the work
environment, customer-driven market, information-based economy and globalization.
Soft skills are not a replacement for hard or technical-skills. In fact they are complementary to
each other and serve to unlock the potential of people blessed with hard skills.
The development of soft skills in this market is important when there is intense competition
for many available positions. The ability to develop and use soft skills can make the difference
between the achiever and the non-achiever.
For years together the focus of management was on hard skills. The emphasis was centred
on the technical skills necessary to effectively perform. These skills tended to be more job-specific
or more closely related to the actual task being performed.
Today, employers want managers with the critical soft skills. These are skills key to effective
performance across all job categories. And these soft skills have come to play an even more crucial
role in management positions in todays environment. As the world has changed and the nature of
work has changed, the skill set required of managers has changed.
Soft skills refer to abilities that make people better employees and open doors for many
opportunities, that are not directly related to the subject matter for their jobs. In other words, soft
skills refer to a persons ability to relate to others, to get himself/herself and others organized, to
communicate in written, spoken or other forms.
Soft skills are learning to do your best at any job, no matter what that specific job might be.
Todays business is all about people. It is about communication, relationships and about
presenting yourself, your company and your ideas in the most positive and impactful way. Many
business people like to think that success is based on logical, rational thoughts and acts, but it is also
to be remembered that the human element is as important as the skills mentioned above. That is
why a strong soft skills set is considered to be very important.
Dr. K. ALEX
Mobile: 094425-14814
E-mail: alexkrr2002@yahoo.co.in
Disclaimer : While the author of this book has made every effort to avoid any mistakes or omissions and has used his skill,
expertise and knowledge to the best of his capacity to provide accurate and updated information, the author and the publisher
do not give any representation or warranty with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this publication and
are selling this publication on the condition and understanding that they shall not be made liable in any manner whatsoever. The
publisher and the author expressly disclaim all and any liability/responsibility to any person, whether a purchaser or reader of
this publication or not, in respect of anything and everything forming part of the contents of this publication. The publisher shall
not be responsible for any errors, omissions or damages arising out of the use of the information contained in this publication.
Further, the appearance of the personal name, location, place and incidence, if any; in the illustrations used herein is purely
coincidental and work of imagination. Thus the same should in no manner be termed as defamatory to any individual.

(v)
 Acknowledgements
I would like to take this opportunity to thank a few people who helped me make this dream a
reality. Firstly, my wife who worked overtime to look after the family as I was busy with this book. I
thank my children who had to forego their fun and frolic staying at home almost on all holidays for
a year as I was not available to them.
I would also like to thank my father, mother, brothers and sisters who had been a source of
inspiration, thus rendering me sufficient input to get this book ready.
I express my heartfelt thanks to Dr. A. John Peter who had been with me at all stages helping
in bringing out this book.
A special word of thanks to the Jesuit Management of St. Josephs College, Tiruchirapalli for
their sustained effort and encouragement in all that I have been doing. I would like to thank Prof.
Garnet Fernadez and Bro. Amarnath for carrying out the task of proofreading. I also place on record
my sincere thanks to AB Colors, Tiruchirapalli, for the DTP work.
Finally I would like to thank the Management and the Editorial Team of S. Chand and Company
Pvt. Ltd., for helping me take this book to you. But for them, this knowledge would have remained
unshared.
*** Disclaimer
I have used some texts and exercises that either were given to me during the training programmes
attended at regular intervals, by trainers, or received from various group members like HR India,
Leadership Groups, Hum aur Tum, Touch n Inspire, Nubia, of yahoo, for which the source is untraceable.
I would like to acknowledge the original authors of those texts and exercises, but unfortunately,
I am unable to locate the original sources. I would also like to acknowledge the various websites
for the pictorial illustrations that I have used in this text. Subject to objections raised from any of
the sources, I would most willingly acknowledge the use of the material explicitly or withdraw the
same as the case may be.
Dr. K. ALEX

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 Contents
1. Soft Skills 1 12
Introduction - What are soft skills ? Importance of soft skills Selling your soft
skills Attributes regarded as soft skills Soft skills Social - Soft skills Thinking
- Soft skills Negotiating Exhibiting your soft skills Identifying your soft skills
Improving your soft skills Will formal training enhance your soft skills Soft
Skills training Train yourself Top 60 soft skills Practicing soft skills Measuring
attitude.
Exercise : Measure your soft skills

2. Know Thyself / Self-Discovery 13 19

Introduction - Importance of knowing yourself - Process of knowing yourself -
SWOT analysis - Benefits of SWOT analysis - Using SWOT analysis - SWOT analysis
grid - Questions to complete the grid.
Exercise : Know yourself

3. Developing Positive Attitude 20 32

Introduction - Meaning - Features of attitudes - Attitude and behaviour - Formation
of attitudes - Change of attitudes - What can you do to change attitude? - Ways
of changing attitude in a person - Attitude in a workplace - The power of positive
attitude - Developing positive attitude - Obstacles in developing positive attitude
- Staying positive - Examples of positive attitudes - Positive attitude and its results
- Staying negative - Examples of negative attitude - Overcoming negative attitude
- Negative attitude and its results.
Exercise : Measure your attitude

4. Forming Values 33 48
Introduction - Meaning - What is a value ? - A core of values - Values relating
to education - Values relating to self and others - Values relating to civic

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 responsibilities - Values and attitudes - Importance of values - Formation of values
- Types of values - Terminal and instrumental values - Power of values - Personal
values - Cultural values - Social values - Valuessome examples. Exercise : Identify
your values

5. Improving Perception 49 59
Introduction- Meaning - Factors influencing perception - Perceptual process -
Improving perception - Perception and its application in organisations.
Exercise : Test your perception

6. Career Planning 60 69
Introduction - Benefits of career planning - Guidelines for choosing a career -
Myths about choosing a career - Tips for successful career planning - Developing
career goals - Final thoughts on career planning - Things one should know while
starting carrer and during his carrer.
Exercise: Test your career interests

7. Art of Listening 70 77
Introduction - What is listening? - Two ears, one mouth - Benefits of active
listening - Kinds of listening - Factors that hamper listening - Common poor
listening habits - Advantages of active listening - Listening tips.

8. Art of Reading 78 90
Introduction - Reading is a cognitive process - Good readers are what they read
- Benefits of reading - Different types of reading - Tips for effective reading - The
SQ3R technique - Different stages of reading - Rates of reading - Determining a
students reading rate - Adjusting reading rate - Activities for increasing reading
rate - Problems with reading - Becoming an effective reader.
Exercise : Test your reading skills

9. Art of Speaking 91 105

Introduction - What makes communication important? - Defining communication
- Special features of communication - Communication process - Channels of
communication - Formal communication network - Informal communication
network (grapevine communication) - Importance of communication - Barriers
to communication - Tips for effective communication - Converstion tips - What
is presentation? - Tips for powerful presentation - Art of public speaking -
Importance of public speaking - Benefits of public speaking - Public speaking
tips - Over coming fear of public sheaking.

10. Art of Writing 106 111

Introduction - Importance of writing - Creative writing - Writing tips - Drawbacks
of written communication.
Exercise : Test your handwriting

11. Art of Writing E-mail 112 119

Introduction : The mail magic - Use appropriate salutations - Make the subject
matter significant - Keep a dictionary close by - Use commas - Use smileys - When

(viii)
 in doubt, preface - Include previous message - Shorten the file attachments
- Reread before pressing the send button - Be polite, and reciprocate good
deeds - Anticipate, empathize, understand - What netiquette?

12. Body Language 120 137

Introduction - Body talk - Voluntary and involuntary body language - Forms of
body language - Parts of body language - Origin of body language - Uses of body
language - Body language in building interpersonal relations - Body language in
building industrial relations - Reasons to study body language - Improving your
body language - Types of body language - Gender differences - Female interest
and body language - Shaking hands with women - Interpreting body language -
Developing confidence with correct body language.

13. Team Building and Teamwork 138 150

Introduction - Meaning - Aspects of team building - Skills needed for teamwork
- A model of team building - Team Vs Group - Characteristics of effective team -
Role of a team leader - Role of team members - Nine persons a successful team
should have - Inter-group collaboration - Advantages of inter-group collaboration
- Difficulties faced in inter-group collaboration - Factors shaping inter-group
collaboration.
Exercise : Test your teamwork skills

14. Group Discussion 151 165

Introduction - Meaning of GD - Why group discussion? - Characters tested in a
GD - Tips on GD - Types of GD - Skills required in a GD - Consequences of GD -
Behaviour in a GD - Essential elements of GD - Different characters in GD - Traits
tested in a GD - GD etiquette - Areas to be concentrated while preparing for a
GD - Initiating a GD - Techniques to initiate a GD - Non-verbal communication in
GD - Movement and gestures to be avoided in a GD - Topics for GD.

15. Etiquette and Manners 166 186

Etiquette
Introduction - Modern etiquette - Benefits of etiquette - Classification of etiquette
- Accompanying women - Taboo topics - Proposing the toast.
Manners
Introduction - Poor manners noticed in youth - Why should you practice good
manners? - Practicing good manners - Manners at the wheel: Driving - Manners
in the flight - Respecting the sacred : Visiting holy places - Dealing with the
challenged - Attending funeral - Professional manners - Social skills (manners)
- Getting along with people - Manners to get respect from others - To sum up -
Corporate grooming tips - Mind your mobile manners - Annoying office habits.
Exercise 1 : Test your etiquette
Exercise 2 : Test your manners

16. Preparing CV / Resum 187 206

Introduction - Meaning - Difference among Bio-data, CV and Resume - The terms
- The purpose of CV writing - Types of resumes - Interesting facts about resume
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