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Significance of soft skills for millennials in today’s world

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Soft skills are known by different names globally. People are often confused with communication skills, emotional intelligence, life skills, and people skills to name a few. Additionally, they are known by different names in some countries. But basically, soft skills are the skills, abilities, and traits of personality, attitude, and behavior. They make a difference in personal, professional, and social life. They help people grab employment opportunities and stay in a job for a longer duration with pleasing and polite behavior. 

Soft Skills

The skills and abilities essential for students who pass out from educational institutions to get adjusted to the industrial front that is more especially connected to communication skills are known as soft skills. These are known as social skills, people skills, and emotional intelligence. 

These are also known as life skills.  Soft skills are all about anything other than domain knowledge.  They are also about interpersonal relations, the attitude to develop as an individual, and, above all, the personal grooming to face challenges in day-to-day life in the corporate world. 

With the changing business environment, the competition for job acquisition and job sustainability is intensifying. To get an edge over others in the competitive market, students must complement their hard skills with soft skills to exhibit their real potential. While hard skills are academic skills, knowledge, experience, and level of expertise, soft skills are self-developed, interactive, communication, human, and transferable skills. 

To survive in today’s challenging global environment, most employers focus on employing, retaining, and promoting people who are dependable, resourceful, ethical, self-directed, have effective communication, willing to work and learn with a positive, right, and strong attitude. 

Soft vs. Hard Skills

Soft skills are different from hard skills. Hard skills are technical skills and domain skills while soft skills are non-domain skills. Hard skills are tangible that are measurable and quantifiable while soft skills are intangible that cannot be easily measured and quantified. Hard skills are about what you speak while soft skills are about how you speak with others. 

Soft skills are a polite and pleasing way of communicating with others while hard skills are what you contribute to the workplace.  Soft skills complement your hard skills. Precisely, soft skills are a presentation of your hard skills in the workplace. Soft skills are interpersonal skills while hard skills are job-related skills. 

If hard skills are infrastructure soft skills are superstructure. If hard skills are the foundation soft skills are the cement. A judicious blend of both hard and soft skills is essential to achieve your professional success and fast-track your career. 

You can find hard skills on a resume while you can find soft skills during the employment interview. Hard skills get you an interview while soft skills help you get your employment. Hence, both hard and soft skills are essential to get a job. After joining employment, soft skills help you survive in the workplace while hard skills help you prove yourself professionally. Hence, blending both hard and skills is imperative in the workplace.

“Your sucess in your career will be in direct proportion to what you do after you’ve done what you are expected to do.” – Brian Tracy

According to Anthony Robbins, there is a famous story told about Tom Watson, the founder of IBM. One of his subordinates had made a terrible mistake that had cost the company ten million dollars. He was called into Watson’s office and said, “I suppose you want my resignation.”

Watson looked at him and said, “Are you kidding? We just spent ten million dollars educating you.” Tom Watson emphasized the importance of costly corporate education with his soft skills. Similarly, one of the technicians in the Indian Air Force made a blunder resulting in the crash of military aircraft that had cost hugely with the pilot ejecting out safely with his parachute. 

The technician was called into the commander’s office and the commander looked at the technician and said, “Indian Air Force invested huge money to train you in aircraft. Remember, military education is very costly.”  Hence, you can understand the significance of soft skills in expressing hard skills in a positive, polite, pleasing, and polished manner.

It is easy to measure hard skills while it is hard to measure soft skills. It is easy to teach hard skills while it is hard to teach soft skills. Usually, teachers teach hard skills while trainers train soft skills. Since soft skills are behavioral skills, it requires extra efforts on the part of trainers to use various tools and techniques including interaction, role-plays, active participation, and experiential learning to bring out the desired behavioral changes in the participants.  

Soft Skills for Millennials

Millennials need soft skills along with hard skills. Most millennials are busy with their smartphones with less interaction with others. Hence, they must acquire soft skills to get along with others. 

The older generations had more physical interaction and developed soft skills. But the millennials must work hard to acquire soft skills the way they acquire hard skills. A proportional mix of hard and soft skills is essential to achieving professional success and a fast-track career

Millennials are brilliant. They are updated with the latest technology and are aware of leveraging technology effectively. But most of them are addicted to technology. They associate less with others leading to social challenges because they don’t know how to get along with others. They use more of their brain than brawn because they hardly focus on physical activities leading to health challenges. 

How to Acquire Soft Skills?

You can acquire soft skills by various means including observation, reading, training, experience, and practice. Soft skills training equips you with skills, abilities, and knowledge. 

However, your interaction with others helps acquire soft skills greatly. Since soft skills are behavioral skills, people must learn by trial and method by using their emotional intelligence, and through flexibility and adaptability. You must be practical, realistic, and situational to acquire soft skills. Above all, you must learn from your failures to improve your behavior to jell well with others effectively. 

To improve soft skills, you must develop emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills. You must observe and understand people and their behaviors. Travel to unknown destinations to understand people. Talk to them to get along with them. 

Understand their cultures and behaviors. Traveling teaches tolerance and improves soft skills. When you travel to unknown destinations and communicate in a non-native language, you will be able to improve your soft skills effectively. 

Final Thoughts

The professional world of learning and development has undergone tremendous change in the 21st century. Gone are the days when all sectors underscored technical skills alone.  Currently, there is a change in the mindset of companies to highlight hard and soft skills. Companies search for a perfect blend of both soft and hard skills among employees to deliver goods and services effectively to their clients. To conclude, both hard and soft skills are essential to achieving professional success. Hence, blend them judiciously to fast-track your career.

Professor M.S. Rao, Ph. D., is a 21st-century Philosopher and the Father of “Soft Leadership.” He is an International Leadership Guru and the Founder of MSR Leadership Consultants, India. He has forty-four years of diversified experience, including military, and is the author of fifty-four books, including the award-winning See the Light in You.

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Personal Development

These 11 Habits Will Make You More Productive, Successful, and Confident

Boost your focus, confidence, and results with 11 powerful habits successful people use every day.

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how to build self-confidence through action
Image Credit: Midjourney

Successful people love to help beginners. They have an incredible work ethic and rarely complain. As a result, others naturally look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps.

But here’s the truth: there’s no success without sacrifice. You’ll need to give up comfort, excuses, and sometimes even social approval to accomplish your goals.

Value comes from solving problems, and these 11 powerful tips will help you become more productive, successful, and confident, starting today.

1. Take Short Breaks After Finishing a Task

Psychology shows it’s important to reward positive behaviour.

After completing a big task or finishing a book, take five minutes to walk, stretch, or simply breathe. This quick reset helps your brain recharge and strengthens focus.

Many great writers swear by morning walks, solitude, and reflection can unlock creativity.

But if you refuse to take breaks, don’t be surprised when burnout hits. Your brain needs recovery time just as much as your body does.

2. Schedule Your Most Important Tasks First

Multitasking kills productivity. If you want to get more done, try time blocking, a method where you dedicate set periods for specific tasks.

Productivity expert Caitlin Hughes explains, “Time blocking involves scheduling blocks of time for your tasks throughout the day.”

For example, if you’re a writer:

  • Research your topic at night.

  • Write your first draft in the morning (don’t worry if it’s rough).

  • Edit in the afternoon, great writing comes from rewriting.

You can’t buy more time. Use it intentionally and without regret.

3. Eliminate Distractions from Your Workspace

Focus is the foundation of success.

According to Inc. Magazine, it takes an average of 23 minutes to recover from a distraction. That’s nearly half an hour of lost productivity every time you check your phone.

Put your phone away. Close unnecessary tabs. And yes, limit your Netflix binges.

Meeting deadlines consistently is one of the fastest ways to stand out and earn respect.

4. Take Full Responsibility for Your Life

Entrepreneur Derek Sivers once said, “Everything is my fault.”

This mindset doesn’t mean self-blame; it means self-ownership. Stop pointing fingers, making excuses, or waiting for others to change.

If your habits (like smoking or drinking too much) hold you back, it’s time to make better choices. Your friends can’t live your dreams for you; only you can.

5. Invest an Hour a Day in Learning New Skills

Knowledge compounds over time.

Whether you read books, take online courses, or practise a craft, consistent learning gives you a competitive edge.

I used to struggle with academic writing, but I improved by studying the work of great authors and applying what I learned.

Your past doesn’t define you; your actions do. Every new skill adds another tool to your arsenal and makes you more unstoppable.

6. Develop a Growth Mindset

Psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck introduced the concept of fixed vs. growth mindset.

  • A fixed mindset believes success is based on natural talent.

  • A growth mindset believes success comes from effort and learning.

Choose the growth mindset. Embrace challenges. See failures as feedback. In today’s fast-moving digital world, adaptability is your biggest advantage.

7. Learn Marketing to Reach People Who Need You

I once believed marketing was manipulative, until I realised it’s about helping people solve problems.

If your work provides genuine value, marketing is how you let others know it exists. Even Apple spends billions on it.

Don’t be ashamed to promote your skills or business. Without visibility, your ideas will never reach the people who need them most.

Creative professionals who understand marketing and sales have an unfair advantage.

8. Ask Your Mentor the Right Questions

Good mentors can fast-track your growth.

While mentorship often costs money, it’s one of the best investments you can make. Great mentors don’t care about titles; they care about your progress.

If you don’t have access to a mentor yet, books are your silent mentors. Read the best in your field, take notes, and apply what resonates.

9. Build Confidence Through Action, Not Affirmations

Author Ryan Holiday once said, “I don’t believe in myself. I have evidence.”

Confidence doesn’t come from shouting affirmations into the mirror; it comes from proof. Doing hard things, keeping promises to yourself, and following through.

When you consistently take action, your brain gathers evidence that you can handle whatever comes next. That’s real confidence, grounded, earned, and unshakable.

10. Focus on Your Strengths

Your strengths reveal where your greatest impact lies.

If people compliment you on something often, it’s a clue. Lean into it.

A former professor once told me I was creative, and that simple comment gave me the confidence to go all in. I studied creativity, applied it daily, and turned it into my career advantage.

Double down on your strengths. That’s how you build momentum and mastery.

11. Identify and Challenge Your Limiting Beliefs

Your beliefs shape your reality.

For years, I believed I couldn’t be a great writer because of my chronic tinnitus and astigmatism, sensory challenges that made concentration difficult. But over time, I realised those struggles made me more disciplined, observant, and empathetic.

Your limitations can become your greatest motivators if you let them.

Avoid shortcuts. Growth takes time, but it’s always worth it.

Final Thoughts

Becoming productive, successful, and confident isn’t about working harder than everyone else. It’s about working smarter, consistently, and intentionally.

You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Start small: take a break after your next task, schedule your priorities, or spend one hour learning something new.

Every habit you change compounds into long-term success. Remember, true change comes from practising new behaviours.

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Change Your Mindset

7 Goal-Setting Mistakes That Are Secretly Sabotaging Your Success

Struggling to hit your goals? Avoid these mistakes and start winning faster.

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how to set goals and achieve them
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I coach ambitious, high-potential people who want to perform better at work and in life. And one of the most common topics that comes up? Goal setting. (more…)

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Change Your Mindset

Why Ideas Are More Valuable Than Resources for Entrepreneurial Success

Discover why ideas, not resources, are the true driving force behind entrepreneurial success, innovation, and lasting growth.

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Power of ideas in entrepreneurship
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History shows us that the greatest minds, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, Walt Disney, Stephen King, and countless others, faced failure early on. Yet, instead of seeing failure as the end, they treated it as a comma in their story, not a full stop. (more…)

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Personal Development

Discipline Creates Freedom: Why Systems Make Success Sustainable

Discipline over motivation is the key to consistent progress.

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Discipline over motivation
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Most people believe success comes down to motivation. They wait for inspiration, wait until they feel ready, and then wonder why progress stalls. (more…)

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