Communication skills include the mix of verbal, interpersonal and physical strategies needed to interact confidently and effectively with a range of audiences.  A skilful communicator draws on a number of different means (e.g., graphical, visual, statistical, audio-visual and technological) to get the point across.

Effective oral communication skills help people to:

• improve their own academic performance;
• increase their employment options;
• enhance their subsequent professional competence; and
• improve their own personal effectiveness.

Employers place a high value on good oral communication because:

• staff need to interact effectively and productively in, and on behalf of, the organisation;
• listening to and conveying information accurately are crucial;
• giving instructions and explanations clearly are essential; and
• engaging in constructive debate and contributing to meetings and committees are fundamental to the success of the organisation.

“Employers see communication skills as critical to customer service and workplace harmony, effective operations and productivity.”, Business Council of Australia and Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. (2002). Employability Skills for the Future.

Research has found that the important elements of communication identified by small, medium and large enterprises are:

• listening and understanding;
• speaking clearly and directly;
• writing to the needs of the audience;
• negotiating responsively;
• reading independently;
• empathising;
• using numeracy effectively;
• understanding the needs of internal and external customers;
• persuading effectively;
• establishing and using networks;
• being assertive;
• sharing information; and
• speaking and writing in languages other than English.

To enhance your understanding of oral communication have a look at our Business Communication Course.

Ref: The Griffith Graduate Site, Oral Communication Toolkit

Soft skills refer to a very diverse range of abilities such as:

• Self-awareness
• Analytical thinking
• Leadership skills
• Team-building skills
• Flexibility
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Creativity
• Problem-solving skills
• Listening skills
• Diplomacy
• Change-readiness

Many people often refer to ‘soft skills’ as ‘people skills’ or ‘emotional intelligence’. Hard skills are the technical abilities required to do a job or perform a task: essentially they are acquired through training and education programs, like those offered by Learn Skills.

Importance of Soft Skills

According to psychologist Daniel Coleman, a combination of competencies that contribute to a person’s ability to manage his or herself and relate to other people-matters twice as much as IQ or technical skills in job success.

Results of a recent studies on the importance of soft skills indicated that the single most important soft skill for a job candidate to possess was interpersonal skills, followed by written or verbal communication skills and the ability to work under pressure.

A constantly changing work environment – due to technology, customer-driven markets, an knowledge-based economy and globalisation that are currently impacting on the structure of the workplace and leading to an increased reliance on, and demand for, soft skills.

Soft skills are not a replacement for hard- or technical-skills. They are, in many instances, complementary, and serve to unlock the potential for highly effective performance in people qualified with the requisite hard skills.

Learn Skills provides a comprehensive range of soft-skill courses for employees who want to enhance their work performance and improve their employability.

Reference: sitagita.com