This document discusses soft skills and related topics such as communication skills, interpersonal skills, time management, and personal grooming. It defines soft skills as non-technical, personality-specific skills that are crucial for career success, as opposed to hard skills which are more technical in nature. The document provides details on various types of communication, barriers to effective communication, and rules for verbal and written communication. It also discusses body language, listening skills, time management, dress and grooming etiquettes, and concludes by emphasizing the importance of courteous behavior.

1. SOFT SKILLS & OTHER RELATED TOPICS
Prepared By: Ms. Dipanwita Biswas
Assistant Professor, Amity Law
School, Noida

2.  Soft Skills : ‘Soft Skills’ are essentially
people skills -the non-technical, intangible,
personality- specific skills
 Hard Skills: ‘Hard skills’, on the other hand,
are more along the lines of what might
appear on your resume - your education,
experience and level of expertise.
‘Soft Skills’ vs ‘Hard Skills’

3. While your technical skills may get your foot in
the door, your people skills are what open
most of the doors to come. Your work ethic,
your attitude, your communication skills, your
emotional intelligence and a whole host of
other personal attributes are the soft skills that
are crucial for career success.
Soft Skills

4. :
 Communication Skills - Oral & Written
 Interpersonal Skills
 Personal Grooming Initiative
 Listening Skills
 Time Management
What skills qualify as ‘Soft Skills’ (For
budding professionals)

5. Communication is the transfer of information from one person
to another
Communication Skills

6.  Verbal Communication – Key components of verbal
communication are sound, words, speaking, and language.
 Non – verbal communication (NVC) - Can be communicated
through gestures and touch, by body language or posture, by facial
expression and eye contact. NVC can be communicated through
object communication such as clothing, hairstyles or even
architecture, symbols and info graphics.
 Written Communication - Written communication entails
transmission of message in black and white. It mainly consists of
diagrams, pictures, graphs, etc. Reports, policies, rules, orders,
instructions, agreements, etc.
Types of communication

7.  Physical factors ( For e.g. Language Barrier, individual
barrier, organizational barrier, interpersonal barrier,
semantic barrier)
 Psychological factors (perception, cultural barrier,
emotions)
 Other factors
Barriers to communication

8.  Be clear in you own mind about what you
want to communicate
 Deliver the message clearly
 Ensure that the message has been clearly and
correctly understood
3 Rules of Effective Communication

9.  Think before you talk
 Know your message
 Get to the point quickly
 Know the outcome you want from the conversation
 Practice the art of persuasion
 Plan in advance what you want to say
 Know something about the people you will be talking to
Golden rules of verbal
communication

10. 1. Control fear
2. Establish eye contact with the listener
3. Find out what your listener wants
4. Listen carefully
5. Think before you talk
6. Have belief in your message
7. Use gestures effectively
How to communicate effectively?

11. 8. Pause at the right place
9. Reiterate the major points
10. Avoid acronyms and jargon
11. Handle objections
12. Ask for feedback
How to communicate effectively?

12.  Simplicity - Use simple sentence structure. Complex
sentence structure can complicate what you are trying to
say and be easily misunderstood.
 Avoid Jargon - Do not use jargon or language that only you
and select group of individuals understand. Your written
communication should be accessible to your audience, no
matter who you are communicating with. Technical
language and jargon should only be used when more
simplistic language will not suffice.
Rules for Written communication

13.  Specificity - Provide specific details whenever possible.
Avoiding writing in ambiguous or unclear details. Instead of
writing "I have a lot of experience working in this field," say
"I have worked as an engineer for three and a half years.“
 Be Conversational - Written communication is different from
academic or scholarly writing and should be more
conversational in nature
 Avoid Gendered Language - Avoid attaching a masculine or
feminine pronoun to your writing. While it is technically
sound grammar to use "he" or "his" when the gender is
unknown or when referring to a group of people, the
language may offend some people. To be on the safe side, do
not use a gendered pronoun unless you are sure of the
person's gender you are referencing.
Rules for Written communication

14.  Avoid Passive Language - Choose active verbs instead of
passive verbs to add interest to your written communication.
Write "I drove to the beach on Saturday," instead of "When I
was driving to the beach on Saturday...".
 Be Personable - If you know the person you are writing to,
acknowledge this relationship. Instead of using blanket
pronouns such as "you," use the person's name. Make the
information you include in your written communication
pertinent to the reader.
 Medium Selection - Choose the right medium for your written
communication. Whether you use email, text messaging, or a
letter depends on who you are writing to and what you are
writing about.
Rules for Written communication

15.  Appropriate Humor - Use humor in moderation, and only
when appropriate for the situation. If you are unfamiliar with
your reader, avoid making jokes so as not to offend the
reader.
 Proof Read - No matter how good at writing you may be, it is
critical to proof read your written communication. Check for
spelling or grammatical errors in your writing. Make sure that
what you have written effectively communicates the intended
message.
Rules for Written communication

16.  Email is a common means of communication for job -seekers. The
following is a list of guidelines for effective email
communication:
1. A Clear Subject Line
2. Select recipient carefully
3. The Use of Professional Salutations - When sending a
professional email it’s best to avoid greetings you use around
your friends - Introducing yourself with ‘Hey’ or ‘Yo’ is
incredibly informal; it’s not the way to introduce yourself to a
fellow colleague or professional and it is doubtful that a client
would appreciate opening an email from a professional with
such laid back language.
4. Reply To All Your Emails - Emailing back to every email can
seem like a chore, but it’s important to try.
E-mail etiquettes

17.  5. Humour can be Misinterpreted
6. Exclamation Points can be a Trap - When using exclamation
points or question marks, it’s become normal practise for most
to add more exclamation marks onto a sentence. In
conventional English punctuation, a drowning man shouts
"Help!"Repeating the same punctuation only reiterates the
same level of enthusiasm adding nothing to the context of the
conversation. In some cases it can also cause you to come across
as immature or unprofessional; in a working environment it’s
generally the best course to avoid this.
7. Cultures from Around The World Speak and Write Differently -
Cultures around the world speak and write in different ways, this
can even include how personal an email is, how short and to
point it is, or even long the email is.
E-mail etiquettes

18. 8. Use a Professional Email Address
9. Avoid Slang, Emoticons or Text Speak
10. High Priority Option - Using this option more than necessary
can be incredibly annoying, which turns into a problem when, in
the future, you do have high priority emails to send out and
people won’t take your emails seriously.
11. Short, to the Point Emails
12. Use a spelling and grammar checker; if one is not included in
the email client, write the email in a word processing application,
check it, and then paste the document into the email.
13. Use proper grammar, punctuation, and capitalization; do not
write in all uppercase or all lowercase letters.
E-mail etiquettes

19.  Reading Body Language:
Head Position
 Movement and Position:
 Nodding: Nodding typically indicates agreement. The speed of the
nod, however, indicates different things. A slow nod can be a sign of
interest or a polite, fake signal. Look to other eyes for confirmation.
A fast nod signals impatience with the speaker.
 Head up: This position indicates that the person is listening without
bias.
 Head down: This position indicates disinterest or rejection for what
is said. When done during an activity, it signals weakness or
tiredness.
 Tilted to the side: This means a person is thoughtful or vulnerable. It
can signal trust.
Communication beyond words..

20. Reading Body Language ( Head Position):
 Head high: Holding the head high signals confidence or feelings of
superiority.
 Chin up: The chin up indicates defiance or confidence.
 Head forward: Facing someone directly indicates interest. It is a
positive signal.
 Tilted down: Tilting the head down signals disapproval.
 Shaking: A shaking head indicates disagreement. The faster the
shaking, the stronger the disagreement.
Communication beyond words..

21.  Pointing finger: This is an aggressive movement. When a wink is
added, however, it is a positive confirmation of an individual.
 Finger moves side to side: This motion acts as a warning to stop
something.
 Finger moves up and down: This acts as a reprimand or places
emphasis on what is said.
 Thumbs up: Thumbs up is a sign of approval.
 Thumbs down: This is a sign of disapproval.
 Touch index finger to thumb: The sign indicates OK.
Translating Gestures into Words

22.  Closed body language:
 Arms crossed: This stance is often defensive or hostile.
 Legs crossed when seated: Cross legs can indicate caution. One leg
over the other at the knee may indicate stubbornness.
 Arm or object in front of the body: This can coincide with nervousness
and is a form of self-protection.
 Legs crossed when standing: This may mean someone is insecure
when combined with crossed arms. By itself, it can signal interest.
Open body language:
 Legs not crossed: This is an open, relaxed position.
 Arms not crossed: Open arms indicate openness; although the hands
may indicate aggression, supplication, or insecurity, depending on
their position.
Open Vs. Closed Body Language

23.  Looking to the left: Eyes in this direction can mean someone is remembering
something. Combined with a downward look, it indicates the self-
communication. When looking up, it means facts are being recalled.
 Sideways: Looking sideways means someone is conjuring sounds. Right, is
associated with imagination, and may mean a story. Left is accessing
memory.
 Looking to the right: Looks to the right indicates imagination. It can mean
guessing or lying. Combined with looking down, it means there is a self-
question. Combined with looking up, it can mean lying.
 Direct eye contact: When speaking, this means sincerity and honesty. When
listening, it indicates interest.
 Wide eyes: Widening eyes signal interest.
 Rolled eyes: Rolled eyes mean frustration. They can be considered a sign of
hostility.
 Blinking: Frequent blinking indicates excitement. Infrequent blinking signals
a boredom or concentration, depending focus.
 Winking: A wink is a friendly gesture or secret joke.
 Rubbing eyes: Rubbing eyes may be caused by tiredness. It can also indicate
disbelief or being disturbed.
The Eyes Have It

24. Poor Posture - Posture can lead to unfair judgments and
prejudices. Often, poor posture is seen as a closed body
language that people assume is caused by a lack of confidence.
 Invading Personal Space - Invading personal space is seen as an
act of hostility.
 Quick Movements - Quick movements may be interpreted as a
sign of nervousness. They may, however, be used to draw
attention to specific information when speaking.
 Fidgeting - Most people fidget from time to time. In interviews
and social settings, fidgeting can indicate nervousness,
boredom, frustration, stress, or self-consciousness.
Major mistakes

25. 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

26.  Interpersonal skills are all about working with other people.
 In a business setting, the term generally refers to an
employees ability to get along with others while performing
his job Interpersonal skills are actually characteristic traits like
Manners, attitude, courtesy, habits, behavior and appearance
which helps us to communicate and maintain relationship
with others
WHY IS INTERPERSONAL SKILL
NEEDED?

27. WHY IS INTERPERSONAL SKILL
NEEDED?

28.  The first impression of any individual is created by external
appearance. Even products are thoughtfully packed for
instant appeal. It is imperative that we take utmost care of
our appearance; of which our clothes and grooming are an
integral part.
 One should be appropriately dressed for any occasion. Care
should be taken that one is neither over or under dressed.
 Bright, gaudy colours should be avoided and pastels should be
preferred.
 For girls handbags have to be neatly organized, in order to
avoid spilling things in others presence, also they shouldn’t be
too huge tacky looking.
Dress and Grooming

29.  Makeup shouldn’t be too loud and colours have
to suit one’s skin colour and dress
 Hair should be neatly tied or cut.
 Men should also take care to wear matching
shirts with trousers. Shirts should be lighter than
the suit and the tie darker than the shirt.Pastels
should be preferred over bright colours.
Dress and Grooming

30.  Belts should match shoes. Shoes should be polished and should
be in shape.Shoes should be either brown or black and white
clothes should be strictly avoided.
 Wear a watch that reflects your personality.
 Personal hygiene should be maintained. Nails should be
clipped. Garish/gaudy nail enamel should be banned.
Dress and Grooming

31.  Be patient
 Maintain eye contact
 Listen for feelings as well a s meanings
 Clarify with questions
 Be interested in speaker and show it
 Note non-verbal behaviour
 Do not interrupt the speaker
 Read between the lines
 Try to use non- verbal clues ( nodding, saying Hmm etc.)
Listening Skills
(Keys to become a good listener)

32.  Prioritize Tasks
 Learn to Say ‘No’ in a Diplomatic Way
 Use of a To-Do List Helps a Lot
 Give time to yourself
 Complete most difficult task first
 Stay organized
Time Management Skills

34.  It is said that, "Handsome is what handsome does". It is
important to be physically appealing but it is of no use unless it is
complemented with courteous behavior. As Erastus
 Wiman says, "Nothing is ever lost by courtesy. It is the cheapest
of the pleasures, costs nothing and conveys much. It pleases him
who gives and him who receives and thus, like mercy, it is twice
blessed.“
 Conversations should be sprinkled with words like Thank you,
Please, Excuse me.
 Try to maintain eye contact with as many people as possible
while conversing.
 After all, being courteous is nothing but being honest, fair,
putting others before oneself and being accountable.
Conclusion