In the modern business landscape, managers are expected to balance multiple roles. In additional to their day-to-day operational duties, they are responsible for building team morale, creating collaboration, coaching and mentoring their teams and dealing with a whole host of employee issues. Managers are often promoted to their role due to their high levels of technical skills and knowledge. Whilst that expertise remains important, developing soft skills is essential for managers to excel in their roles and effectively manage people.
What Are Soft Skills?
In an article published by Forbes, soft skills are described as, “a set of personal attributes and abilities that allow individuals to effectively interact with others in a professional setting”. Soft skills, which are also often described as people skills, might include:
- Communication
- Emotional Intelligence
- Leadership
- Conflict Resolution
- Adaptability
- Problem-Solving
- Collaboration
- Consistency
- Honesty
While these skills are largely intangible, their impact on managerial effectiveness is profound. For a manager to be able to positively impact on the performance of their team, they must be able to communicate openly and clearly, navigate challenges, set the right example and be approachable.
Why Are Soft Skills Important for Managers?
Enhancing Communication
One of the key roles of a manager is to ensure that communication flows smoothly within their team and across the wider business. Ineffective communication can lead to work not being completed, work being duplicated, missed deadlines, and frustration among team members.
Managers who have strong communication skills can clearly set out their expectations, provide clear feedback to their team, and hold open and honest discussions in a professional manner. They also actively listen and encourage their team to feedback back to them so that everyone has a voice and feels valued. By communicating effectively a manager creates a culture of transparency and trust within their team, which is essential for a productive workplace.
Building Stronger Teams
Team dynamics are a key driver of success in any organisation. Managers with well-developed soft skills can create an inclusive, collaborative environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas, giving feedback, and supporting each other.
Managers who are able to display skills in leadership and emotional intelligence can develop a sense of belonging and unity among their team. This not only improves team spirit but also enhances team performance as staff are more engaged and therefore more focussed and productive.
Improving Conflict Resolution
On occasions, conflict will arise in the workplace because when you are dealing with people then it is inevitable that a disagreement between colleagues will occur or there will be some sort of other issue between staff. Conflicts can be extremely disruptive to a workplace and can negatively impact team dynamics if not addressed properly.
Managers who have strong conflict resolution skills can defuse tensions before they escalate. These managers understand how to approach situations with empathy and fairness, ensuring that all parties involved feel heard and respected. Being proactive in this manner leads to quicker resolutions and prevents conflicts from getting out of hand and causing lasting damage to team relationships or productivity. Too often managers without, or with poor, conflict resolution skills will avoid these tough conversations and that simply exacerbates the problems.
Promoting Adaptability and Innovation
Businesses and their managers need to be adaptable. Whether that is embracing new technologies, dealing with shifts in their operating environments, or unexpected disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic. Managers therefore need to show that they can operate with agility and adapt their style to suit various scenarios.
Managers who are adaptable are also good problem solvers. They are calm under pressure, they provide reassurance to their teams and staff then feel confident that their manager will guide them through periods of uncertainty
Creating Employee Engagement and Retention
Employee engagement is closely linked to job satisfaction and productivity. Managers who build strong relationships with their teams and create a positive, supportive environment are more likely to have engaged employees. This, in turn, boosts retention rates, which is critical for reducing the costs associated with employee turnover.
Soft skills play a central role in this. Managers who can recognise and address the emotional needs of their team, provide constructive feedback, and support professional development are more likely to retain top talent. Furthermore, an engaged workforce is more motivated and committed to achieving organisational goals.
Developing Soft Skills
Employees will have different levels of competency when it comes to soft skills and it is therefore vital that businesses identify areas for development in order to upskill their managers. A skills audit is a great way to start so that a business can identify existing skills. Where there is then a need for development this can then be supported through numerous interventions including workshops, one-on-one coaching, webinars and specific training courses. Investing in these areas not only leads to better team performance but also enhances overall company culture and long-term success.
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Why not also check out our blog on a similar topic The Benefits Of Employee Training
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