In today's ICE Age i.e. Information ,Communication and Entertainment Age, where knowledge and wisdom are readily available, it has become increasingly pertinent to equip oneself with soft skills or simply stating interpersonal skills which have become much more important than any hard skills(ability to perform tasks and activities) that one may have.
Soft Skills are behavioural competencies and include proficiencies such as communication skills, conflict resolution and negotiation, personal effectiveness, creative problem solving, strategic thinking, team building, influencing skills, selling skills etc.
A lot has already been spoken about soft skills, do's and dont's, but I am writing on this subject based upon personal experiences with people. Experience is a funny thing. It is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted and is often the most valuable thing one has to offer. I am writing this based upon few of my best experiences on the usage of savoir-faire or the lack of it by either myself or by people around me.
Soft skills Lesson 1.
Brevity : the soul of wit
When Shakespeare wrote this meaningful line in The Hamlet, it seems, he conveniently ignored people's love for talking. On top of it if he were to observe the world today and witness people's penchant for saying something again and again(probably believing that it would create a better impact), he must ceaselessly churn in his grave.
Cut to Northwick Park Hospital
Anxiety prevailed our faces, me and hubby dearest were pushing our buggy into the main reception of the hospital. An earnest call from a senior doctor requiring urgent blood tests for the little one had hassled us. He was not happy with the sample taken earlier as it showed lower blood caplets. There were two possibilities. One, the blood caplet count was actually low. Two, insufficient sample taken for the previous tests, which sometimes provides erroneous reports. The doctor was positive that it would be the second reason. We dreaded the first.
The entrance to the paediatric ward was adjacent to a glass window, inside which a team of receptionists was seated. They were approached by all the people coming in. Since we didn't have anything to do with the general ward and the door to paediatrics was open ,we walked through. (Probably, in situations like these, it is best to ask).
As we marched ahead, a young lady, apparently, one of the receptionists, came running behind us and shall I say, started enquiring, in a very loud manner about the purpose of our visit. Hubby explained the reason for our tarriance. She calmed a bit. Then as if had an afterthought and decided to yammer "You cannot enter the premises without informing one of our teams." We realised our mistake and duly apologised. She asked us to follow her to the reception so that she could do the entry. We did. While walking back, she muttered " You shouldn't have gone in without permission." I apologised again.
We reached her desk. As she was settling in her chair, she probably decided to whine a bit more. "No one enters here without permission." She took the child's details and remarked, "It is wrong to enter without letting us know." Her constant attempts to make us feel remorseful were getting on our nerves. She asked our postal address and repeated, "Whenever you come to the hospital, you first come to this desk"
Hubby (an otherwise calm and composed gentleman) had had enough of it . He rejoined, "Madam, with due respect, your point is taken and we have given our sincere apologies. Now, will you stop harping on the same fact and allow us to take the baby to the doctor. Not to be outdone, she responded "No need to take offence. I am just explaining you the rules." Knowingly or unknowingly she explained the 'Rules' a bit too many times undermining the weight of her own words.
This reminds me of childhood days when our mum would keep saying that kids don't listen and one look from dad was enough for us to toe the line. Even in spirituality, they say, the fewer words, the better prayer. Probably, God also agrees with Shakespeare !!!
The entrance to the paediatric ward was adjacent to a glass window, inside which a team of receptionists was seated. They were approached by all the people coming in. Since we didn't have anything to do with the general ward and the door to paediatrics was open ,we walked through. (Probably, in situations like these, it is best to ask).
As we marched ahead, a young lady, apparently, one of the receptionists, came running behind us and shall I say, started enquiring, in a very loud manner about the purpose of our visit. Hubby explained the reason for our tarriance. She calmed a bit. Then as if had an afterthought and decided to yammer "You cannot enter the premises without informing one of our teams." We realised our mistake and duly apologised. She asked us to follow her to the reception so that she could do the entry. We did. While walking back, she muttered " You shouldn't have gone in without permission." I apologised again.
We reached her desk. As she was settling in her chair, she probably decided to whine a bit more. "No one enters here without permission." She took the child's details and remarked, "It is wrong to enter without letting us know." Her constant attempts to make us feel remorseful were getting on our nerves. She asked our postal address and repeated, "Whenever you come to the hospital, you first come to this desk"
Hubby (an otherwise calm and composed gentleman) had had enough of it . He rejoined, "Madam, with due respect, your point is taken and we have given our sincere apologies. Now, will you stop harping on the same fact and allow us to take the baby to the doctor. Not to be outdone, she responded "No need to take offence. I am just explaining you the rules." Knowingly or unknowingly she explained the 'Rules' a bit too many times undermining the weight of her own words.
This reminds me of childhood days when our mum would keep saying that kids don't listen and one look from dad was enough for us to toe the line. Even in spirituality, they say, the fewer words, the better prayer. Probably, God also agrees with Shakespeare !!!
Brilliant article. Interesting, informative and insightful. Thanks for sharing.
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