Three experts decode soft skills that corporates are looking for in senior hires

Kensington Palace, London. Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons

What does it take to run a royal palace? According to the Prince and Princess of Wales who wish to hire a CEO for Kensington Palace, apart from the required qualifications, people skills are equally critical. A point in the job description read ‘Emotionally intelligent, with low ego, and strong self-awareness and understanding of their impact on others'. Another requirement mentioned the need for a ‘servant leader', which Asana, an online work management portal, describes as a leadership style that focuses on serving others as compared to traditional leadership or managing for results.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Princess Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Pic Courtesy/Getty Images

Lizanne Dsouza, recruitment consultant and HR professional, first reminds us that leadership skills can be learned and exercised. Raising the importance of soft skills, Dsouza notes, "Leadership is about direction and guiding people towards achieving a goal. To be a good leader, you need to have the people skills that make you approachable."

Afsheen Dattoobhai, founder of Outsight, a growth and development company, adds, "As a leader, you must ensure that your teams have access to relevant resources and the support required to seamlessly integrate as a whole and work towards goals. One of the key ways of doing this is by recognising and embracing humanity in teams."

These experts identify the traits that reflect high emotional intelligence and are needed for senior-most managerial roles.

People in leadership roles should actively listen to their teams, communicate ideas clearly, be approachable and build soft skills

>> Emotional quotient

Sanjay Rahate, life and career coach and founder of upskilling portal Get Set Go World, explains that a person with high Emotional Quotient (EQ) encompasses self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and interpersonal skills, and is not ruled by their ego. "Leaders with high EQ can navigate complex social dynamics, build strong relationships, and inspire their teams. This skill fosters open communication, teamwork, and conflict resolution." This trait includes empathy, with which, Dsouza and Dattoobhai note, a leader will be approachable, and be able to understand another person's experience, challenges, perspective and objective to help them with a solution or direction.

>> Effective communication

Communication skills include being a good listener. Listening to understand can, in turn, help you build empathy. Dattoobhai remarks, "An effective leader listens to their team with the objective of understanding what is being communicated, both verbally and non-verbally, and supports them through the circumstance." Rahate adds, "Apart from listening actively, senior hires should also convey ideas clearly. This will help articulate a vision, provide constructive feedback, and foster a culture of transparency and trust."

High emotional quotient traits include setting aside one's ego to serve your team as a leader instead of ruling for results

>> Adaptability

Dsouza notes the importance of being open to learning, while Rahate explains the value of adaptability in the era of constant change and innovation. He adds, "Senior hires must demonstrate their ability to embrace change, learn new skills, and pivot strategies when necessary. Adaptable leaders will be able to capitalise on emerging opportunities."

>> Good ethics

Leaders must demonstrate integrity, honesty and practise ethical decision-making to build trust and foster a good work culture, shares Rahate. Such habits will also safeguard the company's reputation. Dattoobhai highlights the importance of inclusivity in ensuring the work place functions with integrity. She explains, "Inclusivity doesn't end at building a diverse team. An inclusive leader will nurture a safe and supportive environment where team members feel empowered to contribute and voice their opinions without the fear of judgment, threat or not being heard."

Afsheen Dattoobhai

>> Soft skills

"By working on themselves, leaders begin to develop a higher emotional intelligence and are able to recognise moments where support and interventions are required within teams," Dattobhai elaborates.

Rahate notes that training programmes and courses on emotional intelligence, communication and leadership can be instrumental ways to build such traits and soft skills. He also highlights the importance of practising on the job, "Apply newly acquired skills in your current role, seek opportunities to learn from and collaborate with diverse teams, and document achievements."

Lizanne Dsouza and Sanjay Rahate

He adds ways to showcase soft skills in your CV. First, self-assess current skills and strengths. Then, quantify the impact. "On your CV, provide concrete examples of your skills in action. Instead of vague claims, use the STAR method to describe Situations, Tasks, Actions, and Results, while emphasising on your contributions. Lastly, customise your CV for the role, and highlight the soft skills and EQ traits that are most relevant according to the job description," he concludes.