Are soft skills the future of organizations?
“Organizations of the future will be dominated by soft skills” (J. Berridge)
Certainly, every manager has received tips throughout their career on the best ways to manage their team. What to do, what not to do, how to work to exceed set goals and results. However, how can one work effectively when many different methods do not bring the desired benefits? How am I supposed to manage successfully when the era of subordinates and superiors is ending before my very eyes, and the period of work partners has long since begun—partners to whom I can no longer issue direct orders and who are no longer motivated solely by material values such as raises or better company cars?
Different people require different management methods
Colloquially, the word management is associated with business, and one of the many definitions of management describes this process as: “A set of activities (including planning and decision making, organizing, leading, i.e., directing people, and controlling) aimed at an organization’s resources in an efficient and effective manner.”
According to Peter F. Drucker, management cannot be related solely to business because it also applies to institutions such as hospitals, Catholic dioceses, and universities. Furthermore, “mission defines strategy, and strategy defines structure,” which forces the adaptation of the appropriate management form to the specific nature, industry, or purpose of the company. Of course, management is closely connected with people, who are the greatest value and resource of the company. These people often come from different cultures and define themselves through various religious beliefs. Therefore, when a manager wants to enhance the value and efficiency of each of their employees—significantly translating to the company’s profit growth—they need to prioritize their communication in managing diversity, because communication is not just conveying information; communication has a creative role.
Communication – A Powerful Motivational Tool
Contemporary organizations are changing their assumptions about people working within the enterprise structure. According to Drucker, the belief regarding the individual acting on behalf of the company as an employee or subordinate is increasingly devalued in favor of partnership relationships. Consequently, a manager, by definition, cannot issue official commands to partners. Therefore, a high level of soft skills, such as communication, allows for effective negotiation of what is important to me, both in situations where I have various enforcement tools and where I do not. Furthermore, great flexibility in communication and understanding people’s mechanisms is a means of initiating long-term motivation based on aligning the company’s values with those of individual partners.
„Communication is everything and everything is communication”
Jolanta Wasilewska
What distinguishes great companies, brands, and the best managers from mediocrity is mastery of language, that is, excellent communication skills. That is why great leaders communicate their goals in a simple manner and do so perfectly. To reach such a high level, they first had to grant communication knowledge a priority status and the highest rank, and then thoroughly learn and apply it.
Author Anna Modrzewska
