Although most business and community leaders understand and appreciate the value and importance of continuous learning and professional soft skill development, scarcity of critical resources like time and money, unfortunately, often get in the way. This paper offers practical research-based advice for developing, designing, and delivering effective soft skills learning programs aimed at maximizing the impact of e-learning when facing these common workplace and academic challenges. Some of the concepts covered include the importance of: (a) developing programs based on full awareness of underlying assumptions in content creation for soft skills development and how this can impact learning outcomes; (b) designing program strategies that empower learners to take ownership of their own learning soft-skills development; and (c) delivering programs that embrace constructive principles for rewards and accountability that enable soft skills development. The paper will be most relevant for today's coaches, mentors, educators and professionals particularly interested in leadership and management training and development.

As the rapid pace of change continues worldwide, demand for training and soft skills development is increasing relentlessly. This demand has created new opportunities for colleges, universities and corporate training and development professionals everywhere. And, the growth in online course offerings is opening up even more opportunities for learners who want to advance their career opportunities, personal interests, and professional accreditation—whether it is to master a new technology, learn a new language, or improve soft skills such as leadership or teamwork.

Organizational strategic imperatives also have shifted to favoring continuous learning and innovation, especially when training and development programs deliver improved bottom-line results. It does not matter whether it is on the production floor, in a call center, finance department, marketing group or executive suite, the challenge is the same. Organizations want to exploit high leverage actions that can leapfrog teams, departments, business units, or companies ahead of results for last week, last month, last quarter, last year. In many ways, business success seems to be shifting towards survival of the fastest—the fastest to streamline and save costs; the fastest to secure new sales and revenues; the fastest to innovate and outdistance the competition; and the fastest to deliver ground breaking products and services. To meet the challenge, pressure to learn and innovate increases. Demand for learning programs that can deliver bottom-line results today, not tomorrow, is growing (Adams, 2008).

Soft Skills Journal, Practical Advice, Developing, soft skills development, Communicating Effectively, Delegating, Building an Effective Team, Leadership in Action, Managing Conflict, Two-way Listening, Analysis Paralysis, Designing, Delivering Soft Skills Programs.