Daniel Goleman, an internationally known psychologist once said "We are being
judged by a new yardstick: not just how smart we are, or by our training and
expertise, but also how well we handle ourselves and each other". Soft
skills have unprecedentedly become indispensable for the success of an employee, and
the companies have also realized. Communication and sound interpersonal skills have
an amazing role to play in improving organizational performance. Hence, there is
an escalating emphasis on soft skills against the singular focus on academic
achievements and technical brilliance. As the gloom of recession gradually dispels, there
opportunities for the professionals equipped with better soft skills are increasing and they have
critical edge over others.
With emphasis laying on communication, many struggle to communicate fluently
and effectively. "Techniques for Developing Speaking Skills and Fluency", by Gore
Vitthal explain some of the techniques for developing speaking skills and improving
language fluency. As a recent survey of recruiters from reputed companies with more than
50,000 employees reveals that communication skills have a paramount importance in
selecting a future manager. Communication and fluency are critical skills that a professional
must focus on. The inability to do so would make it impossible to compete at the
workplace and stalls the progress.
People with self-esteem can accomplish splendid things as they believe
something in them is far more superior to the circumstances. Loss of self-esteem can lead to
loss of confidence. "Self-Esteem Among Technical Students During Recession: An
Empirical Study", by B Ravikanth attempts to find out the influence of recession on
self-esteem among technical students and present the variations in self-esteem among
technical students and others during recession.
What language attempts to obscure is instinctively expressed by the
body. Appropriate body language is the heart of successful communication. "Body
Language: Silent Communicator at the Workplace", by Daisy N Kurien brings out the
effectiveness of gestures and actions in making communication splendidly successful
and unambiguous. Body language combined with logical thinking can be far more
eloquent than lifeless delivery of the mere content and mirrors confidence to make
lasting impression on the listeners and evoke interest.
Happy people may find jobs and work environment more happy. Flow at work
is a key determinant in job satisfaction. "Flow, Work Satisfaction and Psychological
Well-Being at the Workplace", by Ronald J Burke presents the study on flow at work
and explains the components of flow, measures and outcomes of flow at work on the
basis of studies conducted.
Our expectations about ourselves as well as others have a magical influence on
the performance. The expectations of leaders and bosses about employees can have
decisive influence on the way they perform at work. Without overestimating the power,
managers can motivate people to deliver excellent performance. "The Dynamics of Pygmalion
Effect in Organizations", by S C Poornima and Diwakar Chakraborty, emphasizes the
need to cultivate positive climate of trust and expectation so that employees can
increase productivity.
Economic turbulence and extreme volatility during the last one year spread
panic and trepidation among the corporates, and many, in an effort to become efficient,
had driven down the costs and became leaner organizations. Leader's capacity to
establish direction, to influence the followers towards common goal and to motivate them
to perform becomes critical in such testing times. "Impact of Leadership on
Identifying Right Organizational Designs for Turbulent Times", by Christopher Mosley and
Sergio Matviuk presents impressive and profound insights into the leader's influence on
the size and structure of the organization and become flexible to the changing environment.
The winds of globalization and innovation blowing fiercely pose a stiff
challenge to the sales professional. More than ever before, sales people face diverse
challenges on account of competition. "Training Sales Professionals: Challenges in the
21st Century", by Venu Gopal Rao discusses about the challenges ahead for training
sales professionals in the 21st Century.
Men who translate their starry dreams into reality and sparkle like the stars
in the sky have in them the overarching commitment
to get extraordinary results from the ordinary. The Book
Review, "Go Kiss the World: Life Lessons for the
Young rofessional" by Rajnandan Patnaik narrates the impressive story of the leader of
MindTree Consulting and lessons the youth can imbibe in their lives to model
success.
The present issue is not only interesting but also profoundly insightful in
various managerial aspects and thus blazes the path of corporate excellence.
-- M Showry
Consulting Editor
