Why do soft skills often get relegated as ‘nice to have’ and not considered to be essential compared to hard skills?
It seems they are thought to be subjective, not measurable, or not teachable in a systematic, repeatable way. Perhaps the human element of soft skills that makes them appear unpredictable, having too many variables.
Is that a fair view? Can we have a reliable, systematic process for developing soft skills?
There is plenty of hard science that measures human behaviour and quantifies change. A systematic training process based on this science can be, in my experience, reliable and effective.
Emotional Intelligence
Starting with emotional intelligence (EQ) we can quantify self-awareness, self-management, relationship-awareness and relationship-management.
Research shows EQ a more reliable predictor of career and financial success than IQ.
Physiology
Getting into physical measurements, physiology studies track the body’s response to a survival threat. The nervous system for into fight, flight or freeze states.
The fight or flight nervous system state is revealed by changes in pulse rate, blood pressure, heart rate, heart rate variability, breathing rate and skin temperature.
Neuroscience
The amygdala is a part of the brain that identifies survival threats based upon stored emotional memories and triggers the fight or flight response.
But the amygdala also reacts to milder threats with the same fight or flight pattern.
These include threats to our sense of identity and worth, and it reacts to a wide range of difficult situations including insults, bullying, for example, as well as reminders of past difficult or painful events.
That is, the amygdala reacts to thoughts and beliefs as well as physical life-and-death situations.
Medical
When the fight or flight response is a repeating pattern we call it chronic stress.
Medical research links stress and chronic illness. High-performance leadership is a marathon, not a sprint, and requires health, energy and stamina.
Many studies have measured how relaxation techniques calm this physiological behaviour and get people back into the ‘friend’ (social engagement) nervous system state.
More neuroscience
Brain imaging (fMRI) maps changes in brain activity when in fight or flight.
It shows reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex in fight or flight state, the part of the brain associated with logical thinking, strategic planning, and moderating social behaviour.
That is, an activated amygdala reduces the very mental capacities that allow you to lead and perform well.
A 2012 Princeton University study measured the effect of an activated amygdala, which included poor decision making, impulsive, reactive behaviour and a temporary decrease in IQ of 13 points.
Neurofeedback
In this fight or flight state, the brain produces more ‘beta’ brainwaves (14-25Hz) and in a calm, relaxed state it produces more ‘alpha’ brainwaves (7-13Hz).
I’ve used EEG measurements of alpha and beta brainwaves to track clients as they go through a powerful letting go process. This technique ‘re-patterns’ the amygdala and makes it less reactive, and correlates with increases in EQ.
Results
The hard science shows that behaviour and stress are linked to emotional memories and beliefs. It shows the repeatable effect of relaxation techniques and the tangible benefits that produces.
It also measures the effectiveness of a technique that changes how the amygdala operates.
This change allows you to stay in the friend nervous system state with full access to your faculties of good decision making and be calm and responsive.
Systematic training programmes based on these research studies are highly effective. It means that soft skills are measurable, repeatable and teachable.
Good news for leaders wanting to perform at their best.