Abstract
This paper talks about the difference between hard and soft skills. It also aims to define soft skills as well as emphasize the importance of soft skills, particularly in the military. Regardless of one’s profession, soft skills are needed to succeed in life. In fact, in almost all aspects of an individual’s life, whether in work or in dealing with people and personal relationships, soft skills are always at play. The military organization is particularly in need of soft skills, both in an individual and organizational level. In fact, the success of a military operation could not be determined by the organization’s strength and capabilities. While battles can be won through superior military equipment and fighting skills, it does not ensure that the war has already been won. Equally important is the ability of the military organization to achieve not only its short term, but also its long-term objectives and soft skills are the key to achieving this goal.
Introduction
There are two types of skills that an individual learns in his lifetime in relation to his chosen field or profession and these are the hard and soft skills. Hard skills refer to those skills that are obligatory or ‘must haves’ in order to perform a particular task or profession while soft skills are those skills that are nice to have, but are not necessarily required for the accomplishment of a task (Schulz, 2008, p.147). Examples of hard skills are those skills that are easy to “observe, quantify and measure” such as the technical skills required in “machine operation, computer protocols, safety standards, financial procedures and sales administration” (Coates, 2006, p.1). Soft skills, on the other hand, in its traditional sense of the word, refer to personal and interpersonal skills. Among the most common examples are communication skills, interpersonal skills and other personal qualities that a person possesses that are considered as desirable (Schulz, 2008, p.147). Such definition of soft skills, however, does not account for skills that a person acquires which may not be technically needed, but are complementary to the hard skills that he already possesses. In a more technical sense, soft skills may vary depending on an individual’s profession. An engineer, for instance, may agree that it is a good thing to learn about good grammatical skills. However, learning grammar skills may not be more compelling for engineers than it is for people whose profession lies under media or journalism. In the same way, learning the culture of people and how to deal with people may not be a necessary knowledge in the army as compared to learning how to fire a gun properly. However, such skills are a must for social workers and other individuals with professions based on human relations.
The Importance of Soft Skills
Although it is possible to complete a task using hard skills alone, soft skills could not be undermined. In fact, employers in almost all fields of professions believe that soft skills are, nevertheless, essential in the successful performance of one’s job (Schulz, 2008, p.150). Hard skills are the technical requirements for a job, but soft skills complement hard skills to make it more efficient and effective. Experts, however, believe that soft skills are harder to learn and equally hard to unlearn. Individuals already possess a pattern of personal and interpersonal behavior before they join organizations. These behavior patterns are often learned through informal education or outside the classroom. Many of these skills are learned through life experiences and personal observation. These patterns of behavior are often referred to as soft skills or people skills. Experts emphasize the importance of these skills primarily because it defines how an individual deals with challenges and relationships both at work and at a personal level (Coates, 2006, p.1). Individuals use their people skills in many circumstances, such as in “communicating, listening, engaging in dialogue, giving feedback, cooperating as a team member, solving problems, contributing in meetings and resolving conflict” (Coates, 2006, p.1). Even leadership skills are defined by soft skill parameters such as the ability to make decisions and motivate individuals. Most organizations emphasize the importance of soft skills primarily because it gives the individual a competitive edge that makes them stand out from other individuals (Schulz, 2008, p.150). Soft skills are what employers look for when all the applicants for a job have similar qualifications and skill set. A person’s ability to effectively communicate or work under pressure, for instance, can make the difference between two competing individuals.
Concrete Examples of How Soft Skills Can Influence the Success or Failure of a Mission
A major example of the importance of soft skills in the military is the case of the Vietnam War. Despite the fact that the United States military is highly organized and superior in terms of fire power compared to the communist forces, yet without a clear understanding of the cultural and environmental circumstances at play in Vietnam, the United States lost in this war of attrition. As observed by scholars, the United States has no concrete plans on how they would win the war not only militarily, but also diplomatically (Hollitz 296). The recent campaigns of the United States’ expeditionary forces in the Middle East are also a major example of why soft skills are essential, particularly in the military. Knowledge in foreign culture and language proved essential especially in dealing with civilians. As observed, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom showed that “a limited understanding of how cultural considerations influence the planning, execution, and outcomes of military operations” and that “insufficient foreign language capability across the Army limited unit, individual leader, and soldier effectiveness” (Vane, 2011, p.18). Learning from these experiences, the modern military emphasize the importance of soft skills in their operations. By learning the culture and language of the community, modern soldiers are able to communicate and encourage cooperation among the people. According to Michael Vane, a general in the U.S. Army, “‘soft skills’ have never been as important as they are today because of the key role that human terrain plays in a counterinsurgency and other operations across the globe” (Vane, 2011, p.16).
Why Soft Skills are Important for Leaders and Subordinates?
Military leaders should learn from Sun Tzu, the legendary Chinese general who authored ‘The Art of War,’ one of the oldest and most revered military treatise in the world. According to Sun Tzu the supreme art of war is not to destroy the enemy through force, but to “subdue the enemy without fighting” (Giles, 1910, p.8). According to Sun Tzu, it is more practical for the military to take capture the enemy’s country intact than to shatter and destroy it (Giles, 1910, p. 8). For the same reason, Sun Tzu concludes that to fight the enemy by force is not an excellent way of fighting, but rather defeating the enemy’s resistance without the use of force is much more desirable (Giles, 1910, p. 8). One of the primary soft skill that Sun Tzu advises is for a leader to control his temper. A military leader, for instance, who does not control his temper may launch his men to battle like swarming ants and get them killed, but a skilled leader could achieve his objective without losing even a single man (Giles, 1910, p. 8). To strategize is also a central principle in military operations that requires soft skills. In a contemporary setting, the military leader faces many challenges because of the changing environment and circumstances that they encounter in the field. As observed by experts, “the future operational environment will be even more uncertain, complex, and competitive than today’s is, as hybrid threats challenge the Army across the full spectrum of operations” (Vane, 2011, p.16). In the face of these challenges, the military leader needs to develop a dynamic and adaptive strategy by learning about the culture, behavior and the geopolitics of the environment wherein they operate. Soft skills are not only important for leaders in an organizational perspective. In fact, soft skill is equally beneficial to the individual soldier as it is beneficial for his organization. The traditional military training, for instance, emphasizes physical toughness, but notoriously lacks the people skills or soft skills needed to cope with other life aspects. As observed by scholars, “The military of a few decades ago was peppered with a lack of generational and cultural sensitivity that was designed to develop the cultural psychology necessary to make it through the hardships of war”. Through soft skills, soldiers would be able to gain the community’s cooperation and increase their survival and success rate. Soft skills also benefit soldiers when transitioning to civilian life after leaving the military. Many veterans, for instance, are observed to have difficulty working with the private sector because they lack the soft skills to work in a different environment with a different culture.
Conclusion
Hard and soft skills are the two types of skills that are essential in the performance of one’s job. Hard skills refer to those skills that are industry specific while soft skills are those that can be used in almost all aspects of a person’s life. Good communication and interpersonal relationship skills are just a few examples of soft skills that are desired across all professions and industries. Soft skills are considered as highly important, particularly in the military. In the changing circumstances of the environment where they operate, it is necessary that soldiers acquire soft skills. Learning how to adapt to different cultures and behavior, for instance, is necessary not only for achieving organizational goals, but also essential in coping with the ever changing challenges that the military face in their operations and personal life.
References
Coates, D. (2006). People Skills Training: Are You Getting a Return on Your Investment? Retrieved June 2016, from http://www.praxisconsulting.org/: http://www.praxisconsulting.org/PeopleSkills.pdf
Giles, L. (1910). Sun Tzu on the Art of War. Retrieved June 2016, from www.ualberta.ca: https://www.ualberta.ca/~enoch/Readings/The_Art_Of_War.pdf
Hollitz, J. (2014). Thinking Through the Past. Retrieved June 2016, from https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=UITaAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA281&lpg=PA281&dq=LBJ+Expresses+Doubts+about+Vietnam&source=bl&ots=ThKOUhre3m&sig=vJfExnheEk8GVUDPynwAePU6DKw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiIu9jjuaHJAhVj2KYKHQM_D-YQ6AEIPTAG#v=onepage&q=LBJ%20Expresses%20Doub
Schulz, B. (2008). The Importance of Soft Skills: Education beyond academic knowledge. Retrieved June 2016, from http://ir.polytechnic.edu.na/bitstream/handle/10628/39/The%20Importance%20of%20Soft%20%20Skills-Education%20beyond%20academic%20knowledge.pdf;jsessionid=4B730E5795D86F6CCAE75E9E81E94A26?sequence=1
Vane, M. (2011). New Norms for the 21st Century Soldier. Retrieved June 2016, from http://usacac.army.mil/: http://usacac.army.mil/CAC2/MilitaryReview/Archives/English/MilitaryReview_20110831_art006.pdf
