In Search of Soft Skills
Creative and technically skilled employees can have trouble learning good management skills.

By John P. Kreiss

If the experience of our clients is an accurate indicator, firms today are having a very difficult time finding managers who have superior "soft skills"—interpersonal skills and leadership qualities to guide teams of diverse professionals. My theory is that when technical and creative people are promoted to management positions, they are often unprepared for the non-technical aspects of the job.

Many new managers believe that they should get everybody under them to be like them and work like they do. Since most people are uncomfortable changing their approach to their jobs, naturally these dictatorial managers tend to upset many of their charges. This makes for a stressful situation for everyone, and leads subordinates to jump ship. Indeed, studies show that poor management leads directly to higher attrition, higher staffing costs, and a loss of institutional knowledge.

A lot of people believe that soft skills can't be taught. I disagree. Although some people may not be management material no matter what, many of those who struggle with leadership responsibility can improve significantly with training. Oftentimes, I believe that in the long run it is actually more beneficial to the firm, not to mention cheaper, to try to correct someone's leadership deficiencies through training rather than let the person go, and try to recruit the right candidate from the outside.

"Emotional intelligence"
Some people do seem to have a natural aptitude for leadership. These individuals may be blessed with what some call high "emotional intelligence." This term has become something of a buzzword in business schools and training programs, but there is compelling evidence that those who score high on emotional intelligence tests tend to be high performers in many lines of work. (If you're interested in this topic, www.eiconsortium.org has a lot of research available.)

There are several definitions of emotional intelligence. To me, the most important element is the individual's potential for mastering the skills of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. These traits translate into success in the workplace. Those who possess them have the ability to understand the motivations, goals, and interests of the people that they are responsible for leading. The individual who can align his or her goals with those of the people on his or her team makes for an excellent manager.

Management boot camps
Numerous studies show that training can help many of those lacking in emotional intelligence to develop it, along with other important leadership qualities. Some companies send new managers to leadership "boot camps," weeklong training sessions dealing with management issues. Individuals who take the training seriously can learn a lot. Training, by itself, however, is not going to work wonders. Individuals have to make a strong, sustained effort every day to apply what they learn.

Few companies seem to offer meaningful training in soft skills to new managers. Are companies being fair to managers by promoting them without offering the necessary training? I don't think so. In many cases, new managers are thrown into sink-or-swim positions right off the bat. To make matters worse, too often they are mentored by people with poor soft skills themselves. However, if your firm has a manager who excels in leadership, you have a natural asset to mentor new managers. Personal business coaches—outside consultants who offer periodic unbiased advice and informal training--can also help new managers boost their leadership ability.

Don't accentuate the negative
One of the most common leadership failings is a tendency to focus too much on subordinate's weaknesses and not enough on their strengths. Accentuating the negative breeds frustration because people feel that no matter how much effort and skill they put into their jobs, their boss is going to find fault. Let's face it, that leadership style is going to discourage anyone sooner or later.

If an employee is effective in 80 percent of what he does, and the remaining 20 percent needs improvement, it's best to provide 80 percent positive feedback and 20 percent constructive criticism. This way the feedback accurately reflects how the employee's performance is perceived. Don't get me wrong; deficiencies should be addressed directly, not swept under the rug. But, if the feedback offered is overwhelmingly negative, the employee may very well get the impression that his opportunity for advancement is low, or even that his job is in jeopardy. When people believe that, it's no wonder they seek a new employer.

Leadership training and coaching delves into detail about critical management issues such as how to provide feedback effectively. Most people do have the aptitude to greatly improve their management skills if they are willing to put forth an honest effort. It's a matter of having an awareness of management best practices and then applying one's own personality and experience to develop the most effective and suitable management style.

John P. Kreis is president of SullivanKreiss, a recruitment and placement firm for design and construction professionals. He can be reached through the company website.