“One can’t please everyone” – they say… and ruthless as it may sound, “the job has to get done”… It’s great to be a task-master, but eventually, it is one who has a way with words and dealing with people tactfully, who emerges the winner.

Consider this scenario:

• Open office setting with multiple seating in one large hall

• Last working day of a team member

• Rest of the team preparing to huddle for a send-off party of sorts for a colleague, who has completed all exit formalities

• One of the senior team members has been instrumental in hiring the replacement for this exiting employee, makes this statement loudly:

Pin-drop silence ensues in the hall

It was a well-meaning comment, intended to make the exiting employee feel missed, and also to excitedly introduce the new joiner to the rest of the team. While the objective of the comment was far from making the former team-member feel miserable while bidding farewell to the organization, the effect was that the said person swore never to set foot in the office premises ever again. Not to mention how bitter a moment it was for everyone who witnessed the scene, shuddering to think to themselves, “How would I have reacted if this statement was made to me, that too by one of the more responsible members of the leadership team in this organization?” Luckily, better sense prevailed and the matter did not get blown out of proportion thanks to a few tactful ones as part of the team, who decided to change the topic quickly, and successfully managed to shift the conversation towards friendly banter as everyone shuffled into the farewell party zone.

Blame it on a case of sheer lack of basic soft skills training for employees early in their careers, but the harm is already done! If it can happen to an internal customer, it is only a matter of time before an external customer gets to face the wrath of words that are not carefully chosen and weighed before being uttered. The ramifications may not be as simple then. Instances of poor customer experiences spelling doom for reputed brands abound and this is reason enough to invest in soft skills training for employees.

Making oneself heard loud and clear, without offending anyone, is the crux of soft skills training. More so in professional life, corporate soft skills training can be an absolute boon; especially when there is a growing focus on people skills at the very core of professional success.

While there is increased focus on the need for soft skills training for employees abroad, it is pertinent to consider the unique Indian market scenario before blindly pursuing a fancy course. It is always a great idea to invest in renowned soft skills training companies in India to ensure you get insights that suit Indian realities better.

And despair not – options to choose from are aplenty!