Event Success

CHAPTER 16Soft Skills

Having the technical know-how to get the job done is only one part of the equation and, depending on whom you ask, a small part at that. In the past century or so, there has been a gradually building recognition that what makes people successful in their careers, and in life, has little to do with their academic field, grade point average, or even their IQ.

In contrast to acquiring the “hard skills” that require specific technical abilities, managers need to possess competencies in the areas of communication, collaboration, emotional intelligence, grit, creativity, adaptability, and emotional intelligence. These attributes are most commonly referred to as soft skills but are also sometimes referred to as human skills, people skills, or social and emotional skills. Whatever you call them, these skills encompass a wide variety of capabilities that are typically more representative of character and personality than academic prowess. In just about any field, but especially in the events industry, being successful requires a strong balance of both hard and soft skills.

A Brief History of Soft Skills

In 1918, author Charles Riborg Mann published a report for the Carnegie Foundation titled A Study of Engineering Education, which was intended to determine what made an engineering student successful in a future career and encompassed a range of necessary skills and proficiencies. Mann ultimately concluded that only 15 percent of a person's career success was ...