Access to high quality information and training is central to individual growth and development across a wide range of pursuits including sports, hobbies and professional activities. Leadership skills, and “soft skills” in general, can be a key differentiator for an individual, team or organization and multiply or leverage other abilities to maximize impact and overall effectiveness. Training and practice can enhance almost any skill or talent. For most scientists technical or hard skills were the focus of their formal education and were central to getting their first job. Early training was directed to ensuring that they could do the technical part of the job. However most of us work in complex organizations where an array of non-technical, interpersonal or soft skills are required to truly excel or even to fully realize the value of our technical abilities. It is important to note that while the specialized technical skills required for a specific job vary enormously across industry the required, or desirable, soft skills are more uniform, transferrable and can enhance performance in almost any job or role. Industry increasily operates via teams and work groups thus creating opportunities for people to take on diverse leadership roles (formal and informal). The success of these teams is heavily influenced by the Leadership skills of the team members and these opportunities provide a way for individuals to differentiate themselves and demonstate advanced non-technical skills. This presentation will highlight the importance of Leadership and other soft skills in the industrial setting.

Leadership development: Differentiator and skills multiplier in industry (and elsewhere)

2019 Fall National Meeting

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