The term “ soft skills ” is an umbrella term for traits that include teamwork , personability and communication . “ But it seems to me the term conjures negative , if not dismissive , connotations . “ Daniel Goleman ’ s seminal work on emotional intelligence , or EI , over 20 years ago
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put significant research and science behind those skills — which include self-awareness , self-regulation , the ability to get along with others and empathy .
“ In 2020 , empathy was an especially important attribute . Hospitality professionals are often described as “ people persons ”
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and yet that never feels like a compliment to me . U . S . culture rewards and admires technical knowledge and quantitative proficiency — and only “ soft skills ” when they are associated not with business but with charity .
“ The business of creating value and thereby profit through humans
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for humans is not easy , or for that matter , ‘ soft .’ Today , more than ever , when creating value in hospitality we should no longer underestimate the value of EI , even as technical skills continue to be important . We may treat these EI skills as what they are — critical and valuable , |
even essential . Maybe by retiring the term ‘ soft skills ’ in favor of ‘ emotional intelligence ,’ we can recalibrate their value . — DONNA QUADRI- FELITTI , ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR , SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT , PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY |