Training is like selling. Instead of selling a tangible product, we sell ideas that are linked to improving performance at the organizations we represent. Like our sales colleagues, we want to showcase our products in the best possible light. To help us do that, we need to be conscious of the words we use to support these ideas. Two terms that are used over and over, and in my mind, minimize the value and intent of our training are “soft skills” and “smiley sheet.”
Soft Skills
When I researched the term “soft skills” I discovered it no longer means what it once did. Years ago it was assumed that “soft skills” referred to skills that were more or less intangible – person-to person. However, the current definition in Wikipedia states: “Soft skills” is a sociological term for a person’s EQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient), which refers to the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that mark us. Soft skills complement hard skills (part of a person’s IQ), which are the technical requirements of a job.
Is this what most trainers think of when they hear this term? Should trainers continue to use a term that does not adequately describe the training taking place? Perhaps calling them “interpersonal skills” is more accurate. Wikipedia provides the following definition: “Interpersonal skills” refers to mental and communicative algorithms applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results. The term “interpersonal skills” is used often in business contexts to refer to the measure of a person’s ability to operate within business organizations through social communication and interactions. Interpersonal skills are how people relate to one another.
Smiley Sheets
Another term that may minimize the validity of our training is “smiley sheet.” The term suggests a light, happy, or fluffy evaluation of a course. When we use the term “smiley sheet” do we unconsciously devalue the importance and effectiveness of a “Level One Eval?” The information gained in these evaluations shows us the areas for improvement that will make the courses more meaningful for our clients and ultimately increase their satisfaction. Perhaps we should be using the more accurate and descriptive term like “Level One Evaluation” or “Course Evaluation” rather than “Smiley Sheet.”
As trainers, we sell ideas to our learners in the classroom as well to those in management who fund our training initiatives. Shouldn’t we be aware of what these terms are saying about the quality and effectiveness of training? Can you think of any other words that minimize our effectiveness and the validity of our training? Let me know.
Langevin Team
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Term “Soft Skills” has been very nicely explained.
Congratulations.
T D Joshi
kindly suggest a name for our “Department of soft skills ” in our University. Also send us the ‘Smiley Sheet’
-parvathy
business messages…
[...]“Soft Skills” & “Smiley Sheets”: Evaluating the Words we Use in Training | Langevin – Blog[...]…
I would never use the term ‘smiley sheet’ with course participants and instead would use ‘Course evaluation’ or ‘Course feedback’; however it is a term I often hear used between training professionals and I always have a problem with that. There is a real risk that course participants will not express their true feelings about a course on these post-course evaluations, no matter what they are called and that is the biggest flaw I find to them.
With regards to soft skills, I find Interpersonal Skills a lot more descriptive and thank you for the very clear definition you give in this article. As I write this, I wonder how Time Management or Getting Organised would fall under that new heading? What better term would you use for skills that don’t involve technical knowledge and don’t involve others?