Why do soft skills matter at work?

I often get this question in my talks: if you have to choose between skill and attitude when choosing a work applicant, which do you prefer? I always choose attitude. Skills can be taught, but attitude, personality and motivations can't.

What does it take to become successful in your chosen field of career? Getting a degree specializing in that field can give you the easy advantage of course. But theory is useless if you can’t even apply it in the real world. Your boss won’t care that much if you graduated with straight As or as class valedictorian. But he’ll notice you if you can get along with your teammates. He'll applaud you if you can lead a project even if your teammates are twice your age.

Conversely, he will be worried if you can’t present a 10-slide Powerpoint deck with confidence. He’ll observe your energy and check how good you are in making decisions in times of ambiguity, and during those moments when he’s not around.

These make up a person’s soft skills: your attitude, your personality, your motivation, and your EQ, which can never be taught in schools. They're called "soft" because they can never be measured. They can't be found in textbooks. It takes art, creativity, and a level of breeding to gain soft skills. They are the most critical weapons you will need when the going gets tough at work, especially during those moments when you just want to give up or because your boss is the most evil person in the world.

Employees who get to climb the ivory towers of the corporate world aren’t necessarily the smartest ones in the room, but they do know how to hire people smarter than them and influence them effectively to get things done. Thanks to their soft skills. Unfortunately, you can’t buy soft skills at the nearest 7-11 stores. They’re likely part of your DNA influenced by how your parents or your environment raised you. Soft skills can be developed, however, and be improved over time by exposing yourself to more mistakes and more role models—a beautiful proof that degrees are just a small part of the bigger picture. Pick the right friends, pick the right boss, pick the right company, pick the right mentors in life. If you are going to spend 12 hours of your life everyday with these people anyway, you might as well spend them with the right people who can transfer the best things that you'll never have. And the best thing about gaining soft skills? Learning them is for free ;)

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Jonathan Yabut is the Filipino winner of the hit Asian reality TV show, The Apprentice Asia, and is currently based in Kuala Lumpur as the managing director of his own digital marketing consultancy firm, The JY Consultancy & Ventures. Jonathan is Asia’s leading motivational speaker on topics involving leadership, development of Gen Y workers, and career management for Fortune 500 companies. He is the author of Southeast Asia’s 2015 best-selling motivational book, From Grit to Great. In winning the show, Jonathan served for one year as the young apprentice and Chief of Staff of AirAsia reporting directly to Group CEO, Tony Fernandes.