Many hard-driving leaders believe the technical competencies or hard skills of individuals are far more important than interpersonal skills or soft skills to one's success. Organizational behavior has grown out of obscurity into a field of study that has allowed organizations to better leverage the abilities of its workers. Organizations have come to learn that its most valuable assets are its employees. Organizational behavior is the vital ingredient in the development of an organization's workforce. .
Importance of Organizational Behavior.
Organizational behavior has made organizations aware of the human element within firms. A manager's functions go beyond planning, organizing, leading and controlling. Managers are also tasked with managing employee issues, and motivating its workforce. The way in which management chooses to deal with employee issues and employee motivation will depend on its own abilities and experiences. Even managers who have acquired technical skills in management sometimes need to gain the ability to build teams and motivate using different methods. .
Robert Katz identified three sets of skills essential to managers: technical, human and conceptual. Robbins (2001) Technical skills are applied uses of specialized knowledge or expertise. Human skills represent the ability to work with, understand, and motivate other people. Conceptual skills are required to analyze and diagnose complex situations. Katz believed that a good leader should possess all three skills. Managers need to be charismatic, enthusiastic and have developed interpersonal skills that allow them to work with a group to instill a sense of common goals and directives .
Differences between hard skills and soft skills.
The correct mix of technical skills and interpersonal skills is necessary to achieve organizational success. Having a better understanding of the two skill sets will enable us to better identify proper organizational behavior techniques and theories to use in process improvement and in the people side of human relations.
