Professional Skills: Fundamental in Promoting Well-being

and Goodwill

Dr. Radhika Kapur

Abstract

Professional skills are regarded to be of utmost significance for the individuals in

promoting well-being and goodwill. In leading to effective growth and development, in
carrying out one’s job duties in a well-organized manner, in maintaining pleasant and amiable
terms and relationships with each other and in enriching one’s career prospects, the
individuals need to pay attention towards the development of professional skills. These skills
enable the individuals to cope with various types of conflicting situations and disagreements
that one may come across within as well as outside the homes. Furthermore, the individuals
will augment their skills and abilities to work under stress and cope with various types of
problems and challenges. In the present existence, all the individuals, irrespective of their
communities, categories, occupations and backgrounds have recognized the meaning and
significance of professional skills. These skills are primarily depicted in the ways in which
one conducts oneself, carries out one’s job duties and communicates with other individuals.
The individuals need to implement measures in bringing about improvements in them
throughout their lives. The main areas that are taken into account in this research paper are,
meaning and significance of professional skills, professional skills, and measures to bring
about improvements in professional skills.

Keywords: Awareness, Career Prospects, Educational Institutions, Opportunities,

Organizations, Professional Skills, Significance

Professional skills are the skills, which are primarily required by the individuals to
enhance one’s career prospects. When the individuals get enrolled in educational institutions
and training centres to pursue educational programs, or when they get recruited in
organizations to carry out their jobs duties, they need to focus upon the development of
professional skills. Apart from possession of adequate information needed in the
implementation of tasks and activities in a suitable manner, the individuals need to pay
attention towards honing of professional skills as well. Being a professional requires more
than having specialized knowledge or possessing a pleasant personality in accordance to the
situations. Professional skills are enhanced by the individuals either on one’s own or through
seeking support and assistance from others. In some cases, when the individuals are focused
upon enrichment of professional skills, they get enrolled in educational institutions and
training centres. For example, there are courses in terms of fields such as, communication,
technical skills, project management, conflict management and so forth.

In developing professional skills, the various factors, which need to be taken into
consideration are, depicting efficiency, implementing time management skills in an efficient
manner, communicating with others in a polite and decent manner, managing the
psychological problems of stress, anger, anxiety and frustration, coping effectively with
conflicting situations, keeping knowledge and competencies current, generating awareness in
terms of various areas, seeking support and assistance from others when needed, planning
and organizing the tasks and activities in a productive manner and making use of modern,
innovative, technical and scientific methods in the implementation of tasks and activities. The
individuals employed in all types of occupations and possessing different educational
qualifications need to take into account all these factors in the development of professional
skills. Within the course of time, with changes taking place, the individuals need to ensure
they bring about improvements in these skills on a regular basis. Therefore, professional
skills are not only regarded as indispensable in enriching ones career prospects, but also in
bringing about improvements in one’s overall quality of lives.

Meaning and Significance of Professional Skills

In the present existence, the individuals, belonging to various age groups,

occupations, categories and backgrounds have recognized the meaning and significance of
education. They are getting enrolled in educational institutions and training centres to acquire
education. They have generated awareness in terms of the fact that to achieve desired goals
and objectives and enhance ones living conditions, the individuals need to focus upon
acquisition of education. In order to acquire education and enhance one’s living conditions,
the individuals need to recognize the meaning and significance of professional skills. When
they get enrolled in educational institutions and training centres, they need to communicate
and deal with other individuals as well. These include, heads, instructors, fellow students and
other staff members. Depicting professionalism will render a significant contribution in
facilitating their learning and understanding as well as enabling them to achieve academic
goals. Therefore, the individuals recognize the meaning and significance of professional
skills, in achievement of academic goals. The individuals need to pay attention towards
making use of their education in honing of professional skills.

Another important area in which the individuals need to up-grade their professional
skills is various types of employment settings. In various types of organizations, when the
individuals are engaged in employment opportunities, they need to put into practice,
professional skills. The important professional skills are technical skills, conflict resolution
skills, managerial skills, time management skills, and communication skills. When the
individuals are well-aware and put into operation these skills, they will be able to form
amiable terms and relationships with the other members, carry out their job duties well,
acquire promotional opportunities and achieve the desired goals and objectives. The
individuals need to work in collaboration and integration with other individuals as well
within the course of implementation of their job duties. Hence, they will put emphasis upon
augmentation of professional skills. Therefore, the meaning and significance of professional
skills will be recognized by the individuals, when they will contribute productively in
enabling them to do well in one’s jobs.

In order to emerge into good human beings and productive citizens of the country, the
individuals need to pay attention towards the development of professional skills. Within
homes as well as outside the homes in neighbourhood and in public places, when the
individuals are communicating and dealing with others, they need to be professional in their
conduct. When someone is in need of some help, one should depict a helping nature. In other
words, depicting helpfulness and co-operation is also one of the important features of
professionalism. When the individuals possess sufficient knowledge in terms of a particular
area, it is stated that they are professional in their conduct. The professional skills of the
individuals get augmented, when they inculcate the traits of morality and ethics. Therefore,
when the individuals put into operation the tasks and develop their competencies to emerge
into good human beings and productive citizens of the country, develop a helping and co-
operative nature and inculcate the traits of morality and ethics, they are able to recognize the
meaning and significance of professional skills.

Professional Skills

The different types of professional skills are stated as follows:

 Technical skills – Technical skills are the skills, which need to be honed by the
individuals within the course of pursuance of education as well as in employment settings in
organizations. In various types of organizations, when the individuals are carrying out
managerial, clerical, administrative, technical as well as other types of job duties, they need
to make use of technologies. Hence, these are regarded as one of the indispensable job
requirements. The individuals need to be well-equipped in terms of making use of computers
and lap-tops in an effectual manner. In some cases, the individuals feel apprehensive, when
they are making use of technologies. In such cases, they need to get engaged in regular
practice. Practice would facilitate in developing their technical skills. When the individuals
are well-equipped with technologies and hone technical skills, they are able to contribute
efficiently in augmenting professionalism. Therefore, technical skills are regarded as one of
the indispensable professional skills.

Conflict Resolution Skills – In various types of organizations, public places as well as

households, conflicting situations do take place among individuals. But the individuals need
to be well-equipped in terms of conflict resolution skills. The implementation of conflict
resolution skills in an efficacious manner would not only help in augmenting professionalism,
but also would lead to formation of pleasant and amiable terms and relationships with each
other. When there are occurrence of conflicting situations, the individuals need to
communicate with each other in an effective manner. They need to possess listening skills
and prevent the conflicts from assuming a major form. They need to interact with each other
in a calm manner and control the feelings of anger, anxiety, stress and frustration. When these
skills are put into operation, the individuals are able to depict their professional skills.
Therefore, conflict resolution skills are regarded as one of the important professional skills.

Managerial Skills – The managerial skills are the skills, which need to be put into
operation to manage the overall functioning of the organizations in an efficacious and
satisfactory manner. The managerial skills are planning, organizing, directing, staffing, co-
ordinating, controlling and leading. When the individuals need to put into operation these
skills, they need to possess efficient knowledge and competencies. The individuals, who are
in leadership positions need to adequately guide, direct and lead others in the right direction.
They need to ensure, they impart them efficient information, so they are able to perform their
job duties well and achieve organizational goals. The managerial skills of planning and
organization of the job duties are put into operation by the all the members of the
organizations, irrespective of their job positions. Hence, when the members of the
organization put into operation managerial skills in a well-ordered manner, they will be able
to augment professional skills. Therefore, managerial skills are regarded as one of the crucial
professional skills.

Time Management Skills – Time management skills enable the individuals to make
use of their time in an efficacious and productive manner. The individuals need to put into
operation time management skills throughout their lives in personal as well as professional
spheres. When they have number of job duties to carry out and they take out time for all of
them, they are well-equipped with time management skills. Assigning priorities to various
tasks helps in identifying, which tasks are more important and need to be carried out first and
which tasks can be eliminated or procrastinated. When the individuals are able to put into
operation time management skills in an adequate manner, they are able to augment
professional skills. Therefore, time management skills are regarded as professional skills,
which enables the individuals to depict efficiency in the implementation of their tasks and
activities and achievement of personal and professional goals.

Communication Skills – Communication skills are regarded as the fundamental skills,

which needs to be paid attention towards by the individuals throughout their lives. It is
comprehensively understood that when the individuals are communicating with each other in
a verbal or in a written form, they need to make use of polite language. When the individuals
communicate effectively with others, even when they are overwhelmed due to work duties
and not depict any frustration, it is stated, they are professional in their conduct. Apart from
making use of polite language and decent words, there are others factors as well, which needs
to be taken into consideration. These are, maintaining eye contact, implementing proper
listening skills, depicting proper body language and asking meaningful questions to which
answers are not known. Therefore, it can be stated, communication skills are regarded as
indispensable professional skills, which are put into operation within as well as outside the
homes.

Project Management – Project management is referred to the application of processes,

methods, competencies, aptitude, knowledge and experience to achieve the goals and
objectives of the project (What is Project Management? 2020). The projects need to be
carried out in a systematic and methodical manner. The individuals need to be well-aware of
the fact that they need to augment their knowledge in terms of modern, technical and
pioneering methods and put them into operation in an appropriate manner. The projects can
be short-term as well as long-term. Short-term projects usually last for three to six months.
Whereas, long-term projects may take one year or more. Projects may be carried out
individually as well as in groups. Development of professional skills would enable the
individuals to carry out the task of project management in a methodical and systematic
manner. Therefore, it can be stated, project management is regarded as one of the
indispensable professional skills.

Leadership – Leadership is a vital professional skill, which needs to be put into

practice by the individuals in leadership positions. In various types of organizations, the
heads, directors, supervisors, managers, and instructors need to possess leadership skills, so
they can guide and lead their students and employees in the right direction. The leaders need
to carry out number of job duties. These include, guiding and leading others in the right
direction, providing solutions to their problems, listening to their grievances, making
provision of resources, materials and technologies, helping them tom carry out their job
duties well, and achieve organizational goals, implementing effectual conflict resolution
methods, putting into operation proper assessment methods, making provision of
infrastructure and facilities, encouraging co-operation and teamwork and creating a pleasant
environment within the workplace. When the leaders put into operation these aspects, they
are able to enhance professional skills. Therefore, leadership is an important professional
skill.

Work Ethics – Work ethics are referred to the cultural norms that advocates being
personally accountable and responsible for the work that one does and based on the belief
that work is an intrinsic value. In the work ethics, there are three important factors that need
to be taken into consideration. These are, interpersonal skills, initiative and dependability.
When the individuals are well-aware in terms of these factors, they are able to augment their
professionalism. Work ethics are the professional skills, which would render a significant
contribution in doing well in one’s job duties. Furthermore, the individuals need to be well-
aware in terms of all the aspects that are necessary to do well in their jobs. These include,
developing competencies, and abilities, forming pleasant and cordial terms and relationships
with others, good communication skills, positive attitude, being dependable, punctual and
responsible and so forth (Work Ethics, n.d.). Therefore, it can be stated, work ethics are
regarded as professional skills, which are put into operation within different types of
workplaces.
 Team-work and Collaboration – Within various types of organizations, the members
need to work in collaboration and integration with each other in the implementation of job
duties and in achieving organizational goals. In other words, team-work needs to be promoted
and individuals need to form cordial and sociable terms and relationships with each other.
When the individuals work in a team and collaborate with each other in the implementation
of tasks and functions, they are depicting professionalism. The professional skills of the
individuals are honed, when they form amiable terms and relationships with each other. One
of the important aspects that needs to be taken into consideration are, one has to accept each
other’s cultures, caste, creed, race, religion, ethnicity, age, gender and socio-economic
background. Furthermore, there should not be any kind of discrimination on the basis of any
of these factors. These skills are regarded to be of utmost significance for the overall
functioning of all types of organizations. Therefore, team-work and collaboration is an
essential professional skill.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving – Critical thinking and problem solving are
regarded as important professional skills in professional as well as personal lives of the
individuals. Critical thinking is the ability to think rationally, and understanding the logical
connection between ideas. Critical thinking has been the subject of much debate and is the
ability to get engaged in reflective and independent thinking (Critical Thinking Skills, 2020).
On the other hand, problem solving skills are the skills, which are put into operation to
provide solutions to various types of problems. These can be personal and professional.
Furthermore, the individuals need to be well-aware in terms of methods and approaches,
which are needed to hone these skills. When the individuals are paying adequate attention
towards the development of professional skills, they need to focus upon the development of
critical thinking and problem solving skills. Therefore, it can be stated, critical thinking and
problem solving skills are regarded as vital professional skills, which are usually applicable
in the daily lives of the individuals.

Measures to bring about Improvements in Professional Skills

When the individuals are focusing upon the development of their professional skills,
they will acquire more opportunities within the workplace (Trammel, 2020). When the
employers form the viewpoint or generate awareness in terms of one or more employees that
they are professional, capable and competent, they will make provision of opportunities to
them. In accordance to the research studies in educational institutions at well, at all levels,
when the instructors feel, students possess efficient professional skills, they are provided
more opportunities. Therefore, the individuals need to pay attention towards improving their
professional skills throughout their lives. When the individuals focus upon and are dedicated
towards enhancement of their career prospects, they need to put emphasis upon the
development of professional skills. The measures to bring about improvements in
professional skills are, acquiring training, getting engaged in regular practice, obtaining
feedback, conducting research, cultivating peer relationships and generating awareness in
terms of overcoming barriers. These are stated as follows:

Acquiring Training

When the individuals get recruited in organizations, they are required to undergo
training and development programs. In these programs, they are provided with information in
terms of various aspects of the organizations. These include, history of the organization,
personnel, departments, job duties, materials, resources, infrastructure, facilities, and goals
and objectives. Through training, the individuals can render a significant contribution in
augmenting their professional skills. Furthermore, the individuals get enrolled in educational
institutions and training centres as well to augment their knowledge and skills. In the
educational institutions and training centres, there are organization of programs in terms of
various areas, these include, communications, technologies, personality development, and so
forth. These contribute significantly in leading to development of professional skills. In these
programs, the instructors need to make use of teaching-learning methods, teaching-learning
materials and instructional strategies in an appropriate manner. In addition, these need to be
understood well by the learners. The learners need to ensure that they put into operation the
learning methods in an appropriate manner, which would be beneficial to them to a major
extent. Therefore, it can be stated, acquiring training is regarded as one of the indispensable
measures to bring about improvements in professional skills.

Getting Engaged in Regular Practice

Practice is the act of rehearsing behaviour over and over again, for the purpose of
bringing about improvements in them or master them. After the individuals have generated
awareness in terms of the methods to do a particular task, they need to get engaged in regular
practice. It is comprehensively understood that practice makes the man perfect. The
researchers have found that practice alone does not necessarily lead to success and hone the
professional skills of the individuals. When the individuals are getting engaged in practice,
they need to put into operation, the right kinds of approaches and strategies. For instance,
when the individuals are practicing writing to hone their writing skills, they need to take into
account number of factors. These include, grammar, punctuation, words, sentences, and so
forth. In addition, they need to ensure, they possess accurate information. When regular
practice has contributed efficiently in enhancing the professional skills of the individuals,
they need to ensure that they pay attention towards retention of these skills provided, they are
useful to them in long-term time period as well. Therefore, it can be stated, getting engaged
in regular practice is regarded as one of the key measures to bring about improvements in
professional skills.

Obtaining Feedback

Within educational institutions at all levels and in various types of organizations, the
instructors and supervisors need to provide feedback to the students and the employees in
terms of their performance. Feedback is referred to the mechanism, process or signal that
controls the system. Feedback is referred to the messages or the information that is sent back
to the source from where it came. Obtaining feedback has one of the major benefits of
identifying the limitations. After the limitations have been identified, the individuals need to
put into practice the measures and approaches to eliminate them. Feedback can be positive as
well as negative. Positive feedback involves appreciation and providing information in terms
of desired results. Whereas, negative feedback involves information in terms of job
performance that has inconsistencies and is not desirable. There are cases of individuals in
educational institutions and organizations, who experience setbacks in their job performances
and need to bring about improvements. Hence, when the individuals obtain feedback, they
understand their limitations and implement measures to bring about improvements in them.
In this manner, they are able to bring about improvements in professional skills as well.
Therefore, it can be stated, obtaining feedback is regarded as one of the crucial measures to
bring about improvements in professional skills.

Conducting Research

In the present existence, in all areas and fields, conducting research is regarded as one
of the indispensable measures of bringing about improvements in professional skills. The
technologies and internet are regarded as prominent in augmenting knowledge and
understanding among the individuals in terms of various areas. Apart from technologies and
internet, the individuals make use of books, articles and other reading materials as well. For
instance, when an individual is working on a research project on the topic, ‘how poverty
influences the lives of the individuals’, he would need to collect qualitative as well as
quantitative data. Qualitative data would get collected through interviewing the individuals,
whereas, quantitative data is collected through a survey questionnaire. Apart from collection
of data from the respondents, the researchers make use of internet, books, articles, projects,
reports and other types of reading materials to acquire information. Hence, when the
individuals make use of various methods in a systematic manner to conduct research and
collect the necessary information, they are able to bring about improvements in professional
skills as well as perform their job duties in a satisfactory manner. Therefore, it can be stated,
conducting research is one of the important measures to bring about improvements in
professional skills.

Cultivating Peer Relationships

It is comprehensively understood that individuals cannot work in seclusion. When

they are in employment or when they are pursuing educational programs, they need to
cultivate peer relationships (Mosher, 2015). Within educational institutions and employment
settings, cultivating peer relationships have proven to be beneficial to the individuals in
carrying out their job duties well and in augmenting professional skills. Peer relationships
make provision of a framework, in which the individuals learn a range of skills and abilities,
such as, problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, communication skills, technical skills,
and so forth. These are the professional skills, which need to be recognized by the individuals
in personal and professional lives. When the peer relations are cultivated and individuals
form cordial terms and relationships with others, they obtain support and assistance from
them in providing solutions to various types of problems and in achieving the desired goals
and objectives. One of the important aspects that need to be taken into account is, the
individuals need to accept the culture, caste, creed, race, ethnicity, religion, educational
qualifications and socio-economic background of their peers. Furthermore, there should not
be any kind of discrimination on the basis of any of these factors. Therefore, it is understood,
cultivating peer relationships is one of the fundamental measures to bring about
improvements in professional skills.

Generating Awareness in terms of Ways of Overcoming Barriers

Within the course of development of professional skills, there are occurrence of

various types of barriers. These include, financial problems, health problems and illnesses,
lack of support from family members, limited social circle, lack of information, lack of
communication with others, overwhelmed by number of job duties and responsibilities,
absence of supervisors, problems and challenges and lack of resources, materials and
technologies. These may take place either frequently or less frequently. When the individuals
experience one or more of these barriers, they would encounter impediments within the
course of up-gradation of professional skills. Hence, the individuals need to generate
awareness in terms of ways of overcoming barriers. When the individuals are well-aware in
terms of ways of overcoming all types of barriers, they may either implement them on their
own or may obtain support and assistance from others. When the ways of overcoming
barriers are put into operation in an adequate manner, the individuals will be able to
contribute effectively in performing their job duties well, generating the desired outcomes
and bringing about improvements in professional skills. Therefore, it can be stated,
generating awareness in terms of ways of overcoming barriers is one of the essential
measures to bring about improvements in professional skills.

Conclusion

Professional skills are the skills, which are primarily required by the individuals to
enhance their career prospects and achieve the desired goals. The meaning and significance
of these skills are recognized, when the individuals emerge into good human beings and
productive citizens of the country. These skills are mainly implemented by the individuals in
pursuance of educational programs and within employment settings. When the individuals get
enrolled in educational institutions and training centres to pursue educational programs, or
when they get recruited within various types of organizations in accordance to their
educational qualifications and competencies, still they need to focus upon the development of
professional skills, throughout their jobs. The different types of professional skills are,
technical skills, conflict resolution skills, managerial skills, time management skills,
communication skills, project management, leadership, work ethics, team-work and
collaboration and critical thinking and problem solving. In addition, the individuals need to
be well-aware in terms of the measures, which are necessary in bringing about improvements
in professional skills. These are, acquiring training, getting engaged in regular practice,
obtaining feedback, conducting research, cultivating peer relationships and generating
awareness in terms of ways of overcoming barriers. Finally, it can be stated, when the
individuals generate adequate awareness in terms of various professional skills, they are able
to benefit in number of ways and would sustain their living conditions in a satisfactory
manner.
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What is Project Management? (2020). Retrieved July 15, 2020 from pmi.org

Work Ethics. (n.d.). Retrieved July 16, 2020 from uob.edu.bh