Re: Teaching Soft Skills (Was: System Administration Certification & Capabilities)

[Joseph S D Yao <jsdy@gwyn.tux.org>]

> A lot of people in this thread have mentioned a preference for
> candidates with good "soft skills" (customer service attitude, desire
> to learn, motivation, enthusiasm, et al) over a first rate technical
> candidate who might lack some of these skills.  I must say I tend to
> agree.
> 
> One thing that's always frustrated me, however, is an inability to
> initially instill these qualities in an individual.  I know plenty of
> techniques for increasing motivation and enthusiasm, improving 
> customer service, etc. but none of them work to create these desires
> in an individual who doesn't have them in the first place.  And
> frankly I'm having a hard time finding people who have these skills
> and I need to manufacture some.
> 
> Do people generally agree that the person has to be born with a
> customer service attitude and some of the other skills I mentioned?
> Has anybody had success in instilling these qualities in somebody, and
> if so when in their development did you do it (childhood, grade
> school, college, in the workplace)?
> 
> Hal Pomeranz, Principal        Deer Run Associates        hal@deer-run.com
>       Network Connectivity and Security, Systems Management, Training

It should be instilled in childhood.  But it can be instilled later in
life.  It has to be a fundamental acceptance, though, rather than a
veneer.

Joe Yao				jsdy@tux.org - Joseph S. D. Yao