Beyond Soft Skills: Polishing your persona

Saikh Md. Sabah Al-Ahmed

(sabahalahmed@gmail.com)

Of the myriad attributes one needs to succeed in life, a presentable personality, oozing with self-confidence, would perhaps be on top of that list. In an age where one's communication skills make all the difference between success and low self-esteem, the domain of soft skills, or for that matter, mastering or honing the art of interacting effectively and harmoniously with other people, has perhaps become the most sought-after capability. Beyond Soft Skills is, in this regard, an indispensable handbook, containing 120 invaluable essays by columnist, motivational speaker, and veteran PR consultant, Nurul Islam Laskar.

The book has it all if one wants to face the world head-on. It contains several articles dealing with the importance of character, courtesy, integrity, and patience, which could undoubtedly add to the strength of any youngster in this perform-or-perish world. These essays themselves are subtle – they deal with nuances such as etiquette on the telephone, at the dining table, in a restaurant, and even in the washroom, and, therefore, open one's eyes to minute details, setting one a class apart from others. Similarly, the pieces that depict the importance of a smile, a handshake, conveying of appreciation, and exceptional conversational skills, if understood and practised consistently, will lift one's personality to higher echelons.

The chapters on office etiquette, the importance of teamwork, managing people, and gender sensitivity, will surely instil in the stakeholders, valuable guidance, and consequently, improve the ambience of the workplace. Furthermore, there are valuable sections in the book that delve into skilful driving practice, the need for forming a queue, the dos and don'ts during a hospital visit, or the etiquette to be observed when in a movie hall. One will also find more articles on similar lines. These topics will certainly go a long way in developing citizens with appropriate civic sense and concern for fellow inhabitants. Today, moral science is not taught in most educational institutions, unlike in the past. The essays on forgiveness, the power of prayer, and filial love will, undoubtedly, evoke these values in the heart of every reader.

On being asked what inspired him to write this book, the veteran PR man poured his heart out in a frank tête-à-tête: "The most important reason for which I put down my experience of many years in this book is that I have been getting invitations from many educational institutions and corporate houses to conduct sessions on topics such as motivation, personality development, leadership and communication skills, and public relations etc., but it is physically not possible for me to accept or respond to all such invitations. So, I felt that if I put all my thoughts in a book, that could reach far and wide. Hence, this book."

This journey of a little over two years that the author took to complete this book, was, however, not without its usual share of potholes and a bumpy road to tread upon: "When I started writing this book, the pandemic happened. This upset many of my schedules, not necessarily only about writing this book, but almost everything else. My travel plans were upset. My finances were affected like the pandemic affected everybody else all over the world. This, however, had a brighter side also. It prompted me to add quite a few articles on how to face problems created by the pandemic!", echoed the motivational speaker, who, perhaps, in this case, was his motivation.

Children, adults, and senior citizens alike, will have a lot of 'meat and matter' for their benefit in this volume. There are useful suggestions for people from all walks of life – students, professionals, corporate executives, and even housewives – in its various chapters. This crisp little book, spread over 181 pages, and contains 13 chapters and 120 essays, is a personification of the author himself – his years of wisdom, accrued as a PR consultant, have taken shape through the words in this literary creation.