Understanding Behavioral Competency vs. Soft Skills: Can You Help Clarify the Difference?

Dear Seniors, please guide me on the difference between Behavioral Competency and Soft Skills.

Understanding Behavioral Competencies

Behavioral competencies encompass knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, self-concept, traits, and actions that distinguish excellent performers.

Soft Skills Explained

Soft skills are intra-personal or interpersonal skills that help an individual perform better and establish win-win relationships with others. For example, there is an engineer who is very good at his job but does not know how to talk to others fluently in English; he needs to work on his English communication skills, which are a part of soft skills.

When we look at behavioral competencies, we examine the person's knowledge, skills, attitude (positive or negative), values (honesty, integrity), and traits (aggressive, calm) - all of these. So, in a way, soft skills are a part of behavioral competencies. Hope this makes it clear for you, Rahul.

Understanding Soft Skills

In a nutshell, soft skills are primarily personality traits that can be groomed, enhanced, or even repressed with the help of behavioral interventions, such as training.

Regards,
Mahesh

Excellent explanation for the difference between behavioral competency and soft skills.

Regards,
Ashok

Clarification on Behavioral Competency and Soft Skills

You have written:

"Behavioral competency is the end result of how you use the soft skills. We can say that soft skills are the foundation of behavioral competency. Another metaphor can be that behavioral competency is the tip of the iceberg, and soft skills are what is hidden under the sea."

It seems that you have made your own conclusion and not read any of the OD books. Please see the appended Iceberg model of Competency, and you can see what a competency actually is.

"Behavioral competency is the end result of how you use the soft skills." - Incorrect.

Behavioral competencies encompass knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, self-concept, traits, and actions that distinguish excellent performers.

"We can say that soft skills are the foundation of behavioral competency." - Incorrect.

Self-concept, motives, values, and traits are the foundation of behavioral competency.

"Behavioral competency is the tip of the iceberg, and soft skills are what is hidden under the sea." - Incorrect.

As you can see in the iceberg model, knowledge and skills are the tip of the iceberg.

Above all, it is our attitude that determines our success in the workplace.

Please let me know where you have quoted what you have written. My knowledge of Competency comes from the famous book "Competency at Work" by Spencers. Please read it and add value to yourself.

Regards

Book Recommendation for Beginners

Which book should I refer to as a beginner?

Defining Proficiency Levels for Behavioral Competencies and Soft Skills

How can one define the proficiency level for behavioral competencies and soft skills?

Regards,
Rahul