The ‘Hard’ case for ‘Soft’ skills

Winning the battle of the mind

Why ‘Soft’ skills??

Because ‘Soft’ skills are critical to ‘Hard’ work

Some ‘Hard’ facts:

Troop morale is critical to operational success

Inspiration, loyalty, bravery are all crucial to building a great force

The image of other border guarding and paramilitary forces has been tarnished because of ‘soft’ reasons; not because of operational failure

Support from the community is a ‘soft’ issue

We clean the gun not to make it look nice but so that it will shoot straight

Let’s call it by its right name…

‘Operational

Support Skills’

There’s nothing soft about ‘Soft’ skills

Strategic Essentials

Importance must be emphasized from the top

Senior officers must be seen as role models of

Operational Support Skills

Senior officers must personally teach these skills

Create a bank of success stories to demonstrate

the power of winning hearts

Leadership skills must be a part of every course

Because the enemy is fighting for the mind

What happens elsewhere?

GE Corporate University, Crotonville, USA

Premier leadership institute in the world

Teaches only ‘soft’ skills

Expense budget of over $ 2 Bn annually

The Chairman of GE is on the teaching staff

The Director reports directly to the Chairman

Anyone nominated to a course must compulsorily attend or his cost is debited to his company and he has to show cause

Courses form an integral part of a person’s growth and one must qualify by attending them

Because training makes good

‘business sense’ and warrants the

most serious investment

Because ‘Soft’ skills give the edge to the ‘Hard’ work of guarding our borders

Which skills & attitudes?

Passion for the country & the Force

To uphold the law at all times, everywhere

To solve problems on their own

To demonstrate integrity in all actions

To speak the truth even when it is inconvenient to do so

To put duty before self at all times in all places

To work together with other colleagues & agencies

To show concern for others, especially civilians

To build positive relationships with community leaders

Because we can only succeed with their help

“The General who has to actually fight the battle has already lost.”

~ Sun Tzu, Art of War

The real battle is fought and won in the

minds and hearts of the people…..

And that takes love, not force

Mirza Yawar Baig www.yawarbaig.com

yawarbaig@gmail.com