soft skills

"A year at the longest should you seek technical achievement. After that, you should focus more on the business side".

"Right now my books are all soft skills books, I have never buy any technical books anymore lately".

The first one was an advice that was given to me by my Chief who was just resigned. The later was a sharing by my first boss in Astra to me around five years ago.

They were both Germany’s graduate, very brilliant and have bright careers in Astra in such a young age. And they were both technical persons; had deep knowledge in technical IT and strong logics. Yet, they were giving me those advices about change the focus to be more on business side, the non-technical or soft-skills. And they were also living those advices, gave me example the success achieved by them on living them.

I was and I am a technical person. The ‘technical’ term refers to have quite deep technical knowledge on IT perspective, as in can do programming, prefer on reading technical white papers than pre-sales materials, do technical discussions, etc.

I started my career in Astra as a programmer and I maintained my programmer skills until now.

Anyway, for some years, I knew that their advices were true. If I want to be a leader, a real winner, then I have to develop my soft-skills.

Because, in a simple words, it is no use to have a very-very good product if I can not convince others that it is good.

So, I’ve been trying to develop my soft skills, but still I eager to maintain my technical skills. I’ve been doing presentation, sales, negotiation with customer and principles, and also programming :).

I keep saying to myself, that I have two operation modes: the technical Herry and the non-technical Herry.

Hehehe. It worked.

At least until now and perhaps some period in the future.

Anyway, deep down, I knew that some times in the near future I will face the intersection where I have to choose. Since the challenge will be bigger and harsher than my ability to overcome the technical and business at the same time by my own hands.

Yeah, yeah, you were right, Boss. I will have to choose, and I knew what to choose.

As in X-Men, there was Wolverine with the unlimited-regeneration ability which kept him young and immortal; there were the Incredible Hulk who could lift an island by his own bare hands; but yet, the greatest mutant ever was Professor Xavier, a crippled one but with the ability to control others’ mind.

Hehe. No matter how good product you have, it is useless if you can not convince others that it is good.

Note: It's been more than two years since the day I wrote this blog. I've grown more adept in my soft skills and - hard to acknowledge it - less in my technical skills *sigh*. But, I've made my choices and I think I'm in the right path.

(previously posted in Friendster on December 17th, 2006)