The fourth Industrial Revolution represents an important paradigm shift in industrial production, with significant impacts on companies’ value chains. The introduction of new technologies leads companies through the integration and optimization of the value chain, including internal processes and operations.

Given the need to increase competitiveness, determined by the integration of internal operations and value chains, the challenging and constantly evolving business context demands new skills in addition to technical ability. In this context, soft skills or behavioral skills acquire an increasingly relevant role.

But what are behavioral skills anyway?

Behavioral skills bring together a broad set of professional skills based mainly on multidisciplinarity. These skills influence the way people work and relate to each other.

Soft skills, also referred to as interpersonal skills, are essential for professional growth and necessary for success in any area of ​​activity.

Behavioral skills are, therefore, general characteristics of any job, which help professionals to stand out in any work environment. They include, among others, communication, teamwork and adaptability. These are aspects of personality related to a person’s emotional and cognitive development. They are essential for professional success.

Behavioral skills are character traits, personality traits, and interpersonal skills that characterize a person’s ability to interact with other people. In the workplace, they are considered a complement to hard skills, which refer to technical knowledge and skills. Psychologists often refer to soft skills to determine an individual’s emotional intelligence quotient (EQ), as opposed to their intelligence quotient (IQ). In a competitive job market, individuals who demonstrate a good combination of technical and interpersonal skills benefit from selection.

But what is the difference between behavioral and technical skills?

Technical skills or hard skills are teachable and transferable skills that are generally learned in school environments or education and training programs. Technical skills include computer programming, data analysis, project development, surgery, among others. These are job-specific technical skills that require continued training.

On the other hand, behavioral skills are generally personality traits and interpersonal skills that develop over time and through personal maturity. Employers generally value soft skills because they are not as easily developed as hard skills, as they are much more based on personality traits and the values ​​of each individual. Examples of behavioral skills are leadership, critical thinking, negotiation, active listening, reliability and emotional intelligence. Having a broad set of soft skills often makes someone a well-rounded team player, with good interpersonal skills and a strong work ethic.

In conclusion, well-developed behavioral skills will help professionals develop within their careers, build healthier relationships, and gain people’s trust and admiration.