ABSTRACT
Leadership research and theory has long emphasized the importance of so-called soft skills for leader effectiveness. These include specific interpersonal and communication skills such as active listening, providing feedback effectively, and dealing with conflict. Soft skills also could involve more general abilities such as empathy, assertiveness, and resilience. One of the earliest and most respected leadership development programs, the “Human Relations Training Program,” which was developed at Pennsylvania State University in the 1950s, taught many of these skills (Hand, Richards, & Slocum, 1973). More recent leader development programs have continued to emphasize training in skills such as “motivating, coaching, giving direction, and providing positive and negative feedback” (Hunt & Baruch, 2003).
