Can soft skills be learned, or are some people just naturally better with people? The short answer is yes. Soft skills are not fixed personality traits handed to a lucky few. They are built the same way any skill is built, through repetition, feedback, and real exposure to situations that test them.
This article looks at eight practical ways to start building the soft skills that matter most, especially as employers in Singapore increasingly rank them alongside technical ability.
Quick Takeaways
- Employers and younger workers do not always agree on which soft skill matters most, employers prioritise problem-solving, younger workers prioritise communication.
- According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, empathy should not be classified as a soft skill at all, since it is one of the hardest skills to build.
- SkillsFuture Singapore’s Critical Core Skills framework recognises problem-solving with defined proficiency levels, proof that soft skills can be structured and measured.
- Structured training combined with real-world practice tends to build soft skills faster than either approach alone.
Table of contents
8 Ways to Start Building Soft Skills
Soft skills rarely improve through reading alone. They build through repetition, feedback, and moments that put them to the test in real situations. Here are eight practical ways to start, each grounded in how these skills actually get built.
1. Treat it like a skill, not a trait
Soft skills develop the same way any skill does, through consistent practice rather than a single breakthrough. This is where habits and self-management come in, treating personal growth and productivity as something to train deliberately, not a quality people are simply born with.
Example: A junior executive who blocks out ten minutes to plan priorities is practising this daily, not waiting to “become” more organised.
2. Use structured frameworks to track progress
Soft skills can be measured, not just felt. SkillsFuture Singapore recognises problem-solving as one of its critical core skills, with defined levels ranging from basic to advanced. Strengthening critical thinking and problem-solving works the same way, giving learners a clear sense of where they stand and what to work on next.
Example: An employee who can only follow a troubleshooting checklist today can work toward spotting the root cause of a recurring issue before it escalates.
3. Learn from real interactions, not just courses
According to Coursera, human skills take longer to build than technical ones because they depend on real-world practice, not just instruction. Building strong people and relationship management reflects this, relying on scenarios and real interactions rather than theory alone.
Example: Sitting in on a difficult client call, rather than only reading about how to handle one, is what actually builds this skill over time.
4. Know Which Skill Actually Matters to Employers
A study by the Singapore University of Social Sciences, as reported by DollarsAndSense, found a clear mismatch: employers rank problem-solving as the soft skill that matters most, but younger workers consistently rank it lowest of the four skills studied, prioritising communication instead. One likely reason is that people tend to value the skill they feel strongest in, and younger respondents rated themselves highest in communication.
Closing that gap starts with treating problem-solving as a skill to build deliberately, not something that develops on its own with experience.
Example: A well-structured update in a team meeting can matter as much to a manager as the work behind it.
5. Seek mentorship and coaching early
The same SUSS study called for structured mentorship to help young workers build soft skills earlier, rather than learning them reactively on the job. Learning to lead with clarity gives aspiring leaders that structure before they are expected to lead a team unsupervised.
Example: Shadowing a manager through a project handover often teaches more than any leadership theory read alone.
6. Practise empathy deliberately
According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, empathy should not be viewed as merely a soft skill. He considers it one of the hardest skills to learn, since it shapes how people relate to colleagues and customers alike. Strengthening the ability to manage and strengthen customer relationships builds this kind of empathy directly, focused on reading what someone actually needs.
Example: Noticing that a frustrated customer wants to be heard before they want a solution is a small, deliberate act of empathy in practice.
7. Get exposed to team-based pressure
Nadella has also pointed to team sports, cricket in particular, as an early training ground for leadership and composure under pressure. Workplaces rarely offer that same structure naturally, which is why learning to manage conflict in the workplace matters, simulating that pressure and teaching de-escalation deliberately.
Example: Staying calm and steering a heated project debate back to the actual problem is the same muscle sports build early on.
8. Stay ahead of what AI can’t replicate
Singapore’s Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower, Shawn Huang, has noted that as AI takes over basic knowledge work, soft skills become indispensable rather than optional. Building resilience for that shift comes down to learning to manage stress and build mental resilience, preparing learners for the uncertainty that comes with it.
Example: Staying composed and adaptable during a sudden change in project scope is exactly the kind of resilience AI cannot replicate.
Related Article: 8 Skills That Cannot Be Replaced by AI
FAQs About Building Soft Skills
According to a study by the Singapore University of Social Sciences, as reported by DollarsAndSense, employers rank problem-solving as the most important soft skill, ahead of communication and critical thinking.
There is no fixed timeline. Soft skills develop gradually through repeated exposure to real situations, and Vertical Institute’s Critical Soft Skills courses are designed to give learners that structured practice rather than a single milestone to check off.
Participants may use the SSG subsidy of up to 70% off course fees, with SkillsFuture Credit able to offset the balance. PSEA (Post-Secondary Education Account) can also be used to offset fees. UTAP is available to eligible NTUC members.
Participants need to meet a minimum attendance requirement of 75% to qualify for WSQ certification. On completion, participants receive a WSQ Statement of Attainment and a Vertical Institute Certificate of Completion.
Yes. Eligible companies can offset a portion of training costs through SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC), on top of the SSG subsidy, with Absentee Payroll available to help cover manpower costs while staff attend training.
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Progress Looks Different for Everyone
There is no single point where a soft skill is considered “learned.” Some people notice a shift after a few difficult conversations handled well. Others take longer, and that is not a sign of falling behind. The eight approaches above are not a checklist to complete once. They are habits worth revisiting as new situations put them to the test.
