Soft skills training gives you practical tools that improve how you communicate, collaborate and lead. These people skills support your hard skills, helping you build strong relationships and get better results in your professional life.

When you invest in soft skill training, your team members grow in confidence, strengthen their problem-solving abilities and communicate in a way that creates a positive impact.

At Benjamin Ball Associates, we specialise in soft skills development that you can use straight away. You learn simple communication techniques you can apply instantly, whatever your role or career path.

Meet the Author: Benjamin Ball

Ben is the founder of Benjamin Ball Associates and leads the presentation coaching and pitch deck creation teams. Formerly a corporate financier in the City of London, for 20+ years he’s helped businesses win with better pitches and presentations, particularly investor pitches. He is a regular speaker and a guest lecturer at Columbia Business School and UCL London.  Follow Ben on LinkedIn or visit the contact page. 

Why Soft Skills Matter in the Workplace

While hard skills help you perform your technical tasks, your soft skills determine how well you work with others. These non-technical skills shape the way you:

• Communicate clearly
• Build trust
• Lead teams
• Collaborate across departments
• Solve problems
• Handle pressure
• Make decisions

The importance of soft skills continues to grow as organisations rely more on clear communication, flexibility and strong relationships. For many employers, soft skills are now one of the biggest drivers of employee retention and long-term professional development.

At Benjamin Ball Associates we’ve been training in soft communication skills for over 15 years for some of the world’s most successful companies.  We’d be delighted to discuss how we can help you.

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Hard Skills vs Soft Skills: What’s the Difference?

Hard skills are the technical abilities linked to your job, such as data analysis, software development, compliance or financial modelling.

Soft skills are the interpersonal skills, communication skills and personality traits that influence how you work with others. They help you handle difficult conversations, think critically, build rapport and adapt to different situations.

High performers combine both. When you strengthen your soft skills, your technical expertise becomes more valuable because you can communicate it effectively.

Examples of Soft Skills That Make a Real Difference

Interpersonal skills and social skills

These help you read a room, build trust quickly and create effective relationships. They matter in client meetings, team discussions and social situations.

Emotional intelligence

You understand your own reactions and recognise what others need. You stay calm under pressure and adjust your approach.

Critical thinking and problem solving

You review options, make good decisions and find solutions quickly. These skills enhance everything from project work to leadership.

Creative thinking

Useful when you need new ideas or better ways to approach problems.

Verbal communication skills

Clear speaking, confident delivery and strong public speaking skills help you present ideas with authority. These are core communication skills and soft skills that strengthen performance in any role.

Written communication skills

Clear writing shows clear thinking. When you have great writing skills it means you get listened to and you make yourself heard. 

Leadership skills and people skills

You guide teams, give feedback, manage meetings and build a positive culture. These skills are central to leadership development.

Soft Skills Communication: The Foundation of High Performance

Every workplace relies on effective communication. When you improve your soft skills communication, you remove confusion and help others act on what you say.

Our soft skills training courses often include:

• Explaining complex topics simply
• Managing challenging conversations
• Adapting your message for different audiences
• Influencing without pressure
• Structuring ideas for clarity and confidence

These communication skills and soft skills apply to one-to-one conversations, team meetings and high-stakes presentations.

How Soft Skills Training Courses Work

A strong soft skills training programme is practical, interactive and shaped around your real challenges. With Benjamin Ball Associates, your employee soft skills training includes:

1. Tailored content

Your course is built around your goals, whether that’s leadership development, public speaking or improving team communication.

2. Live practice

You rehearse real scenarios such as management presentations, client meetings, pitch conversations or investor presentations. Immediate feedback helps you build new habits quickly.

3. Simple, repeatable tools

You leave with practical frameworks you can use the same day. These tools strengthen problem solving, communication and leadership.

4. Training for different roles

Soft skills development helps new starters, managers and senior leaders. These skills are transferable across roles, industries and career paths.

5. High quality reference material

We are known for our well-written post-coaching materials that helps you continue to build your skills after the training.

Core Soft Skills Courses and Communication Training

Below are our most popular soft skills training courses, delivered to teams and leaders across the UK and Europe.

1. Presentation Skills Training

One of the most effective ways to build workplace communication skills. You learn to:

• Structure messages that drive results
• Speak with clarity and confidence
• Engage any audience

Read more about Presentation skills coaching

2. Public Speaking Skills Coaching

Develop strong public speaking skills for conferences, panels and company meetings. You learn to:

• Project authority
• Manage nerves
• Deliver memorable messages

Read more about Public speaking coaching

3. Panel Moderation & Panel Discussion Training

Ideal for executives speaking at events. You learn to:

• Lead lively discussions
• Ask insightful questions
• Position yourself as a thought leader

Read more about Conference panel coaching

4. Pitch Winning and Business Development Skills

Perfect for people who need to win new business or investment. You learn to:

• Tell persuasive pitch stories
• Present complex ideas simply
• Lead pitch meetings confidently

Read more about Pitch coaching

5. Media Training for Executives

Essential for anyone speaking publicly. You learn to:

• Handle tough questions
• Stay on message
• Communicate clearly under pressure

Read more about Media training

6. Storytelling for Business

One of the most powerful soft skills courses for leaders. You learn to:

• Craft compelling stories
• Use narrative to motivate teams
• Turn strategy into clear action

Read more about Storytelling coaching

7. Business Report Writing Skills Training

You learn to:

• Write concise reports
• Tailor documents for senior audiences
• Explain complex ideas clearly

Read more about Writing skills training

8. Speaking to Investors with Confidence

For CEOs, CFOs and founders. You learn to:

• Present numbers as a clear story
• Build trust with stakeholders
• Handle investor questions confidently

Read more about Investor meeting coaching

Case Study: Building Communication Skills at a Financial Regulator

For more than ten years we have helped a major financial regulator strengthen communication skills across the organisation.

The Challenge: Improve Presenting and Public Speaking

Senior leaders wanted clearer, more confident communication at every level. Too much time was spent producing slides and not enough on delivering a message people would remember. External speeches lacked impact and internal presentations had become “Death by PowerPoint”.

Our Approach: Tailored Coaching and Training

We designed a bespoke programme to raise communication standards across the organisation. This included online seminars, storytelling workshops, small-group coaching on Zoom and Teams and 1:1 coaching for senior executives. Each session worked on real presentations and real challenges.

The Results: A Highly Rated, Long-Running Programme

Feedback averaged 4.9 out of 5 and demand grew quickly. The regulator expanded the programme to new departments and we now work with them as a retained supplier.

A typical participant said:
“This was the most practical and valuable coaching I have ever received. I wish I’d done this years ago.”

Soft Skills Training for IT and Technical Teams

Technical specialists often need help translating their expertise into clear, accessible messages. IT soft skills training improves:

• Communication with non-technical colleagues
• Confidence when presenting updates
• Collaboration across teams
• Critical thinking and problem solving

These soft skills workshops have a strong positive impact on team performance and help technical teams feel better understood.

Soft Skills Workshops for Teams

Workshops are an effective way to deliver fast improvements in communication and workplace soft skills. Popular topics include:

• Presenting with confidence
• Structured communication
• Storytelling for business
• Writing with impact
• Leading effective conversations

These soft skills training workshops support lifelong learning and help people strengthen their personal attributes and people skills.

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Corporate Soft Skills Training

For larger organisations, we deliver corporate soft skills training as:

• One-off workshops
• Multi-session soft skills development programmes
• Online soft skills courses
• Leadership coaching
• Professional development programmes

Content is tailored to your culture so improvements show up immediately.  Call us and discuss the best solution for your organisation.

The Benefits of Soft Skills Training

When you invest in corporate or employee soft skills training, you usually see:

• Stronger communication
• Better collaboration
• Improved leadership skills
• Clearer decision-making
• Greater confidence
• Better client relationships
• More effective meetings
• Higher employee retention

Soft skills training companies consistently report that these benefits also support long-term career advancement.

Work With an Expert Soft Skills Training Provider

Benjamin Ball Associates has trained thousands of professionals across the UK and Europe. Our soft skills training courses are practical, tailored and grounded in real business experience.

If you want a soft skills training provider that helps you communicate clearly and build better relationships, get in touch. We’ll help you build the soft skills that make the biggest difference.

Call Louise Angus, our client services director on +44 20 7108 0922 or click on the button below.

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Why Choose Us:
Transform your pitches and presentations with tailored coaching

We can help you present brilliantly. Thousands of people have benefitted from our tailored in-house coaching and advice – and we can help you too.

“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.”

Mick May, CEO, Blue Sky

For 15+ years we’ve been the trusted choice for leading businesses and executives throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East. We’ll help you improve corporate presentations through presentation coaching, public speaking training and expert advice on pitching to investors.

Some recent clients

Unlock your full potential and take your presentations to the next level.

Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com to transform your speeches, pitches and presentations.

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Soft Skills Communication Training FAQs

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Read The Ultimate Guide to Leadership Communications