WATCH: Leaders need soft skills - academic

Cape Town - In developing leadership skills it is also important to focus on so-called soft skills, according to Associate Professor Mills Soko, new director of the UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB).

"Soft skills are important as leadership is also about leading people and people are complex," Soko told Fin24. "We want to ensure we produce leaders who understand the complex social environment in which they operate."

He believes as a business school the UCT GSB has a responsibility to play a role in addressing the challenges that face SA and Africa.

"We have put in place several measures as a school to enable us to contribute to address challenges like high unemployment and poverty. We are committed to address the shortage of business skills in our economy," said Soko.

"We are also committed to prepare leaders to establish and run profitable businesses, while also realising they have a social role to play. We are committed to nurture entrepreneurs for job creation."

He sees the role of the GSB to go out and find talent, especially in previously disadvantaged segments.

"We want to provide support and opportunities to study at the GSB. We are committed to make opportunities available for those with potential," said Soko.

"We plan to increse the number of bursaries and to work with our stakeholders to identify talent and enable those students to study at the GSB."

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