Portable Skills – A Different Way of Being Smart and Head the Sales and Branding Functions
Preamble
On my Kindle Device, I was revisiting the book Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman once again after the Covid ‘vacation’.
Daniel Goleman discusses a term called “Portable Skills“.
I had clean forgotten about it and I slapped my forehead.
What are Portable Skills?
Portable skills are abilities you can carry with you wherever you go—no matter what job you do, what company you work for, or which country you live in. They’re not tied to a specific role or industry.
You are travelling from Mumbai to Jaisalmer in your Maruti Baleno. Think of Portable Skills like an emergency car kit full of useful items like a first-aid kit, jumper cables, a flashlight, a tyre repair kit, a basic set of tools, and potentially other essentials like water, food, and a warning triangle. . The tools in this emergency car kit can help you succeed in any situation.
Examples of Portable Skills
- Getting along with people
(Building good relationships with co-workers, customers, or strangers.) - Staying calm under pressure
(Handling stress without losing your cool.) - Solving problems
(Finding smart, practical solutions when things go wrong.) - Communicating clearly
(Explaining your ideas so others easily understand you.) - Being responsible and reliable
(Doing what you said you’d do, and doing it well.)
Portable Skills are transferable. Transferable means: You can use them anywhere.
Just like you can wear your Bata Slip-on shoes whether you’re walking in a park, travelling on a aeroplane, or visiting a friend’s house — Portable Skills can be used in many different jobs or situations.
A simple example:
If you’re good at listening carefully to others,
- you can use that skill as a teacher
- as a nurse
- as a doctor
- as a brand manager
- as a District Sales Manager
- Or even as a parent or friend.
That skill transfers from one place to another — just like your favorite Bata slip-on shoes go wherever you go.
Why Portable Skills Matter – Daniel Goleman’s Perspective
- They are future-proof, remaining relevant even as jobs evolve with automation and AI.
- They enhance leadership, teamwork, and workplace performance.
- Unlike technical skills, they are difficult to automate
- They are crucial for career longevity.
Goleman emphasizes that while technical skills may get someone a job, portable skills (especially EI) determine long-term success. These skills can be developed through mindfulness, feedback, and deliberate practice.
If your ambition is to lead a pharmaceutical organization, many of the skills you develop in brand management—such as brand building, emotional intelligence, effective communication, strategic thinking, and cross-functional collaboration—are directly transferable to sales management, and vice versa.
For brand leaders aspiring to reach executive roles, mastering sales-related portable skills (e.g., negotiation, resilience, data-driven persuasion) can accelerate their growth.
Similarly, sales leaders who cultivate negotiation skills, assertive communication, use of body-language, creative problem-solving, gaining a competitive edge.
Both roles rely on overlapping portable skills, even if their tactical focus differs
Key Aspects of Portable Skills (According to Goleman)
1. Emotional Intelligence (EI) Components:
– Self-awareness – Understanding one’s emotions and their impact.
– Self-regulation – Managing emotions effectively.
– Motivation – Harnessing emotions to stay driven.
– Empathy – Recognizing and responding to others’ emotions.
– Social Skills – Building strong relationships and managing conflicts.
2. Adaptability & Resilience
– The ability to adjust to change, handle stress, and recover from setbacks.
3. Cognitive Flexibility:
– Problem-solving, creativity, and learning agility—skills that help people pivot between different tasks and industries.
4. Communication & Collaboration:
– Strong interpersonal skills that work in any team or leadership role.
Looking Through Daniel Goleman’s Lenses
This aligns with his view that leadership success hinges on portable skills like**:
– Empathy
(e.g., sales managers understanding buyer pain points ↔ brand managers decoding consumer emotions).
– Influence (e.g., persuading retailers to stock products ↔ convincing internal teams to adopt a brand vision).
– Adaptability (e.g., pivoting sales strategies in a downturn ↔ rebranding after a crisis).
Portable Skills: Your Ticket to the Top
If you dream of leading your company’s sales or marketing one day, here’s something you must know—Portable Skills matter.
These are the skills you can carry with you from one role to another. For example, if you’re a sales manager who’s great at building relationships, managing people, or solving problems—those same strengths will help you succeed in brand management too. Similarly, if you’re a brand manager who thinks creatively, communicates well, and works with cross-functional teams, you’re already developing skills that apply to sales leadership.
In today’s pharma world, sales and marketing are two sides of the same coin. To grow into a leadership role, you must understand and respect both—and that’s where portable skills give you the edge. Start building them now. The future is waiting.