Last year I wrote a column about how “soft skills” are required to succeed in virtually every business today. Even in the sciences, a career path that has traditionally allowed insular personalities to thrive, soft skills are more important than ever.

“Steve Jobs, technologist and tastemaker of modern digital culture, described himself as a captain of product design inspiring his teams of workers, as he once said, to go ‘beyond what anyone thought possible’ and to do ‘some great work, really great work that will go down in history.’”

Do you get frustrated with the Gen Y’ers in your lab? Do you find them to be lazy, apathetic and self-absorbed? Do you sometimes say to yourself, “Where did this generation’s parents go wrong?” Good news! Gen Y is as hard working as any generation before.

First try to understand why they do what they do.

Many people believe “undermanagement” does not provide: 1. Clear performance requirements for the job 2. Clear and measurable goals with deadlines 3. Performance metrics or feedback on a timely basis 4. Enough atta-boys or atta-girls. And they would be correct; however, there is also under-management when a manager’s body language is “telling on” him or her.

The scientific community has historically taken a dim view of communications with nonscientific publics. No thanks, said scientists. What an imposition! Why bother? What good could possibly come from interrupting research, sticking our necks out and dumbing it down for non-scientific dunderheads, only to see them mismanage our findings?

In our Fifth Annual Salary & Employee Satisfaction Survey, the majority of you told us again that you were happy in your current work situations and had no plans to change careers. However, 13 percent fewer of you than in 2010 answered in the affirmative to the statement, “based on job is secure.”

We all know that scientists who pursue advanced degrees like a Ph.D. are smart. They are driven. And they are no doubt passionate about their work. But can they cut it in the real world? Recent national media reports that debate the value of advanced degrees are shining a light on the need to have marketable skills that will work beyond the “ivory tower.”