Modelling Key Drivers of Employee Behaviour for Personal and Professional Excellence

Introduction

The mounting body of research claims that behavioural skills contribute to distinct positive outcomes in personal and professional lives. A holistic approach to inculcating behavioural skills prepares students for achievement throughout their learning and work journeys.¹ Behavioural skills refer to an individual’s reflective capacity in relation to the characteristics of the circumstances that he/she can face. These skills could be management or administrative when they have to respond according to professional standards such as prioritisation, anticipation, and testing. These skills could be social in nature when a person has to interact with others for activities such as bargaining, debating, and collaboration. Moreover, these skills can also be psychological in nature when they must adapt themselves to certain conditions or attend training.²

Behavioural characteristics such as proficiency, team skills, leadership skills, and technology know-how, which may lead to individual development in a company and the person is better able to take difficult positions, can be defined as behavioural competencies.³ It is applicable to all employees irrespective of their position in the organisation. Behavioural competence is used to improve employee competence for easier process changes in all positions in the organisation.⁴ It is not only confined to their work, but also to personal life. This involves the fact that a person must be efficient.⁵

The combination of behavioural skills and navigation factors generally refers to the variety of habits, strategies, abilities, personalities, and attitudes that influence how people communicate with their environments and, in turn, the resulting impact on the individual development and outcomes of these interactions.² Interpersonal, self-regulatory, and task-related habits are behavioural skills that contribute to good results in school and workplace settings. Behavioural skills are intended to help people succeed through constructive relationships, stress management, and ongoing efforts.

Behavioural skills have a universal appeal as they are essential in all domains of life. Behavioural skills are an inevitable part of organizational culture. The fact that human behaviour is a key factor in an organisation’s efficiency and success must not be ignored. Reckless behaviour can tarnish the image of a brand, reduce the culture of work, and hinder credibility.¹ Training in behavioural skills helps control optimal human behaviour to improve results at work. Good character, maturity, friendliness, and common sense are characterised by behavioural abilities. These skills can be nurtured to enhance careers and personal lives. As predicted, future work will be highly digital, linked, and collaborative. Specialists in behavioural skills believe that workers need to concentrate on improving their unique skill sets for individuals to be effective and happy at work.

The importance of behavioral skills in a variety of circumstances has been thoroughly studied in the past, which is consistent with the current emphasis on the importance of these abilities in the workplace and in education.⁵ Research has explored human body organization modeling with approaches such as ISM and AHP, providing insights into the characteristics affecting personal conduct.⁶ Furthermore, research on the performance effects of coaching as evidenced by multilevel analyses has advanced our knowledge of the influence of behavioral skills on results.⁷ A dedication to investigating and improving behavioral skill assessment instruments is demonstrated by the implementation and evaluation of interpretive structural modeling (ISM) within the framework of smartISM.⁸

As per the World Economic Forum (WEF), the top 10 abilities named as key skills or intangible skills, are problem solving, communication, critical thinking, people management, emotional intelligence (EQ), cognitive resilience, and decision-making.⁹ A 2018 Deloitte survey showed that in the 4.0 World, 36% of millennials and 29% of Gen Z thought that building resilience was the single most overreaching skill to survive in the world today.¹⁰ This changing necessity is especially difficult in a society like ours, where the educational mindset is conditioned to focus on technical abilities. Technical skills are undergoing constant upgrading, and redundancy and behavioural skills have gained paramount importance in defining workplace success in the new world order.¹¹ Today, fights are relevant and require constant upskilling. Educational institutions, interviewers, and trainers are constantly seeking answers to the question of what skills are required to remain relevant today. With 80% of graduates expected to be unemployed, the widening mismatch between employers and current seekers, the advent of the gig economy, the startup movement, technical development, and the arrival of AI, this problem has become even more crucial.¹² Keeping this in mind, this study lists and evaluates 14 behavioural abilities that are essential for a person’s development. To determine behavioural skills, an extensive literature review was conducted and expert opinions were sought. Interpretive structural modelling (ISM) was used to assess and prioritise these talents into strategic, operational, and performance results. The findings of this study are likely to aid in identifying the necessary behavioural training for preparing people for employment and managing their talent. The study contributes to the body of research by identifying 14 key behavioural skills and also explaining the interplay of these skills in driving personal and professional journey of an individual. The present literature contains these skills but are generally explained in isolation. This study shows that how the combination of these drives the behaviour of an individual.

Review of Literature

Today’s competitive and dynamic environment emphasises the importance of behavioural skills in academic and professional achievement. Research has shown that certain behavioural skills contribute to various positive outcomes in the education and work domains. The Human Capital Theory, often associated with Gary Becker, can be relevant to understanding the drivers of behaviour. The theory suggest that individuals make investments in their own human capital through education, training, and personal development, which subsequently influences their behavior and productivity. The behavioural aspects like, socialization, interpersonal skills, leadership skills, and emotional intelligence, can be seen as components of human capital. Applying this theory can provide a comprehensive framework for analysing how individuals how individuals invest in and leverage their skills and qualities to shape their behavior in personal and professional contexts.

Nevertheless, recruiters are behaviourally trained candidates for the successful implementation of various policies and strategies. A rigorous literature review was conducted to explore the various behavioural skills that are significant in achieving success in personal and professional life. The following 14 behavioural skills have been identified in the literature:

Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills determine an individual’s capacity to work well with others. As we coexist with others and do not operate in a vacuum, interpersonal skills determine our success to a larger extent.¹³ It comes easily to some people, while others must make efforts to cultivate it. People with strong interpersonal abilities appear to develop successful relationships and interact well with others.¹⁴ Their families, acquaintances, colleagues, and customers are well understood. Employees with good interpersonal skills are respected by many companies because of their friendly behaviour and optimistic solution-seeking mindset. These employees are tagged as team players who work well in accomplishing team goals.^15,16 According to a recent survey, prospective employers prioritise interpersonal skills to perform well in a wide variety of organizational settings. Employees even emphasise acquiring interpersonal skills to ensure personal and professional excellence.^3,17 Therefore, interpersonal skills training begins as early as school because effective communication lays the foundation for the development of multiple soft skills.

Open Mindedness

Open-mindedness is defined as a person’s willingness to understand and consider different perspectives and experience new things in life. Open-minded individuals actively ask questions and search for new information when required.⁵ Research shows that open-minded people have greater achievements in school and college.^18,19 Their achievements can even be connected to higher levels of academic achievement, learning, inquisitiveness, and people’s skills etc.²⁰ Furthermore, in the professional context, open-minded individuals tend to be more adaptive.²¹ A study by Hammond et al²² claims that open-minded people keep challenging their existing beliefs which brings fresh insights, makes them more creative, and shows better performance at work. Moreover, such people are optimistic, mentally strong, and eventually grow better. Level of person

Emotional Intelligence

The ability to recognise, use, and manage emotions in oneself and others is referred to as emotional intelligence. A great deal of research has been conducted on the effects of emotional intelligence on numerous facets of life. According to MacCann et al²³ and Maraichelvi and Rajan²⁴, emotional intelligence is a strong determinant of academic performance. In a study by Varghese et al²⁵ students were found to have high levels of stress due to poor emotional intelligence which led to health problems and eventually affected their academic performance. It has been proven that emotional intelligence is responsible for 80% of success in personal and professional life. According to Goleman²⁶ leadership efficacy is determined by leader behaviour. Research on emotional intelligence highlights that people with high Emotional Intelligence (EI] have better interpersonal relationships and live healthier lives than those with low emotional intelligence.²⁷

Socialization

Socialisation is the process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns to adjust to society and behave in accordance with its norms. Socialisation helps people imbibe impulse control by picking up and internalising surrounding expectations.⁵ Research suggests that people who seek guidance positively and constructively inspire themselves and exhibit better academic performance.¹⁸ Such people exhibit more appropriate interpersonal behaviours, such as active listening, dependability, and patience.²⁸ Moreover, in a professional setting, such people are better performers, have higher job satisfaction,²⁹ are highly engaged,²⁹ are emotionally stable,³⁰ and are more stable in their jobs.³¹

Persistence

Persistent individuals are more self-motivated, organised, dependable, and self-controlled. They tended to try it even after the cause had been removed. Research shows that persistent people are consistently good at academic achievement throughout their lives.¹⁹ In fact it is also found that employees with high persistence have better cognitive abilities and are good job performers.^32,33 Recruiters also consider persistence an important attribute of job applicants and other job skills.³⁴ According to Judge et al³⁵ persistence is a predictor of outcomes like “good citizen” behaviours, low unproductive behaviour,³⁶ more satisfied at work,²⁹ low chances of quitting the job.³¹ Furthermore, according to Christiansen and Robie³⁷ a person’s persistence determines professional effectiveness.

Conflict Resolution

Employees and businesses flourish in harmonious and inclusive environments; hence, it is imperative for managers to nurture environments conducive to growth. Conflicts occur if action by one party is considered to prevent or interfere with the purposes, needs, or acts of another party. Conflict may occur over a variety of organizational interactions, such as incompatible agendas, discrepancies in understanding of the truth, negative emotions, differences in belief and philosophies, or conflicts over shared resources.³⁸ It is often observed that employees strive to demonstrate how important they are to the organisation they work for and at times, which can lead to disagreements with other members of the team, leading to conflict. Not all conflicts are negative.³⁹ Functional conflicts support an organisation’s goals and improve its performance.⁴⁰ Effective conflict management leads to better idea generation, joint search for acceptable solutions, solutions to long-standing problems, creativity, and innovation. The success of an individual is measured by her capability to deal with conflicts with the resources available at their disposal. In the professional domain, people must be adaptable and direct their efforts towards the attainment of organizational goals. Successful conflict management has a domino effect, helping executives build workplaces where workers can excel. Blake and Mouton⁴¹ highlight that to resolve conflict successfully efforts must be directed towards changing the behavioural and attitudinal elements of a partnership from a competitive to a cooperative relationship.

Time Management

Time management is defined as the effective and efficient use of time to meet work and nonwork demands.⁴² Plethora claimed that lateness or tardiness results in poor performance.⁴³ The key elements of time management are planning, scheduling⁴⁴ and prioritizing.⁴⁵ Recruiters are constantly looking for candidates who wisely use resources and time wisely.⁴⁶ Good time managers attract promotions, higher-order responsibilities, and personal mastery. Accepting time management and planning approaches as an inherent component of an individual who wishes to be effective at all stages and activities of life is self-evident.⁴⁷

Multitasking

Multitasking is a common practice. With technological advances, the desire, ability, and requirement to engage in numerous tasks concurrently has taken precedence⁴⁸ Multitasking is a conscious selective activity that requires focusing on multiple tasks simultaneously while ensuring quality. It is considered a highly looked-for trait⁴⁹ and a driver of performance, because it reduces boredom and results in increased engagement with the task.⁵⁰ Multitasking is a highly debated concept. Voluminous literature indicates that simultaneously focusing on more than one activity is detrimental to performance and that the mere notion of multitasking improves performance. To boost employee performance, employees divide tasks into smaller chunks and create a sense of multitasking.⁵¹

Self-Development

The best investments that can be achieved are growth and development. Employees are an asset for an organisation which largely determines its success and failure. Developed employees show effective performance, higher-order goal attainment, job satisfaction, and an increased rate of retention.⁵² Investing in employee development offers firms a competitive advantage.⁵³ It has been argued that coaching,⁷ training and development,⁵⁴ empowerment, participation, and delegation play crucial roles in leveraging employee effectiveness.

Resilience

It can be defined as an individual’s ability to navigate through adversity, threats, uncertainty, and bouncing back to life with full vigour after a difficult phase. More than a decade of extensive research attests the value of resilience for the well-being and efficiency of workers. It is a multidimensional concept associated with well-being, life satisfaction, and high job performance.^55,56 Many factors contribute to resilience, including self-esteem,⁵⁷ locus of control, autonomy, trust and self-efficacy.^56,58 Performance is related to resilience in several ways: It is nurtured throughout one’s life and finds its roots in education which prepares an individual to cope with adversity and upskill-coping mechanisms, and shapes one’s sense of competence.⁵⁹

Leadership Skills

Leadership skills are important in transforming personal and professional challenges into opportunities through the development of creative solutions. However, one cannot be the leader in any situation. For example, one needs to be an active listener or follower in some situations, and an influencer in others.⁶⁰ People with good leadership skills can lead and guide others in the right direction, imbibe diligence and conscientiousness, and differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate leadership. Leadership skills also help people in effective communication networking,⁶¹ make people goal-oriented,⁶² increase their ability to execute plans;⁶³ Roberts and Inman⁶⁴ inspire,⁶⁵ Torres and predict and make decisions⁶² Swan.⁶⁶

Universal Human Values

Schwartz⁶⁷ emphasised the influence of human values on behaviours, attitudes, and emotions.Rokeach⁶⁸ states that attitude is a pool of beliefs and values. Furthermore, research highlighted personal values as investigative devices for decision-making. In fact, recruiters today relate the dimensions of human values to parameters such as academic integrity and professional ethics;⁶⁹ for example, while pursuing education, having high human values can be associated with good GPAs. Furthermore, it also shows high levels of other positive outcomes like being professionally ethical and good leadership, better job performance^70,71 Counterproductive ideals, on the other hand, manifest as behaviour such as avoiding manipulation or exploiting others.⁷² Moreover, research has shown that personal values significantly influence behaviours such as inspiring, driving, and guiding people in the workplace.³⁵

Team Skills

Teamwork skills facilitate work with others during conversations, projects, meetings, or other collaborations. A person’s team skills determine how the or she interacts with others. It includes degree of respect, patience, concern, help, shown to others.⁷³ Effective team workers also have the ability to fill the skill gap in the group. According to Loveland, Lounsbury, Welsh and Buboltz⁷⁴ team abilities are also positively associated with academic performance. Nevertheless, in professional life, team abilities determine variables such as job performance⁷⁵ helping nature,⁷⁶ greater work satisfaction²⁹ and fewer instances of leaving work or job.³¹

Personal Effectiveness

Personal effectiveness is the capacity to use one’s abilities, talents, and energy to achieve a life goal or a set of goals. It is the ability of a person to have constructive influence on others through information sharing in a clear and persuasive manner. An individual’s personal effectiveness encourages self-improvement and eventually applies to the job, leading, and managing others.⁷⁷ Individuals with high personal effectiveness can have long-lasting influence, add value to work relationships, and better manage individual growth. Furthermore, when people with high personal effectiveness rise in seniority, they can interact with others in a more confident and engaging manner, which inspires trust.⁷⁸ Organisations which encourage employees to improve their effectiveness have been successful in creating high-performance groups and building an environment for self-reflection and improvement.

Rationale of the Study

The identification of key drivers of behaviour through a thorough literature review is crucial for personal and professional development, providing a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing human behavior. Modeling these key drivers aims to unravel the intricate interplay among them, shedding light on how various behaviours, manifest and interact within the realms of personal and professional affairs, contributing valuable insights to effective management strategies.

Methods

There are two key objective of this study:

1. To identify the key drivers of behaviour that are significant in personal and professional development. Rigorous review of literature has been done to achieve this objective. 14 drivers of behaviour are identified from literature review.
2. To model key drivers to understand the interplay between them in driving different behaviours that are significant in the management of personal and professional affairs.

A rigorous literature review was conducted to explore 14 behavioural skills that are significant in achieving success in personal and professional life. However, it is difficult to draw insights based on the 14 loose isolated variables. However, a holistic view of the situation can be achieved.⁶ Hence, a methodology that can assist in creating a structure out of the 14 behaviours was identified. The developed structure or model will help in understanding key driving behaviours and the interplay between them.

In this study, interpretive structural modelling (ISM) was used to analyse the relationships among the identified behaviours. ISM helps in modelling the factors under study and generates a structure representing the relationships among them.⁷⁹ These relationships are based on expert knowledge and consensual views of the experts.⁸⁰ Multidisciplinary experts were chosen for collecting the data, which included Industrial-organizational psychologist, HR professionals, Data scientists, organizational behaviour experts. It also involved sociologist, management consultants, and specialists in survey methodologies. The experts were selected based on their knowledge and experience on the subject matter. In all 16 experts were approach and considered for the study. The experts do not require knowledge of the mathematical complexity involved in creating a structure.⁸¹ The process does not actually add any information; rather, it simply puts the available facts into a model.⁸ MICMAC analysis was also applied after ISM, which classifies the factors into four categories depicting their driving and dependence power. ISM and MICMAC are strong tools for envisioning interrelationships among variables.⁸²

The basic process of ISM followed is briefly explained as follows:

The first step was to identify and define factors relevant to the research problem. Fourteen behaviours which determine the management of personal and professional affairs were identified and are listed in Table 1.

Table 1 Behavioural Skills Determinant in Management of Personal and Professional Affairs

Thereafter, a Structural self-interaction matrix (SSIM) was developed to analyse the interplay between skills (see Table 2). To prepare SSIM, a few experts, mainly psychologists, counsellors, and HR practitioners from industry and academia, were approached, and their opinions were solicitated. All experts were from India and dealt with individuals and organisations from Asian countries. SSIM is used to assess the similarity between two images. For preparing SSIM, four VAXO is prepared, where letter V is assigned if variable i will help to achieve variable j; A is assigned if variable i will be achieved by variable j. Letter X is assigned if variable i and j will help to achieve each other; and O is assigned if variable j and I are unrelated.

Table 2 Structural Self-Interaction Matrix (SSIM)

In the next step, the SSIM matrix was converted to an initial reachability matrix by converting VAXO into 1s and 0s as shown in Table 3. The conversion rule is:

Table 3 Initial Reachability Matrix

If entry in SSIM is (…) Replace with (…) in reachability matrix.

(i, j) → V; then (i, j) → 1; (j, i) → 0

(i, j) → A; then (i, j) → 0; (j, i) → 1

(i, j) → X; then (i, j) → 1; (j, i) → 1

(i, j) → O; then (i, j) → 0; (j, i) → 0.

Thereafter, the initial reachability matrix is converted into a final reachability matrix by considering transitive links 1* (see Table 4). The next step involves partitioning all variables into a hierarchy. The reachability set shows the factor itself and the other factors that may affect it. The antecedent set depicts the factor itself and the other factors that may impact it (Table 5).

Table 4 Final Reachability Matrix

Table 5 Iterations for Partitioning the Variables

The intersection of these sets is then derived. The top level in the digraph is represented by the elements whose reachability and intersection sets coincide. These elements do not include the elements above them in the hierarchy. This interaction was repeated to generate the elements of the subsequent levels. Table 5 shows the partitioning of behavioural skills in eight iterations, leading to eight levels.

The last step in the ISM is the development of a conical matrix. The conical matrix depicts the driving power and dependence power of all the variables (see Table 6). Driving and dependence power are calculated based on the number of other behavioural skills affecting a specific behavioural skill and the number of skills that drive that specific behavioural skill, respectively.

Table 6 Conical Matrix Showing Driving and Dependence of the Behavioral Skills

The conical form of the reachability matrix provides an initial diagram (Figure 1). In addition, MICMAC analysis was applied to analyse the driving and dependence powers of the identified behavioural skills. The MICMAC analysis categorises behavioural skills as autonomous, linkage, dependent, and independent based on their driving and dependence power, as calculated in Table 6. The four clusters in MICMAC for behavioural skills are shown in Figure 2.

Figure 1 Directed graph of behavioural skills.

Figure 2 MICMAC analysis of behavioural skills.

Results

The results of ISM are twofold. First, in the form of the digraph that categorizes behavioural skills into strategic, linkage, and performance outcome variables. The other outcome is from MICMAC analysis that divides the variables into four categories, ie, dependent variables, independent variables, linkage variables and, autonomous variables. As per the digraph, the six variables – time management (S5), emotional intelligence (S14), self-development (S4), resilience (S11), Multitasking (S13), and open-mindedness (S8)–come at the top levels of the hierarchy and can be called strategic behavioural skills. Four variables–conflict resolution (S6), leadership skills (S7), persistence (S10), and personal effectiveness (S12) are at the bottom level in the hierarchy and are called performance outcomes. Besides, four skills: interpersonal skills (S2), team skills (S3), universal human values (S9), and socialisation (S1) are serving as linkages between the strategic and performance variables and are called operational variables (Refer Figure 1).

Additionally, the results of MICMAC Analysis shows the categorization of skills based on their driving and dependence power (Refer Figure 2). Variables Emotional intelligence (14), Time management (5), Resilience (11), Self-development (4), Open mindedness (8) and Multitasking (13) are having highest driving power and lowest dependence and thus taking the position of independent skills. Besides, skills Personal effectiveness (12), Leadership skills (7), Persistence (10), Conflict resolution (6), Interpersonal skills (2), Team skills (3), Universal Human values (9) are having low driving power and high dependence power and thus falls in the dependent variables cell.

Correspondence can be found between the MICMAC analysis and ISM technique through quadrants of the MICMAC matrix and levels in the digraph.

1. The digraph has divided 14 behavioural skills into eight levels (see Figure 1). The top level of the digraph depicts strategic behavioural skills. These are called strategic skills because of their importance in driving other behavioural skills throughout life. The middle level of the digraph depicts skills that serve as links between strategic skills and performance outcomes. Bottom-level skills are performance outcomes effective in both personal and professional lives.
2. As per the digraph, the six variables – time management (S5), emotional intelligence (S14), self-development (S4), resilience (S11), Multitasking (S13), and open-mindedness (S8)–come at the top levels of the hierarchy and can be called strategic behavioural skills that are most crucial in effective management of personal and professional life. In the current VUCA environment, these skills would play the role of triggering appropriate attitude and actions to excel in personal and professional life. With the right combination of internal driving and behavioural training, anyone can convert their anxieties and inabilities into success.
3. Four variables–conflict resolution (S6), leadership skills (S7), persistence (S10), and personal effectiveness (S12)–appear at Levels I, II, and III, respectively. They have very weak driving power, but very strong dependence on other behavioural skills. They lie in a cluster of dependent variables in the driving-dependence diagram (Figure 2). According to motivation theories, people are inspired and pushed to act in a particular manner when they believe that the outcomes are as per their expectations. Dependent variables, such as conflict resolution, leadership skills, persistence, and personal effectiveness, lead individuals to behave consistently with the environment.
4. As per the digraph, levels IV and V are represented by the four skills: interpersonal skills (S2), team skills (S3), universal human values (S9), and socialisation (S1), which serve as linkages between the strategic and performance variables. Furthermore, the findings of the MICMAC analysis substantiate the discussion above (Refer Table 6 and Figure 2). Even when these are supporting factors, they are critical for the success of any individual.
5. Furthermore, as per the MICMAC analysis, no autonomous variables substantiate the relevant selection of behavioural skills.

Discussions

The research aimed to discern and model the intricate web of 14 key behavioral skills crucial for personal and professional development using the Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) technique. By employing this methodology, the study delineated an eight-tiered hierarchy classifying these skills into strategic, linking, and performance outcome categories.

1. Strategic Behavioral Skills: These skills, which are at the top of the hierarchy, include time management, emotional intelligence, resilience, self-development, multitasking, and open-mindedness. They have been shown to be keystones that have a major impact on a range of behavioral outcomes. These abilities are crucial for influencing attitudes and behaviors, especially in the volatile, unpredictable, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world of today. This emphasizes the significance of internal development and focused behavioral training.
2. Dependent Variables: Personal effectiveness, leadership abilities, perseverance, and conflict resolution were found to be dispersed among Levels I, II, and III. Although these variables had limited independent influence, they demonstrated a strong reliance on other behavioral abilities. Based on motivation theories, people behave in a way that is consistent with the environment they are in when the results meet their expectations. This emphasizes the role of dependent variables in guiding behavior in harmony with external factors.
3. Linkage Skills: Located at Levels IV and V, socialization, interpersonal skills, teamwork, and universal human values served as vital connectors that connected the dots between performance and strategic variables. These abilities, although playing a supporting role, were found to be crucial for personal achievement. Their significance was emphasized by the MICMAC analysis’s corroborated results, which also showed how dependent they are on other behavioral aspects. This study not only validates existing theoretical perspectives but also unearths novel insights into the intricate dynamics of behavior, providing valuable guidance for practitioners, educators, and policymakers.

Study Limitations, Implications and Future Directions

Although the study is thorough, there are still certain limitations that should be taken into account. These include possible environmental influences and the requirement for longitudinal research in order to fully capture the dynamic character of behavioral abilities. Subsequent investigations may examine the effectiveness of skill-specific therapies and their long-term effects on personal and professional results.

Practical implications can be drawn from the study’s findings, which emphasize the hierarchical structure of behavioral skills and the strategic value of particular abilities in influencing a range of behaviors. Strategic, dependent, and linking variable identification provides useful information for specialized interventions in both professional and personal growth.

Conclusions

Human behaviour plays the most important role in facilitating the promptness of an individual to change. Malignant behaviour destroys the personal and professional lives of individuals. Therefore, there is an alarming need to understand human behaviour in all possible settings. This study attempts to understand the key behavioural skills that influence the attitudes, decisions, perceptions, and actions of any individual. The results of the study revealed that time management, emotional intelligence, self-development, resilience, Multitasking, and open-mindedness of an individual are key behaviours that determine the effectiveness of management of personal and professional life. This study is expected to open new avenues for academics and practitioners in the relevant field. The study can also help organisations identify the requisite behavioural training to make the staff suitable for the work environment and talent management. However, because the study was based on the opinions of a few experts, the results cannot be generalised. In the future, similar studies must be conducted with larger empirical data to analyse the relationship between behavioural training and professional excellence.