Are 'soft skills' really important?

On one of the message boards I frequent, someone asked for a good definition for the term 'soft skills'. Here's how I replied:

"When I think of 'soft skills' I think of how airline pilots can smoothly land a plane. Sure, a crash would address the need - to get us out of the sky - but we passengers wouldn't be so quick to line up for the next flight now would we?! In a business context, soft skills are what enable safe landings, too - they encourage and motivate people to literally and figuratively stay on board, regardless of how bumpy the flight has been.

"Now isn't that a refreshing way to look at it?"