More Difficult Than Rocket Science and Brain Surgery

"The soft skills are the hard skills." Rich SchlentzMy clients span a variety of industries: manufacturing, retail, and health care to name a few. Despite some obvious differences, these organizations have more in common than not. As a result, there are frequent learning and developmental needs that support their journey towards more engaging workplace cultures. Improving leadership, strengthening internal relationships, effective communication, and resolving conflict are a few of our often-requested curriculum.

The reason these types of topics are necessary and important across industries is that they address a core component every business has in common: People. People are what make business work. People are what your business is about.

People skills are required to be highly successful in any industry. Skills that will allow you to ask thought provoking questions, listen intently, gain buy-in, develop loyalty, reap commitment, foster innovation, resolve conflicts, enhance productivity, and drive profits. These competencies are often referred to as “soft skills” when in fact, they are the “hard skills.”

These are hard skills for the very reason you need them: People. People don’t line up nice and neat on a spreadsheet. They don’t always respond like your professor told you they would. They rarely follow predictable patterns or theories studied in your MBA classes. Let’s be clear – this stuff is difficult, challenging and frustrating. Leading and engaging people make rocket science and brain surgery seem simple. Yet, in the end, this work is priceless because people matter. Your people matter. It’s time to master the real hard skills that will make a difference to both you and them.

Simple application:Determine what specific people skill will help you be more successful as an engaging leader. Then, make a plan to improve that skill so it will serve you more effectively.