How to Use Soft Skills in a World of Hard Skills – CSQ

Think about the difference between a manager who simply gives orders and a leader who inspires action. In today’s business world, hard skills may be the starting point, but it is the mastery of soft skills that truly makes leaders stand out. As emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills become increasingly important, we ask ourselves: Are soft skills the new hard skills?

Below are five insights from C-suite leaders on the critical soft skills needed to build strong relationships, cultivate their reputations, and shape their career paths.

RELIABILITY: CAN YOU MEET WITH CUSTOMERS?

Just 10 feet away stood Deb Liu—CEO of Ancestry.com, founder of Facebook Marketplace, and visionary behind Duke’s first-ever product management course, which I took. As she opened up about her career, offered advice and discussed how she navigates motherhood alongside her work, Liu captivated the room by challenging conventional thinking. She rejected the idea that academic achievement or technical ability alone guarantees success. Instead, she emphasized the importance of soft skills. Using consulting as an example, Liu emphasized that the best consultants are those who know how to “stick with customers.” Success, she says, isn’t just about solving problems or delivering results – it’s about building relationships and spending time with customers in a way that fosters trust. Her words “Success is influence” struck a chord with the times. It’s about how you make people feel and the connections you make. In her view, influence is not just about expertise, but also about the ability to connect with people, understand them, and create meaningful interactions. Trust and reliability receive recognition and are ultimately the driving force behind business success.

LEAD WITH KINDNESS: ARE YOU SUCCESSFUL IN YOUR PERSONAL CIRCLE?

On the path to building a strong, lasting network, kindness is a powerful, often underestimated tool. As Scott Galloway, an experienced entrepreneur and marketing professor, pointed out A CEO’s diary In the podcast, true professional success is closely linked to personal success – and that starts with how you treat people. Galloway’s advice is simple: “Be personally successful, go out, make friends, be friendly, invest in them, help them when there is no obvious reason to help them.” This way of thinking doesn’t work just about altruism, but also about understanding the long-term game. Galloway emphasizes that many of the wealthy and self-employed people he has met have one key characteristic in common: they are Art. They invest in relationships, act generously, and help others without expecting anything in return. This type of authentic connection creates allies and a support system that is essential for long-term success. It’s easy to think of networking as purely transactional, but Galloway’s argument drives home the fact that true value lies in cultivating meaningful relationships – relationships based on empathy, support and generosity. Your professional circle will be stronger if it is based on genuine, kind acts with no strings attached. In this way, you create a network that not only helps you achieve your goals, but also encourages others. In other words, if you want to be successful, start by being kind to the people around you.

COMMUNICATION AS A CATALYST

In a recent article, Deloitte executives shared their insights on “Designing for growth in the C-suite” and the qualities it takes to rise in the rankings. The changing demands on C-level executives are changing the skills and knowledge expected of these executives, particularly in the areas of quantitative expertise, risk management and communications, to drive growth in today’s complex business environment. In particular, there is growing demand for C-suite executives who can navigate risk and regulatory environments. For example, job postings for chief strategy officers saw a 208% increase in the need for regulatory and regulatory compliance expertise. Risk management skills also increased in CFO positions from 9% in 2018 to 19% in 2023. Risk management skills can only be developed and properly implemented in collaboration with strong communication and critical thinking skills, which are increasingly in demand at the executive level. For example, job postings for chief revenue officers (CRO) show an increase in demand for critical thinking and problem-solving skills, rising from 33% to 53% in six years. These changes signal that C-suite executives must now balance both technical skills (such as quantitative analysis and risk management) and people skills to successfully drive growth.

BEYOND THE DESK: ARE YOU ACTIVE IN PURSUING KNOWLEDGE?

In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving business landscape, curiosity is more than just a soft skill – it’s a critical success factor. Managers like Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan emphasize the importance of leaving their desk to engage with the world around them. As Dimon puts it, great CEOs stay curious, ask endless questions, and learn from competitors, customers, and even critics. This ability to remain curious and open to new perspectives is what separates great leaders from those who stagnate in their roles. Likewise, former CEO of Procter & Gamble AG Lafley is committed to the pursuit of a well-rounded education, particularly in the humanities, to cultivate the critical and creative thinking required in today’s business world. He argues that by studying a wide range of subjects—such as the arts, sciences, and humanities—individuals develop the mental agility necessary for innovation and adaptation. While Dimon emphasizes getting out from behind the desk to learn from others, Lafley emphasizes the importance of broadening one’s intellectual horizons to remain competitive. Both leaders emphasize that business success relies not only on technical expertise, but on a deep, ongoing curiosity about the world – whether through practical engagement or intellectual exploration.

In today’s competitive professional landscape, soft skills are the most important differentiator that can propel leaders early in their careers. These are skills that exist Harder more than hard skills and ultimately prove to be more valuable than they are often given credit for. Emotional intelligence, communication, empathy and curiosity are not just add-ons; These are fundamental skills that build trust through familiarity, network through kindness, reinforce technical skills through strong communication, and inspire curiosity. As the demands of the business world evolve, those who master the art of connecting with others will continue to rise and prove that in a world of hard(er) skills, hard(er) skills are essential.

Sophia Yassinger is a Los Angeles native and a sophomore at Duke University. A natural communicator and initiative, she is passionate about bringing big ideas to life, informed by a passion for storytelling, brand strategy and consumer behavior. In high school, Sophia built a blog called Dear Monday with over 100,000 subscribers and followers, which has since evolved into a personal newsletter and a creative platform for product development and marketing ideas.