Top Three Soft Skills Business Leaders Value:

Like all else, the pandemic has shaken conventional notions of leadership. It has forced business heads to pull up every ounce of people skill. Those who have done so successfully are able to temper hard skills with power skills and are leaders who truly instil zeal in people.

Richard Branson believes in listening; Reid Hoffman puts his faith in collaboration; and Oprah Winfrey swears by empathy.

"As powerful as AI will ultimately become and is becoming, we're still miles away from computers being able to replicate and replace human interaction and human touch," says Jeff Weiner. 

Emotional quotient is rooted in it, and according to Global Talent trends 2019, it is one of the pillars of business success in the coming years. I am talking of that intangible and rather misunderstood talent that every leader needs, soft skill.

To begin with, I agree that these extremely crucial, hard-honed skills are better described as ‘power skills.’ Strip away the layers, and at the heart of every business lie people relationships. Here are the top 3 power skills that distinguish true leaders from the pack.

-         Empathy, the first step towards emotional quotient.

Merely recognising needs is not enough. Sensitivity and actually care are the strongest glue that build loyalty and bind cohesive teams together. 

-         Listening, often not recognised nonetheless relegated.

Effectiveness of leaders are often mistakenly attributed to good articulation. Articulation is important; however, it is incomplete without active listening. Minimising distractions and making eye contact are equally important to understand unspoken feelings and hidden vibes.

-         Collaboration, the fundamental operational machinery of any business.

At every level from shop floor to C-suite collaborative leadership breaks hierarchical barriers and fosters inclusivity. It enables leaders to harness diverse strengths and light the way for others.

Leaders who listen, collaborate, and empathise are ones who enthuse teams and inject life into technologically-driven workplaces. They are not afraid to adapt and improve their power skills, as Chris Jones said, “In a world where job roles are changing rapidly, soft skills will be one of the few constants…”