The Case for Soft Leadership Skills

Leadership and our understanding of it are changing as we evolve as humans. The tough grizzly CEO is a thing of the past as companies are electing to replace them with leaders who have higher emotional intelligence (EQ). 

In today’s environment, leaders need to develop their soft skills to be more in tune with their employees. These soft skills relate to the relational side of the business—empathy, and compassion. Leaders need to show their employees that they care if they wish to motivate them to work at their highest levels. John Maxwell says, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” 

“Soft” human skills have become significant drivers behind the success of businesses. Soft skills aren’t just nice to have; they are a “need to have” leadership traits today. Studies have shown that companies who exhibit empathy have higher profits and are more successful than businesses that don’t (Bhushan, 2016). 

Soft Skills

Active Listening

Leaders need to develop the ability to connect to their employees through active listening skills (Bhushan, 2016). Being present requires you to fight off the urge to go elsewhere in your thoughts. Being able to focus on the conversation that you are in is a learned skill. Humans can only speak a few hundred words a minute while they can listen to nearly five hundred words a minute. Without focus, our brains tend to want to fill in the blank spaces.

Offer Support

Offer employees’ support for personal issues that they may be facing (Bhushan, 2016). Supporting employees with their problems will show your employee that you genuinely care about them as a person and not just an employee. Supporting employees through their issues will lead to more dedicated employees who are likely to work harder and stay longer at the same company.

Body Language

Body language speaks volumes, so practice openness (Bhushan, 2016). Sit up and pay attention when someone else is talking, don’t be browsing your phone or looking at your computer screen. Unfold your arms as this can be a sign that you are closed off and defensive. Make eye contact with the speaker so that they know that you are listening to them. Also, be aware of cultural traditions as specific body language or eye contact can mean different things or even be offensive.

Use Names

A leader should learn their employees’ names and use them (Bhushan, 2016). When the leader calls on someone by name or asks them how they are doing while using their name, it shows that they care about the individual. The employee will no longer feel like a cog in the wheel, but a valued member of the team.

Smile

Smile. Go ahead, try it. It makes you feel better and everyone else around you. Executive Coach, Michael Hyatt, tells a story where he was approached by one of his employees during a break in a meeting. She asked if he was angry about something? Hyatt said no, and the employee replied, ‘well, that’s not what your face says.’ Practice smiling and see how many people will smile back.

Be Open

Be open during meetings (Bhushan, 2016). Involve employees in the discussion. If there is someone who is usually quiet, call on them, and ask for their input. Maybe approach them before the meeting to give them a heads up that you will be asking for their feedback so that you don’t catch them off guard. 

Don’t immediately shut down different ideas during the meeting. Allow time for everyone to have input and explain their point of view and certainly don’t go into the meeting with the mindset that you already know the answers.

Conclusion

Leadership is evolving, and empathy and compassion are the heroes in the room. It shouldn’t be a surprise for us. We are all human and feel much closer to someone and have better connections with them when they show empathy and compassion. Why should our business relationships be any different? We are all human, whether we are working or not. When empathy and compassion become standard traits of our leaders, we will live and work in a better connected, more productive world. So leader, go into the world and lead—lead from your heart.

Reference:

Bhushan, N. F. (2016). Emotional GRIT 8 steps to master your emotions, transform your thoughts & change Your World. Emotional Grit.