Lately, I’ve been noticing something a little wild in leadership circles.
We say “soft skills” like it’s a side salad—nice to have, but the real meal is systems, numbers, strategy.
But hang on…
What if human skills, yeah, the “people stuff”, are the actual main course?
This came up in a recent conversation with a leader who spent 20 years helping teams grow.
He said, “I used to be the fix-it guy. Always had an answer for everything. But what really changed the game? Learning to say: I don’t know. Let’s figure it out together.”
I’m sitting there nodding because, honestly, when was the last time a spreadsheet solved a tough team conversation?
Here’s what I keep finding (and maybe you do too):
- The boldest move isn’t always launching something new.
Sometimes it’s pausing and checking in: are we being real or just busy? - Want real growth? Ditch “soft skills.” Build human skills into your business like you would a payment processor.
- Show me a high-performing team, and I’ll show you a leader who lets folks shine, mess up, ask questions, and grow.
So, how do we make “human” part of our systems?
Let’s get practical:
- Start meetings with, “Here’s what I’m honestly not sure about today…”
- Give permission to question, to try (and fail), and to celebrate tiny wins.
- When someone doesn’t want a traditional promotion? Honor that. There’s more than one way to build value.
I wonder, if human skills are the “harder path,” what’s one small shift we could make this week? In our teams, our offers, our leadership?
Seriously, I’d love to know. Comment below (or DM if you’re feeling reflective).
We keep talking about automations and systems. What would happen if we automated more humanity into what we build?
Keep going, curious to see what you come up with next.
Journey On,
Niiamah
