. 

Myth: Soft skills aren't really as important in running a business, heading a department, or leading an organization as hard technical skills.

By now one would think this myth would have been completely debunked. However, virtually every week or two of the year I run into persons in the workforce who are not effective leaders because they do not recognize the importance of interpersonal skills, communications skills, and emotional intelligence.

Over the past few months we have been engaged in several leadership development initiatives. Very often the projects have involved some type of assessment of the leaders or prospective leaders, followed by resources and activities to help them address their developmental needs. Recently we completed an assessment and met with each leader individually to discuss his/her individual evaluation. I was struck by one manager (let's call him Joe), who told me he felt like writing a book entitled "How to be Right and Lose." He admitted he had learned - - the hard way - - some difficult lessons about the importance of interpersonal style and sensitivity in achieving goals. He recounted several examples of times when he had had the facts on his side but couldn’t persuade anyone else. He believes his success as a leader has suffered, and that career opportunities have passed him by as a result of his neglect of "soft skills."

Over the years I have coached many executives as they try to come to terms with factors that are holding them back from achieving the successes they desire for their organizations and for themselves. My coaching style is to assist them in sorting out the variables that may be affecting their performance. More often than not, they have been held back by undervaluing the importance of factors such as sensitivity to others' perspectives. Unless they are willing to face up to their own shortcomings, they will continue to believe they should have earned the trust of their colleagues merely by virtue of their position of power.

I wish that I could take Joe with me to talk with all those other managers and executives who continue to ignore the soft skills. As a result, they are sabotaging their own potential for truly successful careers.