What the heck are “soft skills,” anyway?
In business, especially within customer service and leadership, soft skills are often described as empathy, communication, teamwork, and adaptability. They’re discussed endlessly — yet often undervalued.
I believe we’ve miscategorized them.
These are not soft skills.
They are essential skills.
As a speaker and coach, I have conversations every week with people who are deeply capable — yet struggle with basic human connection. They don’t know how to start conversations, speak confidently about their work, or engage comfortably with others.
This isn’t because they don’t care.
It’s because they haven’t had enough opportunity to practice.
With more people working from home, spending hours on screens, wearing headphones, and interacting digitally, we’ve unintentionally removed many of the natural moments where connection once happened — the hallway conversations, shared laughter, and collaborative problem-solving.
Humans were created for relationship.
And without consistent connection, essential skills weaken.
To rebuild strong teams and healthy cultures, we must intentionally come together. Plan face-to-face meetings. Encourage dialogue. Create safe spaces for growth, disagreement, and shared learning.
When essential skills are practiced regularly, organizations don’t just improve performance — they strengthen humanity at work.
And that is a skill worth investing in.
ENGAGEMENT QUESTIONS
- Which essential skill do you think is most lacking in today’s workplace — and why?
- How often does your team connect face to face (not just on screens)?
- What’s one small way you could practice better human connection this week?
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