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The Importance of “Soft” Leadership Skills

Collage of Keynote Speakers from left to right: Lindsay Shookus, Jim VandeHei, Dethra Giles, Stanley McChrystal
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Soft leadership skills are character traits and interpersonal skills that allow people to interact effectively with one another. These skills complement hard skills like knowledge and job-specific expertise. Leaders must possess and embody these skills for their teams to promote better working environments. With soft skills, leaders can encourage their people and develop workplace cultures valuing open communication, feedback, and exchange of ideas. Utilize soft skills speakers to motivate your leaders and teams.

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The Art of Soft Leadership

“Soft” skills are the bedrock upon which effective leadership is built. While technical expertise and strategic vision are undeniably crucial, it is the soft skills — such as communication, trust, purpose, emotional intelligence, and authenticity — that breathe life into leadership and transform individuals into the type of leader that inspires people and drives positive outcomes throughout the entire organization.

These top-rated leadership experts share valuable insights on how anyone can develop their soft leadership skills in order to motivate their workforce, spark connection and collaboration, and drive innovation, growth, and success within their organization.

Developing soft leadership skills can motivate the workforce, spark connection and collaboration, and drive innovation, growth, and success within an organization.

Find out more about some soft skills that are necessary for leaders: 

Communication

It’s estimated that communication barriers cost the average organization upwards of $60 million annually in lost productivity. As the marketplace and workplace continue to be disrupted, and teamwork continues to take place both in the office and on Zoom, leaders must have the skills to manage effective communication across all platforms. When leaders can learn and share these skills with their teams, they can create enhanced workplace productivity.

These crowd-pleasing speakers share their strategies for how leaders can up their communication game.

  • Dethra Giles, Executive Leadership & HR Strategist, Modern Workplace Influencer, Career Consultant, who dares audiences to communicate more effectively as she shares a step-by-step framework that will positively change the way they interact as leaders.
  • Dr. Sammy Ramsey, Inspirational Changemaker in Science & Society, Cutting-Edge Communicator, an engaging presence on stage who explains the vital role of communication as a leader, as well as practical lessons from the world of entomology on how anyone can become a more effective communicator.
  • Mark Bowden, Expert in Body Language, Human Behavior & Communication, who shares winning verbal and nonverbal behaviors that leaders can use to communicate in a style that is transparent, courageous, compelling, and conversational.
  • Jim VandeHei & Mike Allen, Co-Founders of AXIOS and POLITICO, who introduce audiences to “Smart Brevity” and share powerful lessons for saying more with less and communicating with impact.

Trust

Trust is the basis of any relationship, and relationships are the foundation for any successful organization. When people trust their leaders and co-workers, they will have higher morale and increased motivation to work hard for their company and team. They will also work better together, sharing new ideas without fear of hostility or pushback. 

  • Ginny Clarke, Former Director, Executive Recruiting at Google and Holistic Leadership Strategist, whose led massive hiring initiatives at global companies like Google and Spencer Stuart. Provides executive leaders with the framework to create a workplace where all employees feel free.
  • Evy Poumpouras, Former Secret Service Special Agent and Interrogator, Co-Host of Bravo TV’s “Spy Games,” who shares powerful communication strategies from inside the Secret Service in order to demonstrate how leaders can build trust with their teams and influence any situation to achieve the desired outcome.
  • Lindsay Shookus, Longtime Saturday Night Live Producer, who reflects on her 20-year career spent building trust with SNL cast members and celebrities to delve into the mindfulness behind the madness of nurturing trust and authentic relationships in a fast-paced environments.  

Purpose

Purpose drives a leader’s decisions and actions, and provides a clear sense of meaning that trickles through to all levels of the organization. When leaders embrace a well-defined purpose, they inspire themselves, motivate their teams, and create a shared sense of mission that fuels collective efforts. Building purpose among teams involves supporting and encouraging individuals to meet performance goals and advance personal growth. It also means supporting internal career development.

These purpose-driven leaders share sought-after insights for making principled choices that benefit a business and the people who power it.      

  • Samuel Bertram, Pragmatic Futurist, Agricultural Entrepreneur, Global Changemaker, the founder and CEO of an organization dedicated to eliminating world hunger, he rallies audiences around values-based business and shares new-age strategies for leading with purpose.
  • Miguel Cervantes, Alexander Hamilton in Broadway’s “Hamilton,” Actor & Advocate, who is an enthusiastic speaker with an inspiring story. He takes audiences behind the curtain and shares powerful lessons in finding your individual purpose, overcoming hard times, and building resilience.
  • Cassi Chandler, Motivational Leadership Expert, FBI’s First African American Female Special Agent Assistant Director, who provides an action plan for how leaders and their organizations can discover their purpose and use it as the guiding principle for creating more connected cultures.
  • Dr. Michael Sorrell, Visionary Leader, Institutional Change Agent, President of Paul Quinn College, a testament to the power of mission-driven leadership, he shows audience members how they can align their purpose to their path to success, both collectively and individually.  

Resilience 

When leaders and their teams develop resilience, they can face and adapt to challenges and overcome them. This skill is vital because it allows people to meet the stresses in their workplace. They may encounter demanding clients, tight deadlines, and a long list of tasks on their to-do list. Building resilience among teams allows individuals and organizations to maintain their focus and motivation even in difficult situations. Resilience speakers can share practical strategies for developing these traits. 

  • Dr. Michael Sorrell, Visionary Leader, Institutional Change Agent, President of Paul Quinn College, Dr. Sorrell has spearheaded one of the great turnaround stories of our time — leading Paul Quinn’s evolution from one of the worst in the nation to a higher education powerhouse. 
  • Chris Cassidy, NASA Astronaut, Navy SEAL, CEO and President of the National Medal of Honor Museum, who has amassed several hundred hours underwater as a pilot/navigator of a mini-submarine and more than 51 hours of spacewalk time. He motivates audiences overcome the obstacles in front of them with enthusiastic, adrenaline-pumping storytelling, and a focus on the importance of effective leadership.
  • Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall, Life Sciences Leader, Former EVP, Chief Medical Officer, & Chief Patient Officer at Pfizer, Inc., an inspirational leader in healthcare who shares her powerful story to becoming a leader. She shares messages of persevering through adversity, embracing pressure, and determining your own future.
  • Erik Weihenmayer, World-Class Blind Adventurer, who is the first blind person in history to reach the summit of Mount Everest. An ESPY winner who has appeared on various talk shows, including Oprah and Good Morning America, Weihenmayer shares what it means to live a “No Barriers” life, and persevere through challenges.  

Teamwork 

This interpersonal soft skill allows groups to work productively together. Many skills combine to form effective teamwork capabilities, including conflict management, respect, and active listening. When leaders learn this skill from teamwork speakers and cultivate it among their teams, they can solve problems more effectively as a group. Teamwork can make processes more efficient and promote perspectives where individuals learn from one another. 

  • Stanley McChrystal, Former Commander of U.S. and International Forces in Afghanistan, Best-Selling Author of "Risk: A User's Guide," "Team of Teams," and "My Share of the Task," and Co-Founder of the McChrystal Group, who applies hard-won lessons from the battlefield to advise organizations on leadership, creating a strong team, risk management, and innovation. 
  • Scott Moore, Expert on Building and Leading “No-Fail” Teams and United States Navy SEAL Rear Admiral (ret.), who oversaw over 2,000 SEAL missions. He discusses the importance of leadership for team building and gives audiences practical ways to apply his insights to their own organizations. 
  • Dom Mullins, Groundbreaking Adventurer, Part of the First All-Black Expedition to Summit Mount Everest, Sociologist, who combines lessons from his combat career and adventuring to share insights on thriving in high-risk environments. His decorated background gives him an in-depth understanding of fostering high-performance teams.
  • Sarah Robb O’Hagan, Renowned Business Leader, CEO of EXOS the Performance Coaching Company, Former President of Equinox, Former Global President of Gatorade, Former Marketing Director at Nike and the Virgin Group. Accompanied by her energetic and powerhouse presence, O’Hagan shares insights on building an epic work culture and leading teams to perform beyond their potential.   

Confidence 

The most effective leaders believe in themselves and their abilities. They present a positive image that their employees see and begin to embody themselves. When leaders have self-confidence, they can confront challenges and take risks more effectively. This guidance allows them to steer their organizations in positive directions, achieving success. 
 

  • Colin Coggins and Garrett Brown, Business Transformation Change Agents, Popular USC Professors of Entrepreneurship, who draw from decades of experience as business leaders to share insights on maintaining authentic and mission-driven culture. Their inspiring keynotes are filled with actionable takeaways on growth, finding purpose, and employing a strong mindset. 
  • Jennifer Justice, Barrier-Breaking Entertainment Lawyer & Business Strategist; Former General Counsel & EVP, Roc Nation; Founder & CEO, The Justice Dept., who served as Jay-Z's entertainment attorney for 17 years. She shares actionable insights to establishing powerhouse businesses and simultaneously champions gender equality in the workplace.  
  • Meggie Palmer, Confidence Expert; Entrepreneur; Founder & CEO, PepTalkHer, who combines her entrepreneurial spirit, and passion for diversity and inclusion, to inspire audiences in bridging equity and confidence gaps in the workplace to increase success and high-performance.
  • Lisa Sun, Founder & CEO of GRAVITAS, National Bestselling Author of GRAVITAS (USA Today, No. 1 on Amazon), helps audiences tap into their inner strength to bet on innovative ideas and find success even in the most difficult business and cultural environments.  

Empathy 

The importance of soft skills like empathy is emphasized in one's ability to connect with people. Leaders who can foster these meaningful connections can inspire and empower their people. When leaders make an effort to care for their teams, their teams will begin to embody this trait. 

  • Cassi Chandler, Motivational Leadership Expert, FBI’s First African American Female Special Agent Assistant Director, who provides an action plan for how leaders and their organizations can discover their purpose and use it as the guiding principle for creating more connected cultures.
  • DeDe Halfhill, Renowned Leadership Expert and Colonel, USAF (Ret.), who shares humorous anecdotes and heartwarming stories full of lessons for how leaders can build trust and connection, and empower their people in meaningful ways. 
  • Dr. Romie Mushtaq, Leadership, Workplace Culture, & Wellness Expert; Chief Wellness Officer, Great Wolf Resorts, advises corporate executives and athletes on overcoming burnout and managing work stressors to perform at the highest levels possible. Her actionable and data-driven insights give audiences strategies to becoming their best selves.  
  • Nikkia Reveillac, Business Insights & Strategy Leader, Organization Designer & Builder, & Former Director of Consumer Insights at Netflix, who builds and empowers high-performing teams. Her infectious enthusiasm brings life to any audience and her uplifting talks center around going against the grain, thriving as an underdog, and discovering your purpose.  

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