WHY POWER SKILLS – FORMERLY KNOWN AS 'SOFT SKILLS' – ARE THE KEY TO BUSINESS SUCCESS

What does it take to lead through complexity, make tough decisions and still put people first? For me, the answer became clear during a defining moment early in my career—one that changed my path entirely.

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Today I am a business-school educator, but I began my career in the corporate world. I faced a challenge so intense that it motivated me to go back to school and earn a Ph.D. so I could help others lead with greater purpose and humanity.

Back then, I was working for a multinational home goods company, and I was asked to play a role in closing a U.S. factory in the Midwest and moving its operations abroad. It was, by every business metric, the right economic decision. Without it, the company couldn’t stay competitive. Still, the move was fraught with emotional and ethical complexities.

Witnessing the toll on employees who lost their jobs, and the broader effects on their community, changed how I thought about business decision-making. I saw that technical skills alone aren’t enough. Effective leadership also requires emotional intelligence, ethical reasoning and human-centered thinking.