Big, deep, thorny problems can kill companies.  One need only look at global companies that were thriving 50 years ago but now no longer exist to understand that it just takes one complicated problem to sink a business.  One deeply complex, intertwined, and/or seemingly unsolvable problem can quickly take a company from thriving to diving to not-surviving in the span of a few short years or even months.

Consider how a failure to adapt to technological changes and market shifts killed Blockbuster, Kodak, Nokia, RIM, MySpace and Borders.  Blockbuster famously rejected purchasing Netflix for $50 million, failing to recognize the shift towards online streaming and clinging to its brick-and-mortar rental model.  Despite inventing the digital camera, Kodak failed to capitalize on this innovation, fearing it would harm their film business. They underestimated the speed at which consumers would adopt digital photography, leading to their decline and bankruptcy.  Nokia and Research-In-Motion (RIM) — maker of the Blackberry — were unable to keep pace with the smartphone revolution. Borders failed to embrace online book sales and outsourced it to Amazon (who ate their lunch).  And MySpace just could not compete with Facebook.

It is not uncommon for a company to face one or more deeply complicated, intertwined and seemingly unsolvable problems.  The enormity and complexity of such challenges can feel so overwhelming that some business leaders bury their head in the sand and hope the problem resolves or goes away.  For recent examples, we need only look at look at Kodak, Borders, Bed Bath & Beyond, Radio Shack, Sweet Tomato, Blockbuster, Circuit City, and Toys R Us.  

In the US, the today’s problems can indeed feel enormous and untenable.  Cybersecurity attacks by hackers who are increasingly savvy.  Compliance challenges imposed by governments.  Marketplace unpredictability.  Economic instability.  Obsolescence due to AI and Blockchain technology.  Political upheaval.  Shrinking labor pool due to a 50% surge in new business applications and massive deportation of immigrants.  Even one of these problems can sink a small or mid-sized company.  More than one can torpedo even a large, sophisticated company.  Part of the challenge with such thorny problems is that it can become difficult for leaders to plan and execute.  But, as the saying goes, when you fail to plan, plan to fail.  So what’s a company to do?  To find a way forward, it helps to start by considering the past. 

Leadership Paves the Ultimate Path to Promotion and Prosperity

In the bustling marketplace of business success and career advancement, one powerful currency flows quietly through all jobs: soft skills. While technical prowess and hard skills often open the door, it’s mastery of interpersonal abilities that will ultimately determine how high a person climbs and how much they will earn.  Among this constellation of essential soft skills, one star shines brightest.  Arguably, it casts the longest shadow and illuminates the path to the top: leadership.

Leadership – The Top of the Soft Skills Ladder

The topic of leadership is researched and written about incessantly.  There is a long history of scholarly work dating back to the early 20th century on the topic. Over the last 100 years, hundreds of thousands of articles, white papers, magazines and books have been devoted to exploring a kaleidoscope of aspects of leadership. It has examined leadership from various perspectives and using diverse theories. There has been a notable increase in scholarly research on leadership in recent decades, particularly since the new millennium, at business schools and think tanks. 

Honing those Decision-Making Skills

People make decisions all the time.  Today, you’ve probably already made dozens of decisions… small choices.  Get up early or hit the snooze button.  Go for a run or skip a day.  Make breakfast or grab a café au lait on the run.  We think most of these decisions have little to no bearing on the outcome of the day.  But getting up early, working out and having a healthy breakfast do impact stamina, focus and energy level.  So even tiny decisions can have a big impact.

Decision-Making – The Soft Skill Made of Steel

Not every job requires a person to make decisions.  Depending on the role and the company, some positions may be more focused on following instructions and procedures.  But other jobs require staff to make judgment calls and choices throughout the day. 

In fact, in an increasingly complex world, most jobs or professions now require the employee to make decisions… not just once but multiple times every day.  Even seemingly simple jobs like bagging groceries or cashiering might involve making small decisions about how to best perform a task, address customer requests, or handle specific situations.  And positions with management or leadership responsibilities heavily involve decision-making, ranging from tactical choices to strategic planning. Positions in fields like law, medicine, engineering, construction, real estate and business require individuals to make critical — potentially life-and-death decisions — based on available information and analysis.  So this really is an incredible important soft skill… one that often requires a fortitude made of steel.

How to Get Along to Get Ahead in Your Career

Ever had someone with whom you just did not get along?  They might have been too loud and outspoken.  Or they were shy and non-communicative.  Perhaps they were overly confident to the point of arrogance.  Or maybe they were so submissive and passive that they were nearly invisible.  They might have been silly and vapid.  Or very serious and dry.  There are a multitude of reasons why two people might not get along.  In fact, it’s common for people not to gel.  What is unusual is when people instantly click.  That’s rare.  More often, that kind of bond takes time and effort to forge.  

Get Along to Get Ahead in Your Career

Likeability: The Invisible Currency

The modern career landscape often resembles a complex equation.  We’re told the variables for success are clear: intelligence, a strong work ethic, demonstrable results, taking initiative, and showcasing leadership potential.  Grind hard, produce exceptional work, step up when needed, and the rewards – raises, promotions, recognition – will naturally follow. It’s a compelling narrative, rooted in the appealing idea of meritocracy.  Many bright, ambitious employees operate under this assumption, meticulously honing their technical skills, logging long hours, and focusing intently on deliverables, believing this is the sole path to the summit.

Boosting Emotional Intelligence Skills

When companies hire staff, what qualities and abilities are most desirable?  Typically, “intellectual aptitude” is considered important or even essential.  People want to hire the best and brightest.  But what about emotional aptitude?   Is that essential?  And which matters more, intellectual aptitude or emotional abilities?  Most would prioritize intellect.  No doubt intelligence is important.  After all, there is a reason IQ tests were created.  It’s why organizations like Mensa exist.

Emotional Intelligence Elevates People over AI

Here’s an uncomfortable truth:  AI and automation are advancing at an unprecedented speed, and many human jobs are at high risk of being replaced by algorithms and smart machines over the next decade.  First on the chopping block are low-skill, repetitive jobs such as data entry, telemarketing, and assembly line work are primed for replacement by robots.  But even jobs requiring technical skills, including positions in the healthcare, accounting and legal sectors, are already being done by specialized AI.  Machines can analyze medical scans, detect diseases, diagnose conditions, read and abstract leases, do bookkeeping, proofread text for grammar and syntax, etc.  Even some jobs that involve interacting with people,  such as receptionists, cashiers, bank tellers, and translators, are being replaced by bots.