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The 2005 global merger between Chinese and U.S. tech giants Lenovo and IBM was no simple matter. The companies knew differences in Western and Eastern leadership styles posed an obstacle to unity. Rather than simply allowing the dominant company to set the tone, they embarked on a revolutionary process to take the best of the […]
Although traditional approaches to workplace leadership development aren’t producing the critical skills needed for the future, today’s leading organizations are evolving the way they develop leaders. This was one of the key findings of recent research from Torch, a people development platform, and Harvard Business Review Analytic Services. The study, based on the responses of 665 […]
Businesses are under increasing pressure to balance profitability with a motivated, high-performing team that has the benefit of a healthy work/life balance. Productivity is critical to business success, but it’s not always the easiest thing to implement. Business coaching can address myriad concerns, and it’s one of the most effective solutions to empowering your workforce […]
Employers and employees alike have probably heard a lot about the increasing value being placed on so-called “soft skills,” or those skills that fall outside of industry-specific technical abilities that are often top of mind in employee searches. But “soft skills” isn’t as specific as it could be. Many applicants and employers, while now generally […]
It may be hard to believe, but the now popular concept of “emotional intelligence” (EQ) has actually been around for quite some time. In fact, it was first put forth back in 1990—40+ years ago—by researchers Peter Salavoy and John Mayer and was later popularized by Dan Goleman in his book of the same name. […]
Undoubtedly, every industry requires a specific technical or “hard skill” to perform a job. These skills are often gained through specific training or education and have long been viewed as a necessity for many roles. However, nontechnical, interpersonal skills called “soft skills” have become increasingly important to employers and employees who want their businesses and […]
In recent years, discussions around the importance of soft skills in the workplace have become much more common, and soft skills are starting to seem increasingly less “soft” and increasingly valuable. The ability to work well with teammates, to lead groups, and to communicate effectively are seen by many as equally important to the ability […]
It goes without saying that the last 2 years have posed unique challenges for companies in the United States and around the globe. Operations have been upended by constraints brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced businesses to close their doors, shift to widespread remote work, implement robust health and safety measures for […]
In the realm of employee development, soft skills bear an unfortunate name; once skills are labeled “soft,” the implication is that they are somehow less valuable than other skills, which, in a binary world, are thought of as “hard skills.” When people hear the term “soft skills,” they often think of fluffy concepts like “being […]
Job postings often contain a list of desired qualifications and abilities the employer deems necessary to fulfill the basic functions of the job, such as “proficiency with Microsoft® Office,” “a commercial driver’s license (CDL),” or “X years of corporate accounting experience.” “We need a truck driver. They’d better be licensed to drive for us.” But […]