Soft Skills: The Core of Leadership Success

In a world overflowing with information, being curious is no longer optional. It’s how we navigate complexity, unlock innovation, and move forward when others are stuck. I’ve learned that when things grind to a halt—on a project, in a meeting, in someone’s thinking—the breakthrough often starts with a better question. Curiosity cutting through the noise.

Not “What’s the problem?”

But “What’s getting in the way?”

Not “What should we do?”

But “What does success really look like for the people we’re trying to help?”

That shift in thinking doesn’t come from having all the answers. It comes from staying curious, open, and emotionally attuned. Getting to the core of what matters and what’s obstructing progress.

Yet if ways of thinking lead to success, why are they so often badged up as “soft skills”.

Soft skills are anything but soft. They’re the hardest to master—and the most impactful. Emotional intelligence, self-awareness, listening, adaptability… these are the skills that drive real change and make space for others to shine.

We live in an age where knowledge is easy to access. You can Google anything. You can connect to global experts in seconds. The real differentiator is what you do with that knowledge—how you translate it into insight, relationships, action. It’s why AI won’t replace humans, it will only enhance work by doing the activities which frees humans to do the more creative or intuitive work. And in some cases free us up to do the fun or high value stuff (like meal planning for you. while you have more time to read, or write or interact with real human people!).

 As Jamil Qureshi said in a leadership talk I attended recently : “The mindset that got us here won’t get us there. (I’m paraphrasing a fantastic talk so apologies to Jamil if I’m misquoting). It’s not about knowing more. It’s about thinking differently. I’ve been unable to shake that off.

Great leadership isn’t about having all the ideas. It’s about creating a space where the best ideas surface—by drawing on the diversity of your team, listening to your customers or stakeholders, and making sure every voice can be heard and valued. It’s why inclusive organisations thrive.

That’s inclusion in action. That’s the kind of leadership I aim to live every day.

 Here are a few great listens if this resonates with you:

•  Jamil Qureshi on High Performance Podcast
• World Leading Psychologist: How to Succeed in Life & Work – Jamil Qureshi – The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett | Podcast on Spotify
• Brené Brown on Unlocking Us – on leading with empathy
• Harvard Business Review: Why Curiosity Matters

 I’m curious, how has curiosity shaped your leadership or professional development?