Jeff Rosenthal is Co-CEO of ProjectNext Leadership, a consulting firm focused on developing leaders and successors for high impact roles.
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We’ve reached the stage in AI’s technological disruption where not a day goes by without people discussing the impact it will have on organizations and the role of leaders. Of course, we’ve known for a long time that effective leadership isn't just about functional or technical expertise; "soft skills," as they’re sometimes called, have always been a key component of effective leadership.
However, is it accurate to label these skills as "soft" when they are poised to be the most significant differentiators for leaders in a future where hard skills (e.g., financial reporting, marketing strategy, etc.) will be increasingly driven by AI? I don't think so.
As a follow-up to the research I shared in a previous article, which showed that lateral agility is a critical yet underdeveloped capability for leaders in today’s world, my company conducted a literature review to more deeply understand what other researchers have already uncovered on the topic. This exercise revealed that the traits long relegated to the "soft skills" category are precisely those that help senior leaders excel in leading across the enterprise. They are also not traits that can be easily delegated to AI. Thus, we propose a rebranding to a more fitting term: "connective skills."
Why Soft Skills Are Really Connective Skills
Connective skills are some of the most difficult skills to master. They serve as the foundation of lateral agility and enable a leader to expertly build bridges across the enterprise. As organizations become more matrixed and as technical skills are automated, these connective skills will only become more crucial to getting big things done and adding value along the way.
In addition, connective skills underpin the move toward a more nuanced, empathetic and agile form of leadership—a trend that has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and a new generation entering the leadership ranks.
These connective skills, critical in today's leadership landscape, include:
• Enterprise mindset: Grasping the big picture beyond a functional or departmental view
• Curiosity: Encouraging continuous learning and open-mindedness
• Empathy: Understanding diverse perspectives and experiences
• Adaptability: Being agile in a rapidly changing environment
• Inclusiveness: Championing diversity and inclusion
• Humility: Recognizing the importance of collective effort and knowledge
• Trust-building: Fostering a trusting and transparent environment
• Relationship-building: Creating strong, meaningful connections
• Coalition-building: Uniting teams around shared goals
Hurdles To Developing Connective Skills
Despite their growing importance, cultivating connective skills can be challenging, especially in a technology- and speed-driven business climate. Hurdles include:
Lack Of Training
Connective skills have long been underemphasized in leadership development and training programs for senior leaders, in favor of traditional vertical management skills or more "tangible" capabilities such as decision-making and business acumen. Perhaps this is because there’s a belief that leaders either have these "soft" skills or don't. However, my team has seen evidence that these skills are in short supply and high demand, so it's worth investing in their development.
Incentives
Too often, senior-leader-level incentives and goals inadvertently pit functions and business areas against one another. With limited resources and clear function-level goals, it’s not surprising that leaders will do what it takes to make their individual area shine rather than prioritize what is ultimately best for the enterprise as a whole.
Organizational Silos
Silos exist, at least in part, to increase speed of execution. Yet, they also make it more difficult and time-consuming to work horizontally across the organization, which is often what is needed to create agility and innovation. Organizational silos often have different cultures and priorities, making it difficult to build the bridges needed to meet organizational goals.
Time
Finally, like most important things, developing these skills takes time; it may also require "unlearning" other behaviors that have made leaders successful in previous roles. More junior leaders may have succeeded by leaning on and promoting their expertise. However, senior leaders need to seek out the expertise of those around them to get things done. This is a sea change in how to lead—a behavioral shift that doesn’t happen overnight.
Fortunately, these challenges are surmountable. Leaders themselves can build their connective skills and cultivate their lateral agility by regularly developing their capabilities: being more curious, considering different points of view and building connections with their peers across the organization. Organizations, too, can address these challenges by developing leaders in new ways and assessing how their structures and incentives either support or hinder the use of connective skills.
My company sees signs for optimism here. Some leading organizations are starting to actively reward and showcase leaders who are reaching across the organization and demonstrating enterprise-wide thinking.
Key Takeaway
As technology continues to reshape the business landscape, leaders with strong connective skills will emerge as invaluable players in the organization, able to lead key initiatives and bridge disparate business units. And organizations that acknowledge the importance of these skills will have a better shot at attracting, retaining and developing the leadership talent to successfully guide their companies through this next transition.
After all, connective skills are the underpinnings that will enable new technologies to shine. Without them, AI can’t have the multiplier effect that so many companies are banking on.
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