In executive education, the importance of soft skills is gaining prominence. While hard skills like accounting, marketing, and strategy have long been the focal point of executive education programs, there is a growing recognition that soft skills are equally essential for effective leadership.
Traditionally undervalued, soft skills encompass a wide range of interpersonal, communication, emotional intelligence and leadership abilities that are crucial for navigating complex organizational dynamics and driving success.
Executive education programs, traditionally associated with imparting technical skills and knowledge, are now adapting to meet the demand for soft skills development among leaders. This shift reflects the understanding that a leader’s effectiveness is not solely determined by their technical expertise but also by their ability to collaborate, communicate, inspire and adapt to change.
One of the primary reasons for the pivot towards soft skills in executive education is the realization that leadership is fundamentally about people. Executives must possess the ability to understand, motivate, and empower their teams. This requires a high degree of emotional intelligence, empathy, and interpersonal skills, which are central components of soft skills development.
Emotional intelligence: a cornerstone of leadership
“Research consistently shows that people who have developed emotional intelligence are more resilient and creative, qualities which boost performance. This will be noticed and your high performance will be rewarded,” says Timo Vuori, the Program Director of the Essentials of Emotional Intelligence, an online course launched by Aalto University Executive Education in 2022.
As part of Aalto EE’s course, participants will learn about the impact of emotional intelligence on individual performance, team results and company culture. The business school in Helsinki, Finland, says emotions can be harmful if they are not understood or managed properly – but in the best case scenario, they can enable radical progress and superior performance.
Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize and influence emotions, and it is a skill that can be developed through practice.
Communication: the backbone of leadership
Beyond Emotional intelligence, effective communication is another critical soft skill that executive education programs are increasingly prioritizing. Leaders must be able to articulate their vision, delegate tasks, provide constructive feedback, and resolve conflicts diplomatically. Clear and empathetic communication fosters trust and alignment within teams, driving productivity and innovation.
“Communication may be the most critical component of effective leadership. To achieve shared goals, a leader must be able to craft a compelling message, articulate an exciting vision, and galvanize a group around a course of action. Being an effective communicator means being clear and being persuasive,” says Francis Flynn, a Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business.
The renowned business school in California offers the Sharpen Your Communication Skills executive education course, delivered online.
“In this course, we focus on how to account for the perspective of others when crafting a compelling piece of communication,” says Flynn. “This can be a challenging skill to develop because the messages we send often make a lot of sense from our own point of view. However, the best communicators always adapt their approach to suit their audience, ensuring a greater level of understanding and enthusiasm for their message.”
Additionally, soft skills such as teamwork, collaboration, and conflict resolution are being integrated into executive education curricula through interactive workshops, group projects, and peer-to-peer learning activities. These experiences not only enhance participants’ interpersonal skills but also foster a sense of camaraderie and mutual support among future leaders.
Specialized training: negotiation and influencing skills
Negotiation in particular has become a focal point of executive education.
“We negotiate every day. We negotiate with potential employers, co-workers, clients, officials, and even our family and friends. Although people negotiate all the time, most know very little about the strategy and psychology behind effective negotiations,” says Gillian Ku Professor of Organizational Behavior at London Business School.
London Business School’s online Negotiation and Influencing Skills for Leaders course provides participants with the opportunity to role play different negotiation scenarios. “They walk away with a personalized, evidence-based toolkit of negotiation tactics,” Ku says. “The end result is that participants gain confidence in negotiating in a variety of contexts, whether it is bargaining for a souvenir at a street market or structuring a win-win deal in a complex multi-party negotiation.”
Overall, investing in the development of soft skills through executive education can yield significant returns for organizations and individuals.
Leaders who possess strong soft skills are better equipped to inspire and motivate their teams, build high-performing cultures and drive innovation. They are also more adept at building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders, including clients, employees, investors and regulators.
So while hard skills remain essential, the growing emphasis on soft skills in executive education reflects the evolving nature of leadership in the 21st century.
