We’re All Vulnerable

I’m preparing to deliver a program next week, and the CEO of the company I’m speaking to, identified several topics he wanted me to discuss, placing particular emphasis on one issue. He said, “Rob, we can’t rest on our laurels. We have been very successful, and I don’t want our employees to think we are invulnerable. Can you make sure they understand we have to fight every day to maintain our success?”

Frictionless

The most successful companies today are doing everything they can to satisfy their customers. So, the global consulting management firm, Bain & Company, did a study on how those top companies were REALLY doing in satisfying their customers. They found out 80% of the companies thought their service level set them apart from their competition. But when Bain & Company queried their customers, they found an alarming fact … only 8% of the customers believed the company actually exhibited a higher level of service than their competitor. OUCH!

Soft Skills are in High Demand

The #1 skill lacking in the U.S. workforce is Interpersonal Skills, also known as People Skills, Soft Skills or Emotional Intelligence Skills; all are related to the way we communicate and interact with others. Strong Interpersonal Skills are essential for succeeding in today's workplace. The only problem is they are difficult to find in employees. In a recent survey conducted by LinkedIn of 291 hiring managers in the U.S., it was revealed that 59% of managers believe that soft skills are the most difficult to find.