Your Top Execs Are High Performers—But Their People Skills Are Holding Them (And Their Teams) Back
High performers don’t like to hear that their lack of soft skills training is getting in the way.
After all, they’ve built their careers on results—hitting targets, solving complex problems, and outpacing the competition. But leadership requires more than technical expertise and operational efficiency. It’s about people. And if an executive struggles to connect, communicate, or inspire, their entire team suffers.
This is one of the hardest truths for top executives to confront: their brilliance in one area doesn’t automatically translate to success in leadership. The same confidence and expertise that helped them rise through the ranks can become a roadblock when they’re faced with the complexities of leading people.
You may have seen this pattern before. A leader walks into the room with a laundry list of business wins and sharp strategic thinking—but underneath, there’s tension. Their team is disengaged and turnover is creeping up. They don’t understand why, and worse, they don’t see how they’re contributing to the problem.
The missing piece is people skills.
No one gets to the C-suite without technical excellence. But the best leaders—the ones who inspire loyalty, build high-performing teams, and drive lasting success—know that soft skills training is just as essential as any business strategy.
If your top executives are struggling with communication, emotional intelligence, or team dynamics, there’s a skills gap that needs to be filled. And the good news is that, like any other skill, it can be developed.
Let’s talk about why soft skills training is the secret weapon your top performers need and how it can transform both their leadership and the teams they lead.
Technical Excellence Isn’t Enough—Leadership Requires a Different Skill Set
Most executives get promoted because they’re exceptional at what they do. They’re strategic thinkers, expert problem-solvers, and high achievers in their respective fields. But the skills that make someone a top performer don’t necessarily constitute an effective leader.
The data proves it:
- Companies fail to choose the right person for management roles 82% of the time. Gallup claims that this problem stems from the fact that most managers are promoted based on tenure, technical expertise, or because they “deserve” it—not because they have the leadership skills necessary to succeed.
- Nearly 7 in 10 employees (67%) say they work in a toxic environment, and the majority of those employees blame poor leadership and workplace culture for creating that toxic environment.
- Managers account for at least 70% of variance in employee engagement, which directly impacts productivity, retention, and business performance. It seems obvious, but poor leadership can cost companies billions each year through impacting employees’ productivity, even driving employees away.
This disconnect between technical excellence and leadership ability is a common problem. Leaders who don’t have the right soft skills—communication, emotional intelligence, adaptability—struggle to create an environment where workers are empowered to do their best.
So what do we do about it?
Leaders who lack soft skills must shift from being experts to being enablers—people who empower others, resolve conflict, and inspire collaboration. That shift happens through deliberate soft skills training that equips leaders with the tools they need to manage people, not just processes.
Soft Skills Are the Missing Link Between Leadership and Impact
If technical expertise were enough to create great leaders, executive coaching wouldn’t exist. But leadership isn’t about knowing all the answers—it’s about bringing out the best in others. And that requires an entirely different set of skills.
Soft skills—like emotional intelligence, communication, conflict resolution, and adaptability—are the foundation of effective leadership. And yet, many organizations fail to develop these skills in their top executives, assuming that leadership ability comes naturally with experience. That assumption is costly.
A leader who lacks soft skills may not realize the ripple effects of their blind spots. They might struggle to delegate, micromanage their team, or dismiss feedback that challenges their approach. They may be technically brilliant but come across as unapproachable, making it difficult for employees to voice concerns or share ideas. Over time, these missteps drive talent out the door.
It has been proven time and time again that emotionally intelligent leaders improve both business results and team performance by fostering better workplace relationships and influencing positive behaviors. We know that emotionally intelligent leaders help reduce employee burnout, stress, and job dissatisfaction. And we also know that in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous work environments like today’s, soft skills (particularly resilience, adaptability, and emotional regulation) and essential for leading through crises.
So, what happens when leaders intentionally develop these soft skills? Teams learn how to cooperate and innovate, individual employees are motivated to show up as the best versions of themselves, and the organization as a whole benefits from it.
The Essential Soft Skills Every Executive Needs—And How to Develop Them
Soft skills matter, and how leaders choose to develop them matters even more. Unlike technical expertise, which can be measured in output and efficiency, soft skills influence culture, trust, and engagement—factors that are harder to quantify (but still possible to quantify!) and are just as critical to business success. High-quality executive coaching, data-driven assessments, and real-world leadership training can help top performers refine and develop these skills.
Here are the key soft skills that every executive needs to master:
1. Emotional Intelligence
Leaders who lack emotional intelligence often struggle with self-awareness and interpersonal relationships. They may unintentionally dismiss employee concerns, react defensively to feedback, or fail to recognize how their actions impact morale. But when executives develop emotional intelligence—learning to regulate their own emotions, recognize the needs of others, and respond with empathy—they create a culture of trust and psychological safety. Employees feel valued, heard, and motivated to perform at their best.
How to develop it: Executive coaching and 360-degree feedback assessments help leaders gain a clearer understanding of their emotional impact. Leadership training programs that incorporate soft skills training can also introduce practical strategies for managing stress, improving self-awareness, and responding thoughtfully in high-pressure situations.
2. Communication & Active Listening
Executives must be able to clearly articulate expectations, deliver constructive feedback, and listen with intent. Too often, leaders assume their message is understood simply because they’ve said it—but communication also requires ensuring the message is received and acted upon. Executives who master active listening and transparent communication foster stronger relationships and create alignment within their teams.
How to develop it: Coaching programs focused on executive presence, storytelling, and public speaking can sharpen communication skills. Active listening exercises and soft skills training can also help leaders practice and refine their ability to engage with employees effectively.
3. Conflict Resolution & Negotiation
Workplace conflict is inevitable, but how leaders handle it determines whether it becomes a growth opportunity or a stumbling block. Leaders who avoid tough conversations, allow tensions to simmer, or impose solutions without collaborating with the right people first create disengagement and resentment. On the other hand, executives who develop strong conflict resolution skills can turn disagreements into productive discussions, ensuring that all voices are heard while keeping the team aligned on goals.
How to develop it: Leadership workshops can teach executives how to navigate difficult conversations, mediate disputes, and negotiate effectively. Training in de-escalation techniques and perspective-taking can also help leaders foster collaboration instead of division.
4. Adaptability & Resilience
Change is the only thing you can count on. Leaders who resist change—or struggle to recover from it—risk holding their teams back. Adaptability means staying open to new ideas and innovations, responding effectively to uncertainty, and leading with agility. Resilience is about bouncing back from failures, learning from mistakes, and setting the tone for perseverance within an organization. Without these skills, executives may find themselves overwhelmed by challenges and unable to guide their teams through change.
How to develop it: Scenario-based soft skills training and resilience coaching can help executives build the mental flexibility needed to navigate uncertainty. Encouraging a growth mindset—where setbacks are seen as learning opportunities rather than failures—can also make a significant difference in how leaders approach challenges.
Soft Skills Training Is an Investment
Investing in soft skills training isn’t just about making leaders “nicer” or more approachable—it’s about equipping them with the skills that drive performance and long-term success. Studies have proven that companies who participated in strong leadership development programs outperform their competitors in revenue growth, innovation, and employee satisfaction. When executives refine their ability to lead, teams become more cohesive, workplace culture improves, and business outcomes follow.
And the return on investment is measurable. Leaders with well-developed soft skills:
- Reduce turnover by fostering a culture of trust and engagement.
- Increase team productivity by improving communication and collaboration.
- Strengthen decision-making by considering diverse perspectives and adapting to change.
- Improve customer satisfaction by leading teams that are aligned, motivated, and high-performing.
Leadership is a learned skill. While technical expertise can get an executive to the top, it’s their ability to lead, inspire, and develop others that will determine their lasting impact. Investing in soft skills training is an investment in your entire organization’s success.
Take Your Leadership to the Next Level with Arden Coaching
Great leaders are both experts in their field AND masters of inspiration, communication, and collaboration. Soft skills, and deliberate soft skills training, are the difference.
At Arden Coaching, we help executives and organizations develop the soft skills that drive real impact. Through one-on-one coaching, leadership development programs, and tailored workshops, we empower leaders to lead with confidence, emotional intelligence, and influence.
Ready to invest in leadership that makes a difference? Let’s talk. Contact Arden Coaching today to learn how our executive coaching and soft skills training can transform your leaders—and your organization.