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The Powerful You's avatar

This is so true - unfortunately very few "leaders" have this. They just get assigned / appointed based on years of experience, not based on social skills. Thank you for sharing!

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Kathy Wu Brady's avatar

Yes -- it's a mistake to promote high performers to leadership and people management roles as a reward. The impact of a people manager cannot be overstated -- for good or for bad.

We need more leaders who are trained and skilled at managing people in order to realize organizations that can operate at their full potential. Those who have demonstrated an ability to influence coupled with excellent execution skills are great candidates to consider.

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Nick Halley's avatar

This line hit like a tuning fork: ‘People are influenced when they feel seen, heard, and valued.’ So simple, so often overlooked. Influence isn’t charisma, it’s consistency in care. Thanks for naming what so many leaders forget.

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Kathy Wu Brady's avatar

Thanks, Nick, for that callout. You can influence successfully in a more mercenary manner, but I think those who have the most lasting positive impact are the ones who care about the people they collaborate with and serve.

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