Pam Hager, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Instructional Consulting, shares another leadership learning insight with us about the power of People Skills:
“Recently, I was reflecting on a guest speaker’s story. He told the group about how he had successfully implemented Q4 People Skills throughout his company.
For everyone listening, his story amplified the power of embracing Q4 People Skills. The company was able to leverage the individual strengths of each employee. Leadership was also able to discover the synergy derived from the whole organization working in unison. The outcome was a company that was hugely successful, in terms of both customer satisfaction and financial results.
Effective People Skills Are About More Than Business
As we all know, the Caribbean and southern parts of the United States have been experiencing a brutal hurricane season recently. As each region has begun the slow process of recovery, I started hearing the kinds of words associated with companies that bounce back from mass layoffs and other major setbacks:
- Resilience
- Hardiness
- An ability to control one’s ego
- The capacity to learn from the situation
- And the power to pull together as a supportive network.
It appeared that these were the behavior traits that allowed people to believe that their efforts will allow them to come out of this “OK.”
What I see in the people of hurricane-afflicted areas is an adaptation of our Q4 People Skills. These folks are leveraging their relationships, built over time, to help them get through this enormously challenging period. Q4 balances a need to get things done with high respect for people’s feelings — an ideal behavior pattern when you’re dealing with the logistical and emotional concerns of disaster relief.
The Lesson for Your Organization
It’s a good reminder for any organization: Of course, your investment in Q4 People Skills develops employees who will work more effectively. But that same investment also enables a unifying force that gives your employees the skills to work together, as well as enabling them to meet and work though the changes — and challenges — that come their way.”
Thanks, Pam!
