AI and the Human Imperative

In my memory, the introduction of WYSIWYG was a revelation. It has a great sound… wizzi-wig. It means, “What You See Is What You Get.” No frills, no surprises. This is it.

In the same moment, I am certain the folks who introduced me to WYSIWYG added a real stinker: JBYCDMYS. Maybe, jebik-demis? Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should. As in, “Just because you can make an acronym out of any collection of words, doesn’t mean you should.”

Using WYSIWYG is a good idea, generally. It reduces assumptions and could increase clarity. If we applied it to AI, we might recall that we have a tool, not an emotional support companion. Which is why it is objectively important to consistently and clearly call out that people, as of now, are still the driving force behind how the world works.

That doesn’t mean we’re particularly great at it or super adept at change. As organizations grapple with technological disruption, talent retention challenges, and continuous change, the skills that define effective leadership are holding fast, even if they’re still under-valued. While proficiency in AI integration and data analysis is necessary, relying solely on technical excellence risks organizational failure. The future belongs to leaders who can effectively blend technological insight with genuine human connection which makes soft skills (aka “professional skills” or “foundational skills”) the core competitive advantage.

The Overlooked Advantage: Human Skills in a Tech-Driven World

The allure of technical seduction leads people to become so captivated by what technology can do that leaders forget to ask what the organization is ready for. To cite a famous movie and very common meme… it’s a trap!

Credit - Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

Review the “Flash Crash” of 2010 as one example of robots failing us.

Failure in AI projects often stems not from technical capability but from leadership-driven issues like communication breakdowns and a lack of buy-in.

In fact, 87% of workers see human capabilities, such as adaptability, leadership, and communications, as integral to their career advancement. When surveyed, employees prioritized training in soft skills like teamwork and collaboration (65%), communication (61%), and leadership (56%) more highly than technical skills such as AI integration (54%).

Effective organizations must adopt the improv-inspired-now-mainstream “Yes, AND” approach, making an equally exciting and critical investment in human skills alongside technical training.

Emotional Intelligence: The Unstoppable Soft Skill

Among the most desirable leadership traits for the modern era is Emotional Intelligence (EQ). Defined as the combination of self-awareness, self-management, interpersonal skills, and relationship management, EQ allows leaders to understand and connect with their teams across multiple levels.

Leaders with high EQ are known to create more favorable organizational cultures, foster stronger employee engagement, and drive higher job satisfaction. Critically, as workplaces become more hybrid and AI-integrated, EQ provides the essential human touch that technology cannot replicate, strengthening team cohesion even across virtual spaces.

Actionable Soft Skill: Empathy as a Performance Multiplier

A particularly crucial aspect of EQ is empathy, which is the ability to experience and relate to the thoughts and emotions of others—going beyond simple sympathy. Research involving 6,731 managers across 38 countries found that empathy is positively related to job performance. Empathetic leaders are better able to build and maintain relationships, which is considered a critical part of leading organizations globally.

For upper management, developing empathy is not an innate trait; it can be learned through dedicated effort. Actionable steps for increasing organizational empathy include:

Teach Active Listening Skills: Encourage managers to listen not just to words, but to the meaning behind them, paying attention to nonverbal cues like tone and facial expressions. Managers should practice reflecting feelings and summarizing what they hear to show employees they are respected and understood.

Cultivate Perspective Taking: Support managers in consistently placing themselves in their employees’ shoes to truly understand their experiences and perspectives. This applies both to employee challenges and to solving complex business problems.

Support Global Managers: Empathy is especially important for leaders operating across cultural boundaries or in global organizations. Relying on deeper cultural understandings is valuable compared to relying solely on one’s own interpretation of the world.

Leading Beyond the Algorithm

When focusing on innovation, human creativity and resourcefulness remain the true differentiators. Leaders must recognize that subjective organizational problems, such as hiring bias or poor performance reviews, are fundamentally leadership challenges, not algorithmic ones. When leadership is seduced by the technical elegance of AI, they often forget the human reality, risking complete organizational failure, regardless of technical capability.

By actively investing in soft skills leading to prioritizing empathy, emotional intelligence, and human-centered change management, mid- and upper-management can successfully guide their organizations through continuous transformation and secure long-term talent retention.