Introduction
For decades, the corporate world treated behavioral skills as secondary, labeling them “soft skills”—a term that, even if unintentionally, implied they were less important than so-called “hard skills.” However, as organizations face rapid transformations, complex environments, and demands for human-centered innovation, this perspective is collapsing. Thinkers like Simon Sinek and leaders like Steve Jobs have been warning: human competencies—empathy, listening, collaboration, and systemic vision—are not just important. They are indispensable. This article explores why human skills should be central to strategy in projects, boards, and companies, analyzing their practical and cultural implications for the future of work.
Simon Sinek and the Urgency of Human Skills in the Corporate World
The following three quotes from Simon Sinek form a direct critique of how the corporate world traditionally labels behavioral skills as “soft,” suggesting they are less important or less demanding than “hard skills” (technical skills). Here’s the interpretation of each:
“I really reject the idea of soft skills. There is nothing soft about them.”
—Simon Sinek
Sinek rejects the term “soft skills” because it underestimates the value and difficulty of these competencies. He argues there’s nothing “soft” or easy about them—they require empathy, communication, leadership, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness, which can be extremely challenging.
“We have hard skills & we have HUMAN skills.”
—Simon Sinek
He proposes a new nomenclature: instead of “soft,” we should call them “human skills,” highlighting that these abilities are deeply human and essential for relationships, leadership, and teamwork.
“We need more human skills in business today.”
—Simon Sinek
Sinek points to an urgent need: companies must cultivate more human skills in their professionals. In an increasingly automated and digital environment, it’s precisely human capabilities that create connection, trust, and culture.
The Illusion of “Hard” as the Only Path to Deliver Value
In the corporate environment, we’ve been conditioned for decades to associate the word “hard” with everything that truly matters for delivering good work. Hard skills, such as technical knowledge, mastery of tools, analytical capacity, and efficient execution, have always been considered the main determinants of success. They are measurable, teachable, and often valued in resumes, promotions, and selection processes.
However, this view created a misleading dichotomy. By positioning so-called “soft skills” as secondary or optional, a false perception emerged that empathy, active listening, communication, collaboration, self-responsibility, or emotional intelligence were accessories, not pillars of organizational performance.
The pandemic was a turning point. By exposing human vulnerabilities, market uncertainties, and the need for collaborative and rapid decisions, it became evident that there’s no sustainable value delivery without strengthened human skills. The corporate machine doesn’t function solely with technical knowledge—it requires trust, the ability to deal with mistakes, systemic vision, and sensitivity to perceive others.
Simon Sinek synthesizes this paradigm shift by saying there’s nothing “soft” about these skills and that we should call them what they truly are: human skills. They are difficult, profound, and absolutely critical—especially for leaders, board members, and managers who need to navigate ambiguous and transformative contexts.
By redefining what truly matters at work, we recognize that technical competencies can take us only so far—but it’s humanity that propels us forward with relevance, cohesion, and purpose.
Steve Jobs and Faith in People: Innovation Begins with Human Skills
Although Steve Jobs didn’t directly use the term “human skills,” several of his statements reveal a vision closely aligned with Simon Sinek’s: valuing human capacities, empathy, collaboration, and creativity as central to success and innovation. One of the most representative quotes in this regard is:
“It’s not the tools that you have faith in—tools are just tools. They work, or they don’t work. It’s people you have faith in or not.”
—Steve Jobs
This quote echoes the idea that, as much as hard skills or technologies are important, the differentiator lies in people—in their ability to collaborate, create, and solve problems.
Another notable quote is:
“Some people say, ‘Give the customers what they want.’ But that’s not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they’re going to want before they do.”
—Steve Jobs
This statement reveals empathy, systemic vision, and strategic thinking—all sophisticated human competencies, not technical ones.
Steve Jobs saw the human component as essential and irreplaceable for organizational success, reinforcing the same logic that Simon Sinek brings by advocating for human skills as central.
Project Management Beyond Tools: The Strategic Value of Human Skills
Everything discussed so far—the appreciation of human skills, the critique of the limited view of hard skills, the statements of Simon Sinek and Steve Jobs—is deeply relevant to project management. Here’s why:
- Projects are made by people, not just tools
Even with methodologies like Scrum, PMBOK, or Agile, no project advances successfully without clear communication, empathy, collaboration, and trust among team members and stakeholders. Jobs summarizes this well: we don’t have faith in tools; we have faith in people. - Human skills reduce conflicts and increase performance
Active listening, emotional intelligence, flexibility, and constructive feedback help resolve conflicts before they become barriers. These skills increase team cohesion and make deliveries more fluid—something hard skills alone can’t solve. - Project leadership requires vision and sensitivity
Project managers who develop human skills are better able to identify human risks, align expectations, and adapt strategies. As Sinek suggests, this isn’t “soft”; it’s critical. - Complex and uncertain environments demand adaptability
In the current scenario, projects are impacted by constant changes. Skills like empathy, listening, and strategic thinking enable dealing with ambiguity and replanning quickly and engagingly—qualities increasingly valued in project leaders. - Stakeholder management is essentially human
Understanding stakeholders’ motivations, resistances, and interests requires sensitivity, effective communication, and the ability to influence. These are key competencies in project management, reinforcing the idea that human skills are a strategic asset.
Boards of the Future: Human Leadership in High-Complexity Environments
Everything we’ve discussed so far is also essential for boards of directors and advisory boards—and perhaps even more so than in project management. Here’s why:
- Boards deal with complexity, ambiguity, and high-impact decisions
Board members aren’t there just to monitor indicators or validate what’s already given. They need to formulate strategic questions, challenge with empathy, guide in uncertain scenarios, and bring multiple perspectives. This requires listening, discernment, communication, and humility—all human skills. - The success of the board depends on the quality of human relationships
Effective governance is born from trust among board members, executives, and stakeholders. Dysfunctional boards—marked by egos, vanity, or poor communication—undermine strategy. As Simon Sinek points out, the future demands human board members, not just technical ones. - Diversity of thought requires dialogue skills
With boards increasingly diverse in gender, age, origin, experience, and worldview, the importance of emotional intelligence, active listening, and constructive conflict management grows. Without this, diversity becomes noise, not richness. - Boards of the future need to look beyond compliance
The most mature board model—as proposed by Korn Ferry—goes beyond legalistic and tactical focus. It acts as a catalyst for transformation, guardian of purpose, and organizational culture. This requires a humanized and integrative vision. - Technology and disruption demand a human posture
Paradoxically, the more technology, the more we need human skills. Boards discussing AI, ESG, reputation, innovation, or culture need to understand people, not just balance sheets. This differentiates a board member of the past from a governance leader prepared for the future.
Conclusion
We are facing a profound change in what we consider “professional excellence.” In a world full of technology, frameworks, and tools, it’s the human capacity to lead with empathy, listen attentively, collaborate purposefully, and decide with discernment that defines the true competitive differentiator. Whether in the boardroom, leading a project, or in relationships with clients and teams, human skills have ceased to be optional to become foundational. More than a semantic adjustment, Simon Sinek’s proposal is a call to rethink the value of the human in building lasting results. After all, as Steve Jobs aptly pointed out, we don’t have faith in tools—we have faith in people.