I have been trying to help some clients identify talent for middle and senior management roles recently. But I keep coming up with gaps between what they require and what is available.

On the other hand there are some exceptional people who are available but it is difficult for them to be a good fit for any of these roles.

I am beginning to wonder if we are doing something wrong. Could it be that the we are missing something critical in our definition of talent and what is a good fit?

The workplace is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by advancements in AI, the rise of remote work, and evolving societal perceptions of meaningful employment.

Despite these changes, it appears that hiring practices in most organisations remain stuck to the industrial era’s emphasis on credentials, degrees and narrowly defined technical expertise. And therefore, for many employers, hard skills continue to hold much greater significance than soft skills.

But what if we shifted our recruitment focus from solely evaluating CVs to assessing soft skills such as resilience and adaptability?

In my experience in both, leading organisations and advising clients, I have observed that skills such as adaptability, emotional intelligence, collaboration, and creative problem-solving become more significant over time than any single technical skill.

These human capabilities remain relevant and valuable regardless of technological advancements. As I mentioned in a previous post, artificial intelligence (AI) will not render wisdom, intuition, or values-based thinking obsolete!

In an era where technology is replacing our left-brain thinking and hard skills come and go, the ability to navigate ambiguity, be life-long learners and communicate across generations is invaluable. These are the kinds of intelligence that truly last and help organisations thrive.

Given this thinking, my advise to clients, and in general to recruiters and job seekers, is to revise their business terminology and replace “soft” and “hard skills” with “enduring” and “transient” skills.

Organisations that focus their recruitment and management development efforts on the enduring human qualities will likely be able to hire better people and foster more effective cultures with a more positive work environment.

Worth thinking about 🤔