Article: The human edge: why soft skills matter more than ever Written by Patrick O’Brien CMgr FCMI Tuesday 09 September 2025 Share Share to LinkedIn Share to Facebook Share via email As technology transforms work, technical know-how is only half the story. Soft skills like empathy, adaptability and communication are now vital for navigating complexity, building trust and sustaining human impact. Coco Chanel once said: “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” Raised in an orphanage run by nuns, she learned to sew, an early foundation of hard skills. Later, in cabaret, she layered in softer, more communicative traits. Her transformation into a style icon was not only about craft, but also connection: she cultivated deep relationships with resourceful, influential people. Her journey from technical mastery to social artistry is telling. No fabrication here – Coco was far from so-so. That ability to evolve wasn’t based on technique alone, it was deeply human. Emotional nuance, presence and adaptability helped her navigate shifting contexts with elegance. In today’s workplace, dominated by digital tools, data and AI, it’s tempting to assume that technical expertise alone is enough. But that assumption is increasingly misleading. While technology accelerates the pace of change, it’s our ability to relate, reflect and respond as humans that sets us apart. These soft skills such as presence, empathy and insight are what help us, in Coco’s words, “be different”. They keep us grounded and moving forward with purpose. Rethinking the divide: hard v soft Traditionally, hard skills were where we looked for professional growth. Organised around established protocols, they were quantifiable, methodical and teachable. In contrast, soft skills were considered more as nice-to-have qualities, vaguely defined, and often underappreciated. There was clearly a dominance in the hierarchy: hard skills drove performance, soft skills made people like you. Today, the tectonics of that hierarchy are shifting, not just rhetorically, but structurally too. Hard and soft skills have pivoted to reposition as peers, and their early schism has stretched to a chasm. Though often interdependent, they’re now most impactful when harnessed in tandem. The reality is that data-heavy tasks that increasingly rely on hard skills are being automated. What remains are soft skill capabilities that technology can’t easily replicate: emotional intelligence, critical thinking and authentic communication. To understand these skills better, let’s dive deeper into three important dimensions: Focus: Hard skills are built through addition and reinforcement. They follow best practices and adopt structured methods, while we repeat them until proficient. Soft skills, by contrast, often require unlearning; we embrace new behaviours, let go of outdated habits and integrate new ways of relating, listening and leading. Nature: Hard skills are tangible, measurable and deliver visible results. Soft skills are lived experiences, shaped by emotion and reflection. Often tacit and felt, they are sometimes only fully recognised by an uncomfortable awkwardness in their absence. Acquisition: Hard skills are procedural, following clear steps to yield predictable outcomes. Soft skills are relational, emerging through interaction, feedback and a willingness to grow within context. The context: a data-driven world If hard skills are the engine, then soft skills are the steering; one provides humans with power and traction, the other affords us control and direction. This duality helps frame what follows as we drill down to examine three major technological shifts shaping the modern workplace: social media, remote working and AI. Each digital evolution offers benefits, but each also poses specific challenges. Strengthening our soft skill foundations can help us in addressing these challenges. 1. Social media: for connection or comparison? Social media has transformed how humans connect, learn and express themselves. It offers access to communities, kindred spirits and real-time information. However, it also brings with it the risks of information overload, burnout and a relentless comparison trap. Why? Because it can be addictive; platforms are engineered to capture attention, trigger emotional responses and feed our need for validation. Without boundaries, we become reactive and driven by compulsion, rather than reflective and in control. Soft skills can boost our ability to stay present, filter out the noise and connect intentionally. Paying attention to these areas can help, for example, self-awareness, emotional regulation, assertive communication, mindful engagement and time management. 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