BE HUMAN, EVEN IF YOUR CAREER DOESN’T DEPEND ON IT

The importance of the human element for professional service providers is increasing

I recently came across Bill Fischer’s article, “The end of expertise” (HBR 2015), which questions the long-term existence of knowledge based organizations in their current form. Threatened by the increasing commoditization of knowledge and perceived expertise, and the low-cost, immediate results driven buyers' behavior, the author argues that soft skills and emotional intelligence are becoming unique differentiators for professionals and their firms. I couldn't agree more. While often undervalued, how you do what you do has always been an essential component of successful and sustainable client-expert advisor relationships.

It is undisputed that technology is disrupting the business of professional services firms. This disruption has been ongoing for the past two decades and it will most likely continue for the foreseeable future. Pricing pressure and changing business models and compensation formulas are some of the most visible immediate results of that turbulence. What it all ultimately means to expert professionals and their futures is yet to be determined…not much has been speculated or prescribed.

After spending incredible amounts of time and resources in the world of academia, professionals embark on a lifelong journey of professional development and practice, yearning to reach the coveted “expert” title. However, more and more professionals are realizing that the “expert” title has lost its luster, and all that goes with it. What are professionals and the firms that employ them do? Well, a few lucky ones, who have enjoyed the full benefits of being called and treated as experts, may retire. Others may have to re-tool themselves.

Based on the widely accepted Maister trustworthiness formula {trust= (credibility + reliability + intimacy) / self-orientation}, Fischer suggests that the variables in the trust building formula that deal with the human aspect of relationships offer the solution to the commoditization of professional services. In other words, employing and mastering the art of soft skills would be the only way for professionals to differentiate themselves and succeed in their careers going forward.

Because I’ve studied and have seen the positive results of professionals employing human skills, the “how you do what you do" has always come forefront in my teaching of professional development tips. I often refer to it as part of the notion of executive presence: how you go about carrying yourself, listening, communicating, etc. Take a deep dive into the concepts with “WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THE NEXT GENERATION OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FIRMS’ PARTNERS?”, an oldie but goodie I wrote on the subject about a half a decade ago. Listen to “LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM MARGARET THATCHER”, an interview with Sir Bernard Ingham, Margaret Thatcher's chief press secretary I curated several years back. It builds upon the frameworks shared in the previous article, especially the one of personal gravitas.

Of course, we can’t talk about soft skills without touching on the subject of problem solving capabilities and its importance for professionals. The ability to ask good questions, realize and release innate assumptions and leniency to assign judgments, synthesize and re-frame points so as to communicate more effectively: all critical for professional and personal development in my view. Content and format will vary based on professionals’ and firms’ needs. Ask for best practices and recommendations.

Technology is great. It supposedly simplifies life and it does for the most part. Most professionals and firms have easily made the decision to invest sizable amounts in improving technology. However, most firms are neglecting to invest in the supposed beneficiaries of that technology. I say: it’s time to invest in the human element. Be human, even if your career doesn’t depend on it.

© 2010-2015 Copyright Mira Ilieva Leonard / iStile All rights reserved

By Mira Ilieva-Leonard | Mira.ilieva-leonard@istile.com