Bob’s Corner: What Really Drives Personal and Professional Success?

Published 6/8/23

The saying “the world is run by C students” has been on my mind lately. It’s a notion that may feel counterintuitive to some, in no small part due to society’s tendency to link academic excellence to real-life success. Research, however, has found otherwise. In his book Rich Habits, Tom Corely shares results from a study he fielded among self-made millionaires. The data found that 77% of respondents were not exceptional students. In fact, more than a third underperformed academically.

While there are plenty of examples of book-smart success stories out there, I feel there’s a strong case to be made for “C student success,” and it comes down to the types of skills those folks were fostering in their developmental years. My grade point average in college was nothing to brag about but I was fortunate to be elected President of my fraternity, which, in retrospect, was pivotal to the development of my leadership skills. Skills around conflict management, team building, humor, and house management were as critical for my success then as they are today.

Soft skills are personal attributes that enable people to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people and are the secret weapon of success in today’s professional landscape – no matter what industry you work in. Also referred to as transferable skills, 21st-century skills, or even power skills (all of which should give insight into how experts view this competency), soft skills can materialize as professionalism or work ethic, oral and written communication, teamwork and collaboration, and critical thinking or problem-solving. These are the attributes that help workers adapt to new jobs, overcome obstacles, develop productive relationships with their co-workers and supervisors, and thrive in the workplace.

And, you guessed it, this skill set is more often associated with the “C students” of the world, likely because those folks spent more time developing relationships, joining teams, and sharpening their social skills than those who went deep on academics as their top priority.

This is not to say that straight-A students can’t have an aptitude for soft skills, or that C students are inherently gifted in this area. I have known and worked with both types of people over the course of my career and have seen many find success regardless of gravitation. However, it’s important to emphasize the importance of the soft skill set, not just for professional circumstances, but personal arenas, too. The ability to communicate your wants and needs and better connect with those we care about can dictate your quality of life. The development of soft skills in the workplace is particularly important for people in their early stages of work, personal and professional development. It is the soft skill development that enables people to become leaders. This is quite relevant in today’s work environment, which has shifted dramatically to remote work. How does a newer employee pick up those critical soft skills without face-to-face interaction with mentors, colleagues, supervisors, and senior managers? It’s difficult.

If you aren’t getting the collaboration and social skill development you’d like in your organization, I suggest you consider finding ways to encourage staff to self-organize in office “get-togethers” to attack specific problems, perform phone blitzes to customers or prospects, have breakthrough thinking sessions or simply to build the team. Find out for yourself if the benefits of in-person interaction counter the negatives of commuting and paying a dog walker!

Hope you all are enjoying yourselves!

Bob