The world's most extensive leadership study, "DDI-KPMG's Global Leadership Forecast 2023," reconfirms what we hear in leadership coaching almost daily. The study shows that the most significant leadership challenges circle around:

•          Attracting and retaining top talent.

•          Developing the next generation of leaders.

•          Maintaining an engaged workforce.

Some of the reasons for these challenges may be found in the fact that, according to the study,  a surprisingly low percentage (12%) of leaders are rated to have effective interpersonal skills and only 34% of the workforce trust in their leadership. The consequences of these low numbers deserve further analysis, but let's first discern what interpersonal skills and their main drivers are.

The origin of all effective relationships begins with our ability to value others and use the interpersonal skills needed to demonstrate that. Interpersonal skills are social competencies that help people interact, communicate, and collaborate effectively on a personal and professional level. Examples are empathy, active listening, teamwork, and motivating others.

Interpersonal skills are the result of the interaction of two personality characteristics:

1.         Sociability: the degree to which a person seems to need and/or enjoys interaction with others.

2.         Interpersonal sensitivity: the degree to which a person is perceived as perceptive, tactful, and socially sensitive.

Some of the traits of persons low on sociability are that they prefer to work alone, listen more than talk, and think before speaking. They don't network well and can be socially reactive. One of the common complaints is that they need to give their staff more feedback. Persons high in sociability will be outgoing, talkative, friendly, and easily approachable. On the downside, they rather talk than listen and may confuse activity with productivity. Also, they tend to be attention-seeking and distractable.

Persons low on interpersonal sensitivity may be confrontational, hard-nosed, and tough. They take and maintain unpopular positions, will enforce standards of performance, and be argumentative. On the other hand, persons high on interpersonal sensitivity are pleasant, warm and agreeable, and rewarding to deal with. They are considered good team players, earn others' trust, and are proficient in reading social and political cues. However, they may be thin-skinned, avoid confrontations, rely on others' opinions, and promise more than they can deliver.

These personality characteristics and the resulting interpersonal skills may be further incited by an individual's extrovertive or introvertive levels.  

The figure below shows the interaction between sociability and interpersonal sensitivity.

How about the low 34% trust in leadership?

The low level of interpersonal skills may also explain leadership's low trust rating. Trust grows from the connection between people. Connection is achieved through communication. In other words, the foundations of trust and the origin of all effective relationships are built on fluid, honest, and transparent communication.

Low interpersonal skills are not conducive to good communication and may be foundational to the lack of trust within the organization. Ultimately, organizations need more trust to achieve sustainable goals and the retention of high-potential employees.

There is ample evidence in the business literature confirming that the feeling of belonging to an organization and a trustful connection with leadership creates inspiration, motivation, and purposefulness in the organization's employees. It helps build a sense of community and gain the support of others when a leader needs it. In this respect, I like to quote a few lines from Owen Eastwood's highly recommended book "Belonging."

"When you feel excluded, you feel your purpose has been taken away. To not be looked in the eye, not spoken to directly, wondering if it is personal, feeling lost, or confused. You feel that you have no control. When you are alone with your thoughts, especially at night, it all comes back as you get ready for the next day when it will all happen again.

Belonging is a widely undervalued condition required for human performance. When our need to belong in a team is met, our energy and focus pour into the team's shared mission. We can lock into our role and the tasks we're being asked to deliver. We are comfortable in our quest to get better. We feel secure enough to help others and point out where we could be better as a team. The ability to form organized solid groups gave us, the Homo Sapiens, superpowers. Belonging to a group anchors us. We cherish the rituals and traditions that tie us together. Tapping into this human need, recognizing it, and responding to it, is an excellent opportunity for any organization or team to connect and create an optimum high-performing workplace."

Circling back to the principal leadership challenges of employee retention and leadership development, this begs the question of why organizations do not train their leaders sufficiently on the fundamental leadership trait of interpersonal skills.

The DDI Leadership Forecast may answer this question. The report shows that there has been a measurable drop in reliance on coaching for leadership development over the last few years, while a high percentage of leaders (54%) consider professional coaching one of the most sought-after learning experiences. This data is significant because leaders can be trained in their ability to demonstrate effective interpersonal skills with the help of an executive coach. Hence, it seems counterproductive for organizations to dial back on coaching services.

When managing or leading other people, it is critical to gain the interpersonal skills you need.

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