As companies look to innovate and collaborate in remote and hybrid environments, leaders are realizing that soft skills such as critical thinking, adaptability and communication are critical. Employees not naturally gifted with soft skills can learn how to hone them by gathering feedback and moving out of their comfort zone.
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Reimagining the workplace through a flexible scope, such as remote work, can bolster diversity, equity and inclusion, ultimately globalizing an organization's team, writes Sarah Hawley, CEO and founder of Growmotely, a platform that facilitates conscious hiring of remote professionals and different nationalities into long-term remote jobs. Leaders could help foster this culture in organizations by focusing more on outcomes, as well as being more progressive with daily work schedules and recruiting.
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Tim Ryan, the US chair and senior partner at accounting firm PwC, used an open-ended dress code -- trusting his employees to maintain professional appearances without detailed guidance -- as an example of how his "trust-based leadership" policy built a strong culture. "So my advice is to believe in your recruiting and believe in your talent pipeline, because when you trust them, they will do amazing things, and then constantly talk about what that trust yielded," Ryan says.
Seeing feedback as guidance that "is humble, helpful ... and not about a personality attribute" is more effective, as it is grounded in genuine care for the employee and doesn't come off as patronizing or cruel, writes Kim Scott. "Overall, effective feedback -- based on caring personally while also challenging directly -- shows us what to do more of and what to do less of," Scott advises.
Brandi Chastain might have landed the famous Sports Illustrated cover, but goalkeeper Briana Scurry was the one who made the save that set the stage for Team USA to win the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. Here, Scurry talks about that iconic moment, the brain injury that ended her career and her difficult road to recovery -- which included pawning her gold medals and shaming her insurance company into paying for the surgery she needed to address her chronic pain.
Three years ago, I was rushing across the casino floor at the Mirage hotel in Las Vegas on my way to catch my Lyft to the airport when I spotted someone and stopped dead in my tracks.
It was legendary US women’s soccer goalkeeper Briana Scurry -- the one who set up the win for the US Women to win the World Cup in 1999. I’m not big on celebrities -- I won’t chase anyone down -- but this was different. That save ranks in my top five favorite sports moments of all time. (See it here at minute 1:41.)
I had to say something. Scurry was strolling leisurely through the casino, hands in her pockets and earbuds in her ear. She was almost past me when I looked right at her and blurted out, “I remember where I was when you saved that shot.”
She stopped and pulled the earbud out of her ear. “I’m sorry?”
“You’re Briana Scurry,” I said, my voice a little shaky from nervousness. “I remember where I was when you saved that shot. It still gives me the chills.”
She smiled and thanked me. “What’s your name?” she asked, extending her hand. I introduced myself and we had a brief conversation about her post-soccer life. She was in Vegas, speaking at a conference.
“Ms. Scurry, I never do this but can I get a picture? My daughter played keeper for part of her career and has heard all about you,” I said. She graciously agreed. We took the shot, shook hands again and then parted. I played the save over in my head as I hurried out of the casino.
We spotlight Scurry in today’s Chatter section. The two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup winner recently released her memoir, My Greatest Save. The book details Scurry’s storybook career, the injury that ended it and how she fought her way back from pain, depression and debt to find a new lease on life. That kind of resilience and determination is why she will always be a champion.
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