After Our workforce report I discovered that soft skills are in demand in modern workplaces, Natalia Shahmetva tells us why they should be forgotten in the boardroom either.
When people imagine a successful starting founder, they imagine technical and strategy -based data with intense Tone mallets.
But this image sets aside a crucial requirement: soft skills: the ability to Lead with empathyCommunicate effective and navigate uncertainty.
My career has seen me work in close collaboration with the equipment of products, growth and marketing before assuming the role of CEO with Woofz, the application of leading dog training in the market.
That fixed experience has taught me that, although difficult skills can build their product, soft skills keep the Verfil company.
Leadership begins with strong communication
We all know that clear communication is a central requirement for effective leadership. You may have all technical skills and industry knowledge to succeed, but you can’t build a business alone.
As its start grows, it must bring others on board to manage the workload. In addition, you will face countless calls with Risk capitalistTrying to convince them that their vision is to invest. If you cannot express your ideas and inspire others, it will not go very far.
But communication is not just about speaking. You also need to listen. Because, as talented as you are, you don’t have a great experience in each area.
Human resourcesfinance, product development, acquisitions, design; A great team has people who are better than you in the areas you have. It is crucial that you can listen to your advice and respect your experience.
Do not underestimate the construction of relationships
As CEO, you are not just the decision maker. You are the glue between each department: join gaps, align the efforts and keep the entire business synchronized.
That requests a complete understanding of how each function contributes to the success of the company, which is based on its ability to build confidence relationship relationships through the organization. Will a team leader openly share with you when a problem arises if you don’t have that confidence and report? Probably not.
While it is important, the construction of relationships is more than making friends, being loved and maintaining peace. It is about promoting the right Work culture Draw the silos, encourage collaboration and solve problems faster.
Emotional intelligence is an asset
“Women are too emotional to lead”: it is a tired stereotype that women are accustomed to listening to the workplace, with 78% of women employed Have been labeled as such in Performance reviews.
But emotional intelligence is not a weakness; It is an asset. The best CEO does not close their emotions, but you channel. There is an investigation that links positive emotions, such as joy, calm and pride, with effective leadership.
Ruthlessness is of perceive as to Desirable Trait, But Think about it: Would you rather work for sumone Cold, Abbrasive, and indifferent to your wellbeing, or a leader who treats you with respect, you collected your effort, and cellebrate bratebrate Bratebrate Brate. Bratebratebratbrarates and Cell BratebratEbratEbratEbratEbratbratas and Celebrate? One builds one team, while the other breaks them down slowly.
Of course, difficult decisions will arrive, and their calls will bother some, but it is much more likely that a team will join and fight more for a leader who leads with empathy.
You won success without resilience
Cultivating a startup is never simple. It doesn’t matter how prepared he will face setbacks, such as fighting to Raise capitalHiring or development challenges.
The role of CEO is one of the most demanding works it can assume, which requires an astronomical amount of mental resistance. There is a reason 94% or founders Let’s say they have experienced mental health problems in the last year, and two thirds founded to throw in the towel.
It is possible that you have decades of experience, the support of an investor and the best money of the equipment can buy. However, if you cannot make intelligent decisions under mental pressure, none of that matters.
Despite the chances against me, I worked on a leadership role. It was the degrees that I have or the data available for me that took me there, but my ability to connect, convince, motivate, adapt and persevere.
Natalia joined Woofz as product marketing manager. In 2024, it was named CEO. Fully started from the launch, Woofz has attracted around three million downloads and has suffered a 300%year -on -year growth rate. Under the leadership of Natalia, the company has become a market leader in the space for pet care, offering more than 70 training courses, mood monitoring, food planning and consultations within an intuitive and easy -to -use platform.
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