Last week, one of my coaching clients said:
“I feel like my energy is my superpower. But I’m not technical enough. Sometimes I feel insecure that I’m just… the nice person at work.”
Here’s what happened earlier that day:
She walked into her first meeting back from leave. Everyone stood up. The whole room gave her hugs.
One person said: “I had to run your stakeholder meeting while you were gone, and everyone kept asking when you’d be back. They love how you run those. Your energy makes people actually want to participate.”
She was the person people gathered around. The one who brought positivity back to the office.
And yet, she felt like she wasn’t enough because she wasn’t “technical enough.”
The Problem
You think your value comes from being technical. Knowing how to code. Running complex analyses. Understanding the product inside and out.
So you downplay what you’re actually great at: motivating teams, bringing energy, and making people feel valued.
You think those are “soft skills.” Not as important as “hard skills.”
You’re wrong.
The Big Small Thing
Stop undervaluing your people skills. Start owning them as your competitive advantage.
Here’s what I asked my client:
“Would you rather work for a boss who’s really strong technically but a jerk? Or someone who’s energetic, thoughtful, and makes you excited to come to work?”
The second boss. Every time.
3 ways to own your people skills:
1. Stop apologizing for what you’re not.
Next time you catch yourself saying “I’m not technical enough” or “I wish I were different,” stop.
Instead, say: “My strength is [relationship-building / team motivation / creating energy]. That’s what I bring.”
2. Track your people-skill wins.
Start a running list of moments where your people skills made an impact:
- When did your energy change the mood in a meeting?
- When did a relationship you built unlock an opportunity?
- When did your ability to motivate someone help them succeed?
Write them down. Mention 1-2 in your next performance review. You’ll stop undervaluing them.
3. Ask yourself: What can AI not replace about me?
AI can analyze data, write code, run reports.
AI can’t send a handwritten card when a teammate leaves. It can’t motivate people through a hard quarter. It can’t build the relationships that make clients want to work with you.
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How This Helps You Get What You Want
Your people skills are not secondary. They’re essential.
And with AI doing more technical work, these skills are about to become even more valuable.
So stop undervaluing your superpower. Own it!
