Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style

437: Why Improving Your Soft Skills WON'T Help Your Leadership Performance & What To Do Instead

Jul 23, 2025

Bryce Jaggers, author of 'Two Fish in the Tree,' challenges the effectiveness of traditional soft skills in leadership. He reveals how role alignment can harness employees' unique strengths, transforming underperformers into high-impact leaders. The conversation dives into the pitfalls of conventional performance reviews and misaligned promotions while emphasizing the importance of recognizing individual talents over fixing weaknesses. Jaggers shares real-life success stories, inspiring leaders—especially introverts—to embrace their superpowers for growth and team success.

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INSIGHT

Soft Skills Often Can't Improve

Poor soft skills generally cannot be significantly improved through training or mentoring.
Success depends more on recognizing and aligning roles with individual superpowers rather than trying to fix inherent communication weaknesses.

ANECDOTE

Superpowers Lost in Role Shift

A talented employee struggled when shifted to a management role but excelled when returned to a technical role.
Instead of exiting him, another company recognized his superpower and he became a successful leader there.

ANECDOTE

Reassigning Roles Unlocks Potential

A project manager with poor organizational skills but excellent client relationships was repositioned as customer engagement manager.
This realignment led him to become a global general manager, highlighting the power of role fit.

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What if everything you were taught about soft skills doesn’t actually help your leadership performance at all? Learn what’s even more important.

In this eye-opening interview, Two Fish in a Tree author (& introvert) Brice Jaggers reveals why traditional performance reviews, poor hiring filters for soft skills, and misaligned promotions are stalling careers and damaging morale. Whether you’re a leader or a high-performing introvert, these insights will shift the way you think about growth.

By the end of today’s episode you’ll know:

🧲How to spot and elevate your workplace “superpowers” instead of fixing what's “wrong”

🧩Why role realignment beats termination—and how it unlocks performance

🛠️Real-life stories of transformation, from overlooked employees to high-impact leaders

To chat with Laura to see if her Executive Presence Mastery System is right for you click here.

Hit play now to learn how to stop climbing the wrong tree—and start thriving in your natural environment.

If you want to lead with even more confidence, clarity, and connection—especially when stakes are high and it's a pressure cooker, get your copy of my Executive Presence Self-Assessment here. My compliments. It goes through the 10 qualities that make up executive presence that are essential for success as a senior executive.

For more information visit www.speakupwithlaura.com. Our Speak Up podcast episodes come out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday early in the morning.

About our guest:

Two Fish and the Tree shatters the myth that poor soft skills can be greatly improved through training and mentoring. In this paradigm-shifting work, Brice E. Jaggars presents a controversial yet compelling argument that will change how you view workforce development.

Jaggars exposes flaws in traditional development programs, focusing instead on role alignment. Through a blend of cutting-edge research, revealing case studies, and personal insights, he demonstrates how this approach catalyzes:

This isn’t just another business book—it's a blueprint for unlocking your workforce's true capabilities. Whether you’re steering HR strategy, managing teams, or navigating your own career, Brice will transform your understanding of human potential in the workplace. Prepare to question everything you thought you knew about talent management—and discover a new path to success.

In Speak Up communication and executive presence coaching, high performing leaders and executives learn to enhance their influence and confidence, refining their communication style to increase visibility and effectiveness in promotion opportunities.

By honing communication skills and fostering a trusted advisor mindset, aspiring executives cultivate mastery in public speaking and beat imposter syndrome. Your leadership becomes more strategic and inspiring.