110. The Confidence Gap: Why Soft Skills Beat Technical Skills

Most professionals don't plateau because they've hit their technical limit; they plateau because no one can see their value. In this episode, Kendall Berg breaks down the confidence gap and exposes the real reason talented people stay invisible at work: not a lack of skill, but a lack of visibility, presence, and confidence.

Kendall explains how soft skills like communication, influence, and executive presence can move your career forward faster than any other certification ever could. She shares actionable frameworks to build authentic confidence through repetition, feedback, and mindset shifts, along with her 3-step communication model that helps you speak clearly and with authority.

You'll learn why success at senior levels is perception-driven, and how to project confidence that's real, sustainable, and aligned with who you are.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How underconfidence keeps capable professionals invisible, while overconfidence can elevate unqualified leaders

• Why soft skills like communication, influence, and executive presence matter more than degrees or technical expertise

• Practical frameworks for building authentic confidence through repetition, feedback, and mindset shifts

• Tactical tools for clear communication, including Kendall's 3-step model: context, problem, recommendation

• The idea that success at senior levels is perception-driven — you must be seen as confident to be promoted

What's one "corporate game" rule you've learned the hard way?

🎯 Take the full Level Up Leadership Course: https://stan.store/thatcareercoach/p/get-started-with-my-play-the-corporate-game-course

About Your Host: That Career Coach, Kendall Berg

Kendall Berg is a career coach and creator, helping ambitious professionals master the unspoken rules of corporate life. Through Secrets of the Career Game, she shares honest conversations and practical tools to help you communicate clearly, lead confidently, and navigate work with strategy — not stress.

☕️ Want personalized career advice? Book a free 15-minute Coffee Chat with me — let's talk strategy, leadership, or your next move. Book your Coffee Chat → https://calendly.com/thatcareercoach/15-min-follow-up

Want to know more about Kendal Berg, that career coach?

Follow her on Instagram: @thatcareercoach_

Check out her courses on the website: https://thatcareercoach.net/