If we want to show up well in tough conversations, we have to keep our brain from being completely hijacked. The good news is that we can train our nervous system to stay grounded, even when the conversation feels uncomfortable.

Newsflash: people skills aren’t soft. They are the strategic foundation. They’re the infrastructure that keeps teams running, ideas flowing, and businesses growing. Without them, even the best technologies, processes, and products start to crumble. In fact, these skills are so critical, honestly, we should really start calling them what they are: Core Human Competencies.