Soft Skills Hard Results - by Anne Taylor (Paperback)

About the Book

10 practical principles of soft skills for analytical leaders that deliver tangible bottom-line results.

Book Synopsis

10 practical principles of soft skills for analytical leaders that deliver tangible bottom-line results.

From the Back Cover

Everyone says a great leader needs EQ, Emotional Intelligence, soft skills, blah, blah, blah. What does that even mean? Where do you start? Where's the line for that on the P&L?
You might think that business is all about facts and figures. You probably prefer it that way. The truth is that as uncertainty and business complexity increases, successful leaders need to embrace soft skills to get the best out of their people in a sustainable manner.
In this succinct, no-nonsense book, Anne Taylor shares: - Key soft skills relevant for leadership and practical applications of how to use them every day drawn from real-life case studies - Straightforward tools to better understand yourself, because your leadership starts with YOU - Simple frameworks to communicate with others to get things done while building a stronger relationship with them (at the same time, how efficient!) - Logical ideas you can try immediately with on-line support if you want it. All done in an easy to read, logical, organized manner for people who prefer facts and don't consider themselves natural 'people people.'
Anne combines the results-oriented focus from her extensive business background in Fortune 100 corporations with her passion for personal development to help you get better results through your people, fast. The practical principles in this book, when applied, practiced and honed, can improve your effectiveness, impact and bottom-line results.

Review Quotes

Good book on emotional intelligence. It proves that people leave and managers and not bad companies. This is one of the key and well known findings. How can managers who are very good at business become emotionally empowered leaders?
The question sounds easier than the answer.
Some good advice can be found in this book.

Personally I hate the nomenclature of "soft skills," as if these skills are somehow weaker or less serious than technical skills. The truth is that it takes a variety of skills and qualities to make an effective leader or colleague, and these are essential to the success of any endeavor, as anyone who's suffered through bad leadership or a toxic environment knows well.
This book is actually a wonderful bridge, though. It seamlessly leads a person who might have been oblivious to people skills on a journey to competence in interpersonal communication and leadership. It is logical and practical, answering the resistance and frustration that usually arises when these topics come up. Buy it for your floundering boss and lousy coworkers ASAP, and get yourself a copy too--we can all use a little more emotional intelligence.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of an unbiased review.

A simple and highly practical approach to bringing in more people-oriented skills into business and life. Anne lays out both the importance of softer skills and credible tools and techniques to further them. She waves in personal and client-based insights to bring these skills to life and structures the book in such a way that you can come back to it easily at any time. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to make a meaningful difference in their business quickly.

Absolutely fantastic book for analytical leaders who are technically excellent, but who struggle with the essential so-called 'soft skills' aka emotional intelligence. So clear, well thought out and set out, and with no flimmy flam! I have already highlighted tons of stuff in here to share with clients and am armed with copies for two of my major corporate clients. A gem. Buy it.

Being in leadership roles for many years now I wish I had the opportunity to read this at the beginning of my career! Very impactful for me.

I love Anne's almost "in your face" logical practical look at this potentially "fluffy" topic. This is the first coaching book I've come across that I would be happy to recommend to my more cynical friends and family. I hope it will change how they think about the work I do, as well as improving the lives of those around them. Thank you Anne Taylor, for approaching this topic from the "hard-nosed business" point of view. I hope it reaches the parts other books have failed to reach.

Loved this book! Easy to read, full of practical advice and resources for maximizing your potential as a leader and your team's potential. Buzzing with ideas on how I'll implement them!

The author breaks the requisite skills into really manageable sections and lays out the basic skills that we all take for granted..but don't necessarily see in ourselves. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who wants to be a better leader, or simply a better human.

This intelligent, well-written and thought-provoking book is packed with practical and actionable insights into the challenges of leadership. Ms Taylor's personal experience as a senior executive in major corporations has clearly given her an acute appreciation of the importance that's attached to the emotional life of her professional colleagues. In this book, she shows how leaders that develop 'soft skills' can increase their own effectiveness - and bring significant advantages to the organisations they manage.

Good book on emotional intelligence. It proves that people leave and managers and not bad companies. This is one of the key and well known findings. How can managers who are very good at business become emotionally empowered leaders?
The question sounds easier than the answer.
Some good advice can be found in this book.

-- "NetGalley"

Personally I hate the nomenclature of "soft skills," as if these skills are somehow weaker or less serious than technical skills. The truth is that it takes a variety of skills and qualities to make an effective leader or colleague, and these are essential to the success of any endeavor, as anyone who's suffered through bad leadership or a toxic environment knows well.
This book is actually a wonderful bridge, though. It seamlessly leads a person who might have been oblivious to people skills on a journey to competence in interpersonal communication and leadership. It is logical and practical, answering the resistance and frustration that usually arises when these topics come up. Buy it for your floundering boss and lousy coworkers ASAP, and get yourself a copy too--we can all use a little more emotional intelligence.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of an unbiased review.

-- "NetGalley"

A simple and highly practical approach to bringing in more people-oriented skills into business and life. Anne lays out both the importance of softer skills and credible tools and techniques to further them. She waves in personal and client-based insights to bring these skills to life and structures the book in such a way that you can come back to it easily at any time. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to make a meaningful difference in their business quickly.-- "amazon.co.uk"

Absolutely fantastic book for analytical leaders who are technically excellent, but who struggle with the essential so-called 'soft skills' aka emotional intelligence. So clear, well thought out and set out, and with no flimmy flam! I have already highlighted tons of stuff in here to share with clients and am armed with copies for two of my major corporate clients. A gem. Buy it.-- "amazon.co.uk"

Being in leadership roles for many years now I wish I had the opportunity to read this at the beginning of my career! Very impactful for me.-- "amazon.co.uk"

I love Anne's almost "in your face" logical practical look at this potentially "fluffy" topic. This is the first coaching book I've come across that I would be happy to recommend to my more cynical friends and family. I hope it will change how they think about the work I do, as well as improving the lives of those around them. Thank you Anne Taylor, for approaching this topic from the "hard-nosed business" point of view. I hope it reaches the parts other books have failed to reach.-- "amazon.co.uk"

Loved this book! Easy to read, full of practical advice and resources for maximizing your potential as a leader and your team's potential. Buzzing with ideas on how I'll implement them!-- "amazon.co.uk"

The author breaks the requisite skills into really manageable sections and lays out the basic skills that we all take for granted..but don't necessarily see in ourselves. I would thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who wants to be a better leader, or simply a better human.-- "amazon.co.uk"

This intelligent, well-written and thought-provoking book is packed with practical and actionable insights into the challenges of leadership. Ms Taylor's personal experience as a senior executive in major corporations has clearly given her an acute appreciation of the importance that's attached to the emotional life of her professional colleagues. In this book, she shows how leaders that develop 'soft skills' can increase their own effectiveness - and bring significant advantages to the organisations they manage.-- "amazon.co.uk"

About the Author

Anne Taylor is the Director of DIRECTions Coaching Ltd. Armed with a degree in Business from Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada, she built an impressive career over 20 years with companies such as Procter & Gamble and Nestlé where she held positions of increasing responsibility in marketing, overall business management and business strategy development.

After leaving her Global Marketing role at Nestlé in Switzerland, she re-trained as an Executive Coach. Her first clients included IMD business school and Nestlé. Later in the UK she established a successful practice with clients such as LEGO(R), Deutsche Bank, L'Oréal and Ford among others. She is an associate coach for London Business School and LHH Penna and is certified through ICF to the level of Professional Certified Coach - one of fewer than 300 in the UK. She creates safe spaces for executives to grow as leaders by bringing challenge & support and provocation & acceptance. She helps successful leaders their impact particularly around EQ, strategic thinking and influencing.