Steve Herz

So assuming you can get past the first third of the book that sets up the idea, then you'll be able to understand what the signals are that you need to read for change and not get caught up in this echo chamber of yes and then the vortex of mediocrity. And this isn't just for people on the lower end of the scale in terms of their career.

So assuming you can get past the first third of the book that sets up the idea, then you'll be able to understand what the signals are that you need to read for change and not get caught up in this echo chamber of yes and then the vortex of mediocrity. And this isn't just for people on the lower end of the scale in terms of their career.

It can be someone on the higher end who could be a superstar and is only a star because they're being told how great they are all the time. So I think it applies to everybody. So that's the first part.

It can be someone on the higher end who could be a superstar and is only a star because they're being told how great they are all the time. So I think it applies to everybody. So that's the first part.

It can be someone on the higher end who could be a superstar and is only a star because they're being told how great they are all the time. So I think it applies to everybody. So that's the first part.

And then the second half of the book, which I think is probably the more important actionable message for the audience here, is that it's really fascinating research shows that there's a very unexpectedly small correlation and causal relationship between how good you are at your job, the technical parts of it, and your success.

And then the second half of the book, which I think is probably the more important actionable message for the audience here, is that it's really fascinating research shows that there's a very unexpectedly small correlation and causal relationship between how good you are at your job, the technical parts of it, and your success.

And then the second half of the book, which I think is probably the more important actionable message for the audience here, is that it's really fascinating research shows that there's a very unexpectedly small correlation and causal relationship between how good you are at your job, the technical parts of it, and your success.

And that there's only a 15% contributing factor, what we would call the hard skills, the technical skills. And there's 85% of what we would call the non-technical skills. So I'll just call them the soft skills for the purposes of this conversation. And my thought here is that

And that there's only a 15% contributing factor, what we would call the hard skills, the technical skills. And there's 85% of what we would call the non-technical skills. So I'll just call them the soft skills for the purposes of this conversation. And my thought here is that

And that there's only a 15% contributing factor, what we would call the hard skills, the technical skills. And there's 85% of what we would call the non-technical skills. So I'll just call them the soft skills for the purposes of this conversation. And my thought here is that

We get drilled our entire lives from first grade on to graduate school and continuing ed, whatever, on the technical skills, how to become a better lawyer, better doctor, better surgeon, better technical, better writer, et cetera, et cetera. But no resources are dedicated towards these, quote unquote, soft skills.

We get drilled our entire lives from first grade on to graduate school and continuing ed, whatever, on the technical skills, how to become a better lawyer, better doctor, better surgeon, better technical, better writer, et cetera, et cetera. But no resources are dedicated towards these, quote unquote, soft skills.

We get drilled our entire lives from first grade on to graduate school and continuing ed, whatever, on the technical skills, how to become a better lawyer, better doctor, better surgeon, better technical, better writer, et cetera, et cetera. But no resources are dedicated towards these, quote unquote, soft skills.

And yet, so many people that we end up competing with in our lives, including us a lot of the times, we get good enough at the technical skills. We're all kind of commoditized, so to speak, in the technical parts of the job because we're all good enough at it. But that's not the defining factor and the distinguishing factor from those who just get a seat at the table.

And yet, so many people that we end up competing with in our lives, including us a lot of the times, we get good enough at the technical skills. We're all kind of commoditized, so to speak, in the technical parts of the job because we're all good enough at it. But that's not the defining factor and the distinguishing factor from those who just get a seat at the table.

And yet, so many people that we end up competing with in our lives, including us a lot of the times, we get good enough at the technical skills. We're all kind of commoditized, so to speak, in the technical parts of the job because we're all good enough at it. But that's not the defining factor and the distinguishing factor from those who just get a seat at the table.

and end up ascending to the place where they do have the influence and have the authority and have the leadership role and all the clients and customers. And that comes from this 85%. The important thing about the 85% is what do you do with it? What can you do if I told you, Heather, you know what? You've got a weakness in your soft skill. What the hell does that mean?

and end up ascending to the place where they do have the influence and have the authority and have the leadership role and all the clients and customers. And that comes from this 85%. The important thing about the 85% is what do you do with it? What can you do if I told you, Heather, you know what? You've got a weakness in your soft skill. What the hell does that mean?

and end up ascending to the place where they do have the influence and have the authority and have the leadership role and all the clients and customers. And that comes from this 85%. The important thing about the 85% is what do you do with it? What can you do if I told you, Heather, you know what? You've got a weakness in your soft skill. What the hell does that mean?