Cheering Works!

by John O. Burdett

With all the discussion on AI, the soft skills are being pushed aside. Technology, technology, technology! And yet, soft skills are truly more important than ever. We can’t afford to dehumanize the new workplace. We can’t afford to squeeze the “people” out of “people management.” By using affirmation as a wedge issue John O. Burdett brings a level of emotional pragmatism to the AI conversation. In Cheering Works! he points out that AI can make us better… but it doesn’t make us want to be better!

John makes the case that “soft skills” are more in demand than ever. Not as a sentimental add-on, but as a practical response to the impersonal and potentially dehumanising nature of intrusive technology. Soft skills that provide a safe emotional harbour in the fog of ambiguity. Soft skills that separate the wannabe leader from those who leave a legacy.

At the centre of this work sits self-confidence and the spirit of affirmation. Self-confident leaders are drawn to risk because they see risk as the gateway to possibility. They speak up, confront what holds the team back, and are comfortable with emotional risk. They also understand that affirmation is not about spin or false optimism. Leadership is rooted in truth. Leaders must lead!

Affirmation, John argues, is central to how strategy is implemented. When affirmation becomes an intentional habit, it shapes trust, strengthens commitment, and drives performance. Above all else, employees want to feel valued. Cheering works.

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Contents:

  1. Wanting to get better
  2. Self-confidence
  3. Leadership and affirmation
  4. Conclusion
  5. 50 Affirming Actions
  6. Rules for affirmation?

This article is an extract of content © Orxestra® Inc. The download is available from the TRANSEARCH International website.

John O. Burdett is founder of Orxestra® Inc. He has extensive international experience as a senior executive. As a consultant he has worked in more than 40 countries for organisations that are household names. John has worked on organisation culture for some of the world's largest organisations. His ongoing partnership with TRANSEARCH International means that his thought leading intellectual property, in any one year, supports talent management in many hundreds of organisations around the world. Get in touch with John O. Burdett »

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