Overheard my boss say soft skills are overrated, nearly lost it

I was getting coffee last Tuesday and heard my manager tell an HR rep that 'Excel shortcuts matter more than talking to people.' I've been in supply chain for 6 years in Columbus and the number of times a vendor relationship saved a late shipment beats any formula I know. Last month alone I talked a trucking dispatcher in Gary, Indiana into rerouting a driver for 3 hours just by being polite and asking about his kid's soccer game. Has anyone else had to prove communication value to someone who only stares at spreadsheets all day?

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hugo2382mo ago

My buddy in logistics had a supplier in Cleveland almost walk off a deal over a 2 percent price gap, and he saved it by remembering the guy's kid was starting college and asking how the move went. That handshake and small talk was worth more than any pivot table he ever built.

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