Comments on: Three Soft Skills for Hard Deals http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/ Leading Site for Business Women Around the World Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:43:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Women on Business Resource | The Whale Hunters http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-4494 Women on Business Resource | The Whale Hunters Wed, 14 Jul 2010 01:28:07 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-4494 [...] I’ve joined the writing team at the Women on Business blog–will have a regular column each Sunday evening.  My current post is Three Soft Skills for Hard Deals. [...] [...] I’ve joined the writing team at the Women on Business blog–will have a regular column each Sunday evening.  My current post is Three Soft Skills for Hard Deals. [...]

]]> By: ngo http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-506 ngo Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:33:25 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-506 tks very much for nice post tks very much for nice post

]]> By: The viral potential of business blogging: Meet Barbara Weaver Smith of The Whale Hunters Blog | flokkaEtc http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-307 The viral potential of business blogging: Meet Barbara Weaver Smith of The Whale Hunters Blog | flokkaEtc Fri, 06 Mar 2009 02:50:00 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-307 [...] I have a weekly article post to that blog on Sunday evenings.  Read my post online “Three Soft Skills for Hard Deals” and please, leave a [...] [...] I have a weekly article post to that blog on Sunday evenings.  Read my post online “Three Soft Skills for Hard Deals” and please, leave a [...]

]]> By: Scar http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-273 Scar Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:19:22 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-273 Catherine, I have the pro-whale problem too! But somehow have less problem with the Inuit example given than with examples from other cultures, perhaps because they treat the animals with respect, which is part of Barbara's point, if I've understood her correctly. Barbara, wonderful post! I completely agree! And I think it's the feminine side of business that risks being lost by the desperate advocates of a classically understood 'career lifestyle'. Women don't have to become masculine to succeed, they just need to bring the skills they possess to the table. Catherine, I have the pro-whale problem too! But somehow have less problem with the Inuit example given than with examples from other cultures, perhaps because they treat the animals with respect, which is part of Barbara’s point, if I’ve understood her correctly.

Barbara, wonderful post! I completely agree! And I think it’s the feminine side of business that risks being lost by the desperate advocates of a classically understood ‘career lifestyle’. Women don’t have to become masculine to succeed, they just need to bring the skills they possess to the table.

]]> By: Barbara Weaver Smith http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-264 Barbara Weaver Smith Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:37:13 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-264 Catherine, thank you for understanding that I am also very "pro-whale"! And I've always thought the way the Inuit hunter -- 6-8 people in a sealskin boat vs. 100,000 lb. mammal was a fair fight. Your comment about fear getting in the way of listening is very pertinent and wise. Fear gets in the way of a lot of things, doesn't it? And I believe that empathy is one way to overcome it. Thanks for your insight and for taking time to comment. Catherine, thank you for understanding that I am also very “pro-whale”! And I’ve always thought the way the Inuit hunter — 6-8 people in a sealskin boat vs. 100,000 lb. mammal was a fair fight.

Your comment about fear getting in the way of listening is very pertinent and wise. Fear gets in the way of a lot of things, doesn’t it? And I believe that empathy is one way to overcome it. Thanks for your insight and for taking time to comment.

]]> By: Catherine Cantieri, Sorted http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-263 Catherine Cantieri, Sorted Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:23:26 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-263 I have to get over my reflexive pro-whale sympathies whenever I read anything by Barbara ("Whale hunting? No!"), but it's always worth it! I think you're completely right about the skills of listening and empathizing. What I find is that I get so distracted by my fear of rejection or judgment (maybe the same thing?) that I have a hard time listening. It's sometimes hard to hear anything over the fear. But I think maybe that's where empathy comes in: to see the other person as a person and not as judge and jury. This is an excellent post, Barbara! I have to get over my reflexive pro-whale sympathies whenever I read anything by Barbara (“Whale hunting? No!”), but it’s always worth it! I think you’re completely right about the skills of listening and empathizing. What I find is that I get so distracted by my fear of rejection or judgment (maybe the same thing?) that I have a hard time listening. It’s sometimes hard to hear anything over the fear. But I think maybe that’s where empathy comes in: to see the other person as a person and not as judge and jury. This is an excellent post, Barbara!

]]> By: Barbara Weaver Smith http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-258 Barbara Weaver Smith Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:27:39 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-258 Lorraine, I completely agree that we have had barriers to overcome, and often our strongest attributes have been undervalued. You were lucky to have a boss who recognized your empathetic listening! Thank you for posting your comment. Lorraine, I completely agree that we have had barriers to overcome, and often our strongest attributes have been undervalued. You were lucky to have a boss who recognized your empathetic listening! Thank you for posting your comment.

]]> By: Barbara Weaver Smith http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-257 Barbara Weaver Smith Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:23:24 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-257 Thank you so much for posting your comments, Susan, Nicki, and Hazel. Hazel, I will be very interested in your networking book about gender differences. I think I have already taken your survey :-) Nicki, I've observed on Twitter that you are a wealth of information and very generous in sharing--proving my point! and thank you for being a whale hunter~ Susan, you are so right--we need the "hard" skills as well as the so-called "soft" ones. Thank you so much for posting your comments, Susan, Nicki, and Hazel.

Hazel, I will be very interested in your networking book about gender differences. I think I have already taken your survey :-)

Nicki, I’ve observed on Twitter that you are a wealth of information and very generous in sharing–proving my point! and thank you for being a whale hunter~

Susan, you are so right–we need the “hard” skills as well as the so-called “soft” ones.

]]> By: Lorraine Ball http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-256 Lorraine Ball Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:17:49 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-256 I spent years working in an environment, surrounded by men and I completely agree with your assessment, women are better listeners, maybe because we are more observant. My boss used to say I had the ability to listen between the lines, to hear things the clients didn't say with their words, but literally screamed with their body language. We often have to overcome barriers as women, to succeed we have to play to our strengths when we can. I spent years working in an environment, surrounded by men and I completely agree with your assessment, women are better listeners, maybe because we are more observant.

My boss used to say I had the ability to listen between the lines, to hear things the clients didn’t say with their words, but literally screamed with their body language.

We often have to overcome barriers as women, to succeed we have to play to our strengths when we can.

]]> By: Susan http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-254 Susan Sun, 01 Mar 2009 23:20:37 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/three-soft-skills-for-hard-deals/#comment-254 Barbara, whale hunters is a great analogy for today's business environment. The challenge for women is to make our strategic, business and financial acumen as visible as our listening, aligning and empathizing skills. Glad I found you through twitter... Barbara, whale hunters is a great analogy for today’s business environment. The challenge for women is to make our strategic, business and financial acumen as visible as our listening, aligning and empathizing skills. Glad I found you through twitter…

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