Technical skill gets you the promotion, but interpersonal mastery keeps you there. In a recent Sales POP! episode, Rich Birke (JAMS) explains that leadership is defined by the ability to bridge “the trust gap.” Most leaders fail because they treat conflict as a crisis rather than a tool for innovation. To lead effectively, you must balance radical empathy with strategic assertiveness. Berk’s “Pathways” approach prioritizes early intervention—resolving friction before it becomes a legal or HR disaster. By fostering a culture of psychological safety, you transform destructive tension into constructive debate. Stop managing tasks and start mastering the human element to drive lasting organizational success.
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