The Soft Skills Gap No One Wants to Talk About

Let’s talk about something that’s been on my mind lately — and honestly, close to my heart.

There’s a growing conversation around Gen Z and soft skills — things like communication, self-awareness, conflict resolution, and resilience.

And yes, the gap is real.

But here’s something most people don’t know about me:

Before I was in the world of business and HR, I was a Positive Approach to Student Success teacher in a school district outside of Houston. That role taught me a lot — especially about how the education system has shifted: 

1. Discipline became a taboo word.

2. We moved away from structure, and in some cases, away from consequences.

3. In the name of being student-centered, we sometimes removed the very challenges that build the skills students need most in the workplace.

And now?

We’re watching that show up in the workforce.

New hires are struggling with:

🔹 Receiving feedback without shutting down

🔹 Taking initiative without constant reassurance

🔹 Navigating hard conversations without avoiding or escalating them

This isn’t about blaming a generation.

It’s about understanding the pipeline — and where it may have let them down.

The workforce expects skills that the school system often no longer develops.

And that leaves us with a question:

💭 How do we bridge the gap between empathy and accountability?

Between support and expectations?

As employers, we can complain about the skills gap…

Or we can get serious about mentoring, modeling, and training the next generation. I’m choosing the latter. But I also believe we need to talk more honestly about where this is coming from — and what needs to change upstream.