Julie Breutzmann (9/28/2013)
I agree up to a point. A minimum level of social skills are necessary. When a colleague of mine told the wife of a vice president that she was stupid, did it in front of her subordinates, and couldn't understand why that was a problem, he just did not have acceptable social skills to remain employed there.
I disagree completely. Social skills are required in some positions, but certainly not all. I don't care whether some brainiac at Intel who is desgining a chip that functions at the quantam physics level is able to make nice with a VP's wife!
Why was that person put into a place where they were expected to deal with the wife of a VP? The point Phil is making is that there are those who need to be able to talk to the C-Suite, and those who don't. They are not the same people. One reason I am where I am today is because I am able to talk to anyone from an hourly person sweeping floors to the CEO, and take what I learn and turn it into true requirements. I can code, but I know people who can take what I give them and make it beautiful. Those people don't want to talk to the top level. They want to do their job.
Also, I didn't see you argue that the wife was not stupid, just that it was inappropriate to point it out. 🙂
Dave