What Skills Should Leaders Prioritise in the AI Era?

Chuck Robbins, Chairman and Chief Executive of Cisco Systems, has outlined the essential leadership qualities organisations need as AI transforms business operations. 

Speaking on the TBPN podcast, Chuck Robbins, CEO of Cisco, identified a specific combination of traits that distinguishes exceptional leaders from their peers. He says: "The people who are wildly successful have this incredible combination: they understand the technology, have high EQ [emotional quotient], and really care about the mission of the team."

This perspective arrives as organisations grapple with mounting talent challenges. LinkedIn data indicates that 79% of recruiters find identifying skilled talent increasingly difficult, whilst The Conference Board reports rising CEO turnover rates.

These pressures are prompting HR teams to refine internal mobility programmes and strengthen leadership pipelines.

Developing leaders through experience

At Cisco, talent acquisition and development centres on an investment in long-term leadership qualities.

Kelly Jones, Chief People Officer at Cisco, has previously told Business Insider: "We want to know, not only have you done these things, but are you intellectually curious? Are you intellectually and emotionally agile? Are you someone who brings your team along with you?"

The company's approach, branded "one company, many careers", encourages employees to view their progression as accumulated experiences rather than linear advancement.

Cisco maps job roles to specific skillsets, enabling workers to understand how capability development can unlock new internal opportunities. This strategy aims to build well-rounded leaders with comprehensive operational knowledge.

Chuck's views on traditional recruitment processes are notably unconventional.

Discussing internal mobility on the TBPN podcast, Chuck shared that he believes observing employees in their day-to-day roles is the most accurate way to see how they perform.

He said: "What are we going to learn about them when we sit down in a room for 30 minutes and ask them questions when we can watch them work?"

This philosophy has shaped his own trajectory. On the How Leaders Lead podcast, he detailed his progression from Account Manager at Cisco in 1997 to CEO in 2015, saying "I always believed my job everyday was an interview. What I did in my role everyday was showing them I was the right candidate for the next job."

Emotional intelligence as competitive advantage

Chuck's emphasis on emotional intelligence reflects broader recognition amongst business leaders that AI's expansion demands evolved leadership capabilities. In conversation with the BBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Chuck said that AI will be "bigger than the Internet", with the companies that fail to adapt likely to see significant losses.

Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, echoed this sentiment in a 19 December 2024 interview with Fox News, urging employees to prioritise soft skills for career progression. He said: "My advice to people would be critical thinking, learn skills, learn your EQ, learn how to be good in a meeting, how to communicate, how to write. You'll have plenty of jobs".

Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, reinforces this view. Speaking on the MD Meets podcast, he said that emotional intelligence is becoming more important as AI handles more technical tasks traditionally taken on by people.

Discussing IQ vs EQ, Satya said: "IQ has a place, but it's not the only thing that is needed in the world. And I've always felt at least as a leader, you know, if you have IQ without EQ, it's just a waste of EQ."

According to Satya, leaders who prioritise emotional intelligence could gain unique perspectives on AI opportunities and enable new software developments.