Key Insights
Soft Skills Are the Drivers of Transformation
Transformation isn’t just about systems, tools, or roadmaps—it’s about how people work together to deliver them. In fast-moving enterprise environments where alignment across business and technology is critical, the cost of overlooking soft skills shows up as delays, miscommunication, and rework. In fast-moving enterprise environments where alignment across business and technology is critical, the cost of overlooking soft skills shows up as delays, miscommunication, and rework. Akua emphasizes the impact of communication, stakeholder management, adaptability, and resilience in navigating complexity and change, emphasising the strategic value of interpersonal skills in large-scale transformation.
Poor Communication is the Biggest Threat for Large Initiatives
Technical success depends on communication discipline. It’s not enough to have the right tools or frameworks—execution requires clarity, audience awareness, and active listening. Poor communication as a core threat to any large initiative. Even in well-scoped projects, Akua has seen skilled teams struggle when ideas aren’t conveyed clearly or when key contributors can’t align. Akua points out that communication is still a top reason projects fail globally. For executives leading complex portfolios, this insight is a call to treat communication as an enterprise capability, not just a personal trait—one that directly affects delivery timelines, stakeholder trust, and bottom-line results.
Conflict Can Be Productive
Addressing a challenge many executives sidestep, Akua reframes conflict as a productive force. Clarity often emerges from moments of disagreement, and leaders need to create space for tension when it’s rooted in strategic stakes. Akua also points that conflict can be an indication of people being passionate about their position. “As a leader, it’s important for you to understand that there’s tension… but so much clarity can be obtained on the other side of that conflict.” Avoiding conflict to preserve harmony often delays critical decisions or leaves risks unspoken.
Episode Highlights
Customer-Centric by Design
Akua explains how her team anchors process transformation in customer and employee perspectives. By combining Lean Six Sigma with service design, they ensure that operational changes reflect real needs and context—not just internal priorities. It’s a grounded look at how customer journey thinking shows up in practice.
“Incorporating the why of the customer as it relates to changes that we’re trying to make and making sure that both the customer and the employee perspective is included in the design changes.”
We Built It Like It Was Ours
Reflecting on the Simplii Financial offers management system, Akua describes how business vision, collaborative energy, and engineering leadership came together to deliver a high-impact product. It’s a standout moment that shows what happens when teams are truly committed.
“We were all giving birth to this thing that we had worked so hard and we committed to.”
People Skills Over Project Plans
Akua lays out her non-negotiable soft skills for today’s enterprise leaders—communication, coaching, and meta-learning. It’s a practical take on what many leaders overlook when focusing solely on technical delivery.
“The number one reason why projects failed worldwide is poor communication. That should tell people how important this skill is.”
Conflict Isn’t Dysfunction—It’s Data
Akua offers a confident take on why leaders should stop shying away from conflict and instead learn to facilitate it. She explains how tension often leads to clarity and stronger outcomes—if it’s managed with respect and purpose.
“There’s so much clarity that can be obtained on the other side of that conflict.”
Confidence Comes From Competence
In a candid reflection, Akua discusses where her confidence comes from—and why it’s not about posturing but about putting in the work. For anyone mentoring future leaders or evaluating talent, this is a valuable reminder.
“I’m still kind of growing in my competency… that makes me even more confident, right? Because you can’t fake it all the way.”
