Asger Risom
Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins says the most successful people in tech combine technical expertise, high emotional intelligence and commitment to their team’s mission — traits he argues are crucial in the AI era.
In an era defined by rapid AI breakthroughs and constant reskilling, Cisco’s chief executive says technical ability alone no longer sets top performers apart.
Instead, he argues, the most successful people in tech share a specific mix of qualities that go beyond code.
Speaking on the TBPN podcast, Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins said standout leaders combine deep technical knowledge with emotional intelligence and a commitment to their team’s mission.
“The people who are wildly successful have this incredible combination: they understand the technology, have high EQ [emotional intelligence], and really care about the mission of the team,” Robbins said.
Team over ego
Robbins emphasised that collaboration, not individual heroics, defines long-term success — particularly in the AI era.
“Anybody that says they don’t care about their own success is lying to you. But [you need to] figure out that when the team succeeds, I’m going to succeed, so it’s easy for me to focus on the team,” he said.
That philosophy echoes Cisco’s earlier leadership. Former CEO John Chambers, who led the company from 1995 to 2015, has credited team culture as central to its growth, noting that Cisco created an estimated 10,000 employee millionaires during the 1990s.
“You win as a team, and you lose as a team,” Chambers said on the Thirty Minute Mentors podcast.
Rise of soft skills
Robbins’ comments align with broader industry trends. A 2024 LinkedIn analysis found a 31% rise since 2018 in executives highlighting soft skills on their profiles. Popular traits included strategic thinking, communication and conflict resolution.
Aneesh Raman, LinkedIn’s chief economic opportunity officer, previously said emotional skills such as curiosity, compassion, courage, communication and creativity are becoming core to executive leadership.
Robbins has also framed his own career progression as rooted in consistency and self-awareness.
“I always believed my job everyday was an interview,” he said on the How Leaders Lead podcast. “What I did in my role everyday was showing them I was the right candidate for the next job.”
Industry consensus
Other corporate leaders have echoed similar themes. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon recently said workers should focus on “critical thinking” and learning “how to communicate, how to write.” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has highlighted curiosity and repeatedly asking “why” as central to innovation.
As AI reshapes the technology landscape, Robbins suggests the fundamentals of human leadership may matter more — not less.
Sources: TBPN podcast; Thirty Minute Mentors; LinkedIn; How Leaders Lead; Fox News; Amazon shareholder letter
