As an expert on the “human side” of organizational change, I have been a guest on hundreds of radio call-in programs over the past several years, but I especially remember one in the Northwest, when an unusual number of disgruntled employees were phoning in with corporate “horror stories.”

People complained about being unappreciated and overlooked. They spoke of callous treatment from uncaring bosses, and reported that they worked for organizations “just interested in making a buck.” For the entire hour, calls followed the same line. Finally, in genuine disgust, the interviewer said to me: “The principles you're giving us sound so simple, why aren't more managers following them?”

I didn't have to think twice about my reply: “With all the diet books on the market, why aren't we all thin and trim? What could be simpler than reducing calories and increasing exercise?”

The answer to my question and his is the same. Things that are simple are not necessarily easy.

My work has enabled me to deal with business leaders around the world, and not once have I encountered a boss who despised all his or her employees. On the contrary, the leaders I've met were genuinely concerned about the well-being of people who reported to them. (Even the occasional leader whose only focus was on the bottom line understood that the best way to increase profits was to build the commitment of talented employees.)

In general, it's the soft skills of leadership that are paramount. Leaders (and their organizations) won't succeed without a genuine caring about people and the ability to develop and nurture interpersonal relationships.

This is something that the MBA industry is grappling with today. Many business schools are revisiting their offerings to see if they still have relevance in the 21st century. Consider Harvard Business School, the blue-chip brand of all MBA programs, which used 2008 (its centennial year) to convene worldwide experts on business education and plot its directions for the next 100 years.

The results: Deans and recruiters said that MBAs in general needed better communication skills, increased self-awareness and an enhanced capacity for introspection and empathy. HBS is now looking at several change proposals, among them a program to develop various soft skills in its students.

Isn't that simple?

Not easy, mind you, But simple.

A Matter of Trust

A few years ago I was hired to find out why the leaders of a utility company were having so much trouble implementing a large-scale organizational change. As I reviewed their communication strategy, I noted that the company definitely had a compelling reason for the change, a well-constructed change-management strategy, and an eloquent senior leadership team to deliver those messages.

But when I conducted focus groups throughout the organization, one comment kept repeating:” We don’t trust them.”

I was reminded of this when I read “Honest Signals” by Alex Pentland of Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab. At MIT, Pentland and other researchers study the nonverbal dynamics of human interactions. Their studies show that body language, vocal pitch and pattern are so critical to human trust that they alone can predict the success or failure of an interaction.

A device called a sociometer tracks body language signals and vocal speed and inflection – but not the content of the conversations. It turns out that, regardless of the words spoken, people who use positive nonverbal signals (looking at the other person, nodding heads in agreement, leaning forward, and speaking in the same vocal range an speed as their conversational partners) will win the other person’s trust.

So - you may have the most solid rationale for change, a bullet-proof communication strategy for delivering that message, and articulate leaders. But if leaders aren’t sending the right nonverbal signals, they won’t be trusted. And your organization won’t have a successful change.

Upbeat in Down Times

Long before Dale Carnegie, the human potential movement, or self-help videos, a positive outlook was acknowledged to be a crucial part of high-level achievement. In today’s turbulent, always-changing business environment, a positive, upbeat, “can-do” attitude is vital for success.

After years of profiling people who do exceptionally well dealing with turbulence and change (those I’ve labeled “change-adept”), I’ve seen the power of optimism at work.

In Chinese, the ideogram for crisis combines two characters: One is the symbol for danger, the other for opportunity. The same dual aspects can be ascribed to change. With any changing situation, the danger of possible reversals coexists with incredible opportunities for personal and professional success.

So, in these uncertain times, nurture your optimistic nature. Instead of wondering how you are going to get through this – ask yourself “How can I take charge of this situation and use it to achieve outstanding results?”