Curiosity #57 - Every Disadvantage Has Its Advantage

🎤 Quotable quotes: “Every disadvantage has its advantage."

— Rebecca Welton

We raised a generation of résumé builders instead of relationship builders.

It’s a weird time to be a human. Which is exactly why being human matters more than ever.

If you’ve been reading along for a while, yes—we’ve quoted Rebecca before. But lately, her line feels even more relevant.

The headlines tell one story—layoffs, restructures, and “efficiency drives.” But beneath that is a quieter truth: we spent years optimizing for achievement instead of connection. We taught people how to look good on paper instead of how to show up for people in real life.

And now that the workplace is changing faster than we can predict, the résumé doesn’t feel like enough anymore.

But here is what we do know. Every period of disruption has a hidden opportunity. Or, as Rebecca Welton would say, every disadvantage has its advantage.

🏟 Why This Matters for You

Human skills have been quietly eroding for years. It started with smartphones and social media. Now, with AI writing, summarizing, coding, and even thinking for us, that erosion is accelerating. People are interacting less, reflecting less, and sometimes, even feeling less.

Yet within that problem lies the opportunity. The people who double down on their human skills will not only survive this shift, they will thrive in it.

These are the skills that will become your advantage:

• Empathy: Technology can process language, but it cannot read emotion. Understanding people will always create influence.

• Curiosity: AI can provide answers. It takes a human to ask the right questions.

• Judgment: In a world of infinite data, discernment is the new gold. Knowing what matters will set you apart.

• Adaptability: Change is not slowing down. Those who can pivot with optimism and openness will lead the way.

• Connection: Real collaboration, trust, and belonging are built person to person, not algorithm to algorithm.

These skills are not “soft.” They are differentiators. They are what make us human, and they are what will make us valuable in the years ahead.

Now is the time to stop admiring the problem and start preparing for the opportunity.

📚 From the Locker Room to the Boardroom

This is exactly why we wrote The Business of You: Ask the Right Questions, Tell Your Story, and Lead Your Life.  It is a framework to help you build the one career asset that will never go out of style: yourself.

The world is changing fast, but your personal leadership, your values, and your ability to connect will always be in demand. If you are ready to turn uncertainty into opportunity, start there.

👉 Learn more at thebusinessofyou.ai

🫶 Stay curious,
— Nick & Marnie
Your tea sipping, future focused, human skills believing friends

More leadership musings

🍪 Biscuits with the Boss: 

What is one human skill that you believe will matter most in the next decade?

And what is one small step you can take this week to strengthen it?

📚Beard’s collection:

🌎 This week in Here - There - Every F’ing where 

Check this out! We were surprised with a book award - from The Change Ninja! (This means one of you raving fans submitted our book saying it changed your life. You have no idea what this means to us. Thank you!)

[A little aside - we have zero control over Amazon pricing, but a reader let us know that Lead it Like Lasso is now $12.89 so if you have been thinking about getting copies for the holiday for your team, clients or stocking stuffers, you might want to grab them now - we don't know how long it will last. Here's the link.]

What a great day Marnie had at CCTC where they introduced students to The Business of You. Major props for the Caroline County Public Schools team! They have written lesson plans to go along with the book and are happy to share! If you would like the free set of lesson plans and activities, just reply to this with a yes please and we will send you the file :)

Believe! 

Nick & Marnie