Soft Skills Are the Hard Skills Now: Shwetambari Salgar on Empathy, Curiosity & Leading in the AI Era

Shwetambari Salgar shares how her company builds curiosity-driven teams ready for the AI future of work.

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On the 15th annual International Recruiters Day 2026, we engage in a thoughtful conversation on ValueMatrix.TV with host Roydon Cerejo and special guest Shwetambari Salgar, Senior Director (L&OD) at Icertis. With two decades in HR out of which she has spent 16 years in recruiting, Shwetambari explains how organizations are shifting from role-based to skill-based talent strategies by blending culture, competencies, and skills.

Shwetambari walks through her company’s LEAP framework — learn by doing, engage through community, apply in real-world scenarios, and personalize the journey — to help teams master learn, unlearn, and relearn cycles. She stresses that nobody gets AI right on the first try; everyone is still experimenting.

She also shares practical ways to measure real impact: beyond surveys, track CSAT jumps, revenue productivity per person, NPS movement, and behavioral shifts through pre- and post-assessments. AI has changed everything from hybrid delivery to in-the-flow learning with copilots, curated content, and open coaching for all.

Most powerfully, she notes that soft skills are now the hard skills — managers must lead with empathy, build curiosity, and add the human touch that technology alone cannot provide. She busts the biggest AI myth: it is not about jobs disappearing but about staying curious and ready to upskill.

If you lead people or shape learning culture, this episode delivers clear, actionable ideas you can use immediately.

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Roydon Cerejo

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