Technical skills are important, but are they enough to ensure business growth and innovation?
Imagine two professionals with the same level of technical knowledge. Both are proficient in the most advanced tools, follow industry trends and have impeccable resumes. But while one can lead teams, solve complex problems and adapt quickly to changes, the other finds it difficult to collaborate, innovate and deal with unexpected challenges. What sets them apart?
The corporate world is constantly changing. Companies are redefining their relationships with employees, reinventing delivery methods, and taking on an increasingly strategic role in society. Technology, a key part of this equation, impacts not only business processes, but also the skills required of people.
Is simply mastering new skills enough? In a scenario of rapid and unpredictable change, The way we think, adapt and relate can be as decisive as technical knowledge.
It is in this context that the behavioral intelligences gain prominence. More than a set of isolated skills, they represent a collective direction, aligning attitudes and behaviors that drive sustainable growth and strengthen organizational culture.
In the group Softplan, behavioral intelligence is part of the business strategy. We define the behaviors we want to encourage in employees, connecting them to the company's present and future projects. The result is a culture that values human development as a driver of innovation and continuous evolution.
What are behavioral intelligences?
Behavioral intelligences are the capabilities that guide attitudes, decisions and interactions in relationships in the workplace. They influence how an employee reacts to challenges, how they learn, listen, collaborate with the team and conduct their professional routine.
They are different from technical skills, as they comprise the attitudes, values and the way of behaving, individually and collectively.
Differences between skills/competencies and behavioral intelligences
While technical skills refer to knowledge applied in a given area, behavioral intelligences involve the ability to adapt, continuous learning and interact with different contexts and challenges.
Studies on the future of work, such as the “The Future of Jobs Report 2025” from the World Economic Forum, indicate that behavioral skills, such as critical thinking, collaboration and flexibility, will be increasingly essential to deal with rapid market changes.
In other words, a person may have in-depth knowledge about a topic (technical skill), but their behavioral intelligence manifests itself in the way they apply this knowledge, such as solving problems, communicating and working in a team.
Behavioral intelligences, therefore, are more deep and intrinsic, while skills and competencies refer more to execution and combination of knowledge.
Behavioral Intelligence vs. Emotional Intelligence
Among the various capabilities that influence attitudes and behaviors in the workplace, emotional intelligence is one of the best known. However, it is part of an even broader field: behavioral intelligence. But what is the difference between them?
A Emotional intelligence is one of the many essential human skills for dealing with everyday challenges and interactions.
The growing debate about well-being and mental health reflects a real need: we rarely learn to develop this intelligence at school, at work or even at home.
In adult life, however, it becomes essential to know how to manage emotions, live with different perspectives and face complex situations, including in the professional environment.
This ability to understand and regulate one's own emotions—and to relate empathetically to others—is what defines emotional intelligence.
How can a company develop the behavioral intelligence of its employees?
Although they are not as tangible as technical skills, behavioral intelligence can be developed. To do this, it is necessary to create a process, with contexts, rituals, recognitions and learning trails.
Some steps are important on this journey:
Have a clear purpose
Developing behavioral intelligence requires intentionality. It takes planning, coherence between discourse and practice, consistent stimuli and an environment that favors learning and development.
For the adoption of behavioral intelligence to generate a real impact, it is essential that companies integrate it strategically and with a clear purpose.
Define which behavioral intelligences will be developed
For behavioral intelligence to truly be a strategic differentiator, companies need to identify which ones make sense for the business context.
After all, what skills are essential for employees to drive the organization's results? And, before that, what are the expected results?
This definition must consider both the current needs and future challenges of the company.
To achieve this, tools such as structured interviews, feedback cycles, individual development plans, performance evaluations and self-assessments can be used.
We also pack any It is essential that expected behaviors are communicated from the selection process onwards, ensuring alignment between organizational culture and talents..
Declare behavioral intelligences
It's the people who deliver value through production capacity. Therefore, by declaring which intelligences need to be strengthened, the company is signaling where it wants to direct this collective potential.
So, when talking about development of behavioral intelligences, the organization declares which direction should be followed according to the corporate culture and objectives.
This movement allows individual development to be aligned with business objectives. By making the desired intelligences explicit, the company creates clarity, directs development programs and encourages people engagement.
This directly impacts performance, productivity and retention, as people connect, feel like they belong and perceive value in the journey they are experiencing within the organization.
Bet on technology
Technology has allowed customize and scale development. Learning platforms, artificial intelligence and data make it possible to identify gaps, recommend content and monitor trajectories.
However, it is essential to ensure that this personalization does not limit learning possibilities to what has already been demonstrated as an interest by the employee.
The challenge lies in creating experiences that broaden horizons and encourage the acquisition of new skills, going beyond predictable recommendations.
Measuring the results
Tools such as performance appraisals, formal and informal recognition programs, individual development plans and training are essential for generate consistency and measure advances in the development of behavioral intelligence.
More than measuring progress, it is essential to analyze how these skills impact the company's culture, collaboration between teams, and business results. After all, the development of behavioral intelligence must be an ongoing process, aligned with the organization's challenges and strategic objectives.
What are the main challenges in developing behavioral intelligence?
The development of behavioral intelligence is hampered by cultural, strategic and structural factors. Without clarity, coherence and context, companies and employees tend to repeat patterns that limit collective progress.
Resistance to change (by companies and employees)
Resistance to change is one of the main challenges in developing behavioral intelligence. Employees often interpret certain behaviors as fixed personality traits, making it difficult to adapt. This may reflect emotional and cultural barriers that can impede professional growth.
When companies impose new behaviors without providing adequate context or support, change becomes even more challenging. So this is not the ideal path.
To overcome this resistance, it is essential promote an environment that encourages continuous learning, offering clarity on the importance of behavioral intelligence for individual and organizational development.
Lack of planning and strategic choices
Developing behavioral intelligence requires a clear vision of the future. To achieve this, companies need to define where they want to go and which skills will be essential on this journey. Without structured planning, development can become scattered and misaligned with organizational goals.
Lack of coherence in objectives
It is common for companies to declare collective values but maintain individual incentive mechanisms. This creates incoherence and disconnection.
Therefore, the best path is to bet on tools that offer individual insights, but also guide employees and leaders on how much they are aligned with the company's behavioral intelligence and objectives.
Behavioral skills and intelligence of the future
According to the most recent report of the World Economic Forum (The Future of Jobs Report 2023), some skills are becoming increasingly relevant in companies' strategies, even if they are not yet so common in teams' day-to-day activities.
This shows that organizations are concerned about preparing for the transformations that are already underway in the world of work.
Among these rising skills are knowledge in artificial intelligence and big data which, although not yet widely dominated, are receiving significant investment in training programs.
When they are part of strategies, these skills tend to occupy a central place, indicating that companies recognize their crucial role in the near future.
Another skill that is gaining ground is leadership with social influence.
This ability to engage, inspire and mobilize people is being increasingly valued, especially in a scenario that demands more collaboration and collective protagonism. For many companies, developing leaders with these characteristics is as important as investing in technical skills.
Additionally, organizations have been paying more attention to areas such as:
- Design and User Experience (UX);
- Sustainability and environmental responsibility;
- Digital marketing and communication;
- And information security.
All of these areas are, in some way, included in development plans, even though they are not yet part of the daily reality of many teams.
These trends indicate that the future of work demands a balanced combination of technical ability, analytical thinking and relational intelligence.
Develop people who know how to learn continuously, interpret data, use technology in favor of innovation and relating with empathy will be essential for any organization that wants to thrive in the coming years.
Behavioral intelligences in the Group Softplan
In the technology sector, where changes are constant, behavioral intelligence is a competitive differentiator.
The group Softplan clearly defined where it wants to go and what behaviors are necessary to achieve this. Five years ago, the company declared an inorganic growth strategy and aligned its intelligence to that future.
One of the main examples of this performance is the case of Projuris Heroes, a platform created with a focus on the customer and protagonism, which allows the exchange of knowledge between users of the solution.
The project was born and developed based on the intelligence of “customer focus” and was recognized at Conecta, the Group’s internal event. Softplan that values initiatives aligned with crop.
Another example is one of the most promoted intelligences in the company: the growth mindset.
This concept, developed by psychologist Carol Dweck, refers to the belief that skills and competencies can be developed through continuous learning and practice.
In the corporate environment, this intelligence is essential, as it encourages experimentation, resilience in the face of challenges and the constant search for innovation. Companies that cultivate this mindset create a culture that values evolution, driving both individual growth and that of the organization as a whole.
In the group Softplan, this principle is reflected in the commitment to people’s development.
Learning is seen as a collective journey, and the company invests in initiatives that strengthen this mindset, such as Transforma Educação, the Group's learning hub. Softplan, which has already impacted more than 2.300 employees with more than 80 courses.
In 2025, this commitment gains even more structure with the first performance evaluation cycle based on behavioral intelligence, consolidating the connection between learning, growth and professional development.
In the group Softplan, we believe that the future is made with knowledge, collaboration and adaptation. Developing behavioral intelligence is not just a differentiator – it is the key to transforming challenges into opportunities and guiding people, teams and businesses towards a better future.