Episode 355
In this episode of UNSCRIPTED, host Sarah Nicastro welcomes back Josh Zolin, CEO of Windy City Equipment and author of Blue is the New White, to explore why soft skills drive hard results, how to bridge the gap between knowing something matters and taking action on it, and the key strategies to transform your frontline into irreplaceable talent.
What You'll Learn
- How to distinguish soft skills from character traits: Soft skills are transferable, learnable behaviors (communication, conflict resolution, empathy), while character is innate; understanding this difference is critical to building effective development programs.
- The 250% ROI on soft skills training: Research from Harvard, Boston University, and the University of Michigan proves that soft skills investment delivers exceptional returns—yet most organizations treat them as secondary to technical training.
- Why promoting your best technician can destroy team culture: The Peter Principle in action—a star individual contributor often fails in leadership without soft skill development, leading to turnover, callbacks, and team deterioration that costs far more than the original investment.
- How to bridge the gap between stated importance and actual investment: Communicate the "WIFM" (What's In It For Me) to frontline employees; without explaining how soft skills advance their careers, increase earnings, and improve personal relationships, you're setting unspoken expectations that breed resentment.
- The assessment framework for balancing hard and soft skills development: Use objective measures (quizzes, behavioral observation during onboarding) alongside practical technical assessments to identify skill gaps and tailor training intensity to individual needs.
- Why leadership alignment destroys soft skills initiatives: Organizations undermine training investments when leaders don't model the soft skills they're asking employees to develop; alignment across the entire organizational culture is non-negotiable.
About the Guest(s)
Josh Zolin is the CEO of Windy City Equipment and author of *Blue is the New White*, known for his expertise in soft skills development and human ROI in the skilled trades and field service industries. With a unique background transitioning from Hollywood stuntman to field service technician, he has built a deep understanding of how transferable skills drive organizational success and employee retention. Zolin has scaled Windy City Equipment to the Inc 5,000 list for three consecutive years and launched the Blue is the New White Academy, an employee development platform designed to equip frontline professionals with critical soft skills including communication, empathy, and personal responsibility. In this episode, Zolin shares evidence-based strategies for closing the gap between knowing soft skills matter and actually investing in them, providing actionable insights on how to achieve a 250% ROI through targeted training and leadership alignment. His work has helped service organizations transform technical talent into irreplaceable leaders, making this conversation essential for those seeking to build resilient, high-performing teams in an increasingly competitive market.
Follow Along
- 01:25 – From Stuntman to Skilled Trades
- 03:20 – Changing the Narrative Around Trades
- 05:10 – Perception Shift & Industry Momentum
- 10:50 – Defining Soft Skills vs. Character
- 12:10 – Communication, Listening & Leadership
- 15:20 – Can Soft Skills Be Taught?
- 18:40 – Why Training Starts Too Late
- 19:50 – The 250% ROI of Soft Skills
- 20:05 – The “Techs Don’t Care” Myth
- 21:55 – Unspoken Expectations & Resentment
- 29:10 – The Unicorn Tech Promotion Mistake
- 35:05 – Practice, Discomfort & Growth
- 39:10 – Assessing Soft Skills in Hiring
- 44:20 – You Get What You Tolerate
- 47:35 – Leverage, Lifestyle & the Next Generation
- 49:05 – AI, Humanity & the Future of Service
- 52:00 – Final Reflections & Closing Thoughts
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