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Mail & Guardian
4 days ago
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
Soft skills, hard results – Why leaders who connect are the ones who succeed
Once considered secondary to technical qualifications, Melini Moses says skills have become the cornerstone of effective leadership. Technical expertise might get you the job — but it's emotional intelligence, clear communication and the ability to connect that will keep you there and move you forward. According to Melini Moses, communications strategist and founder of Express Yourself, soft skills are now leadership essentials. 'They're not separate from strategy — they are strategy.' With a background in journalism, Moses brings a unique lens to leadership development. 'I've lectured in business communications and this reinforced that stories are how we move people, shift perceptions and, ultimately, build trust. You can have an MBA or a PhD — but if you can't work in a team, resolve conflict or rally people around a shared goal, you're going to hit a ceiling.' She notes that the perception of soft skills has undergone a marked transformation in recent years. Once considered secondary to technical qualifications, skills such as empathy, communication and emotional resilience have become the cornerstone of effective leadership, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Leading in a changing world 'When lockdown hit, people were anxious. Some were grieving. Others were juggling work with home-schooling,' Moses recalls. 'Leaders had to change their approach. Soft skills training shifted towards tone, presence, and creating space for people to be heard. The result? Improved productivity, because people felt valued.' Business is about people, not just processes, and while the value of these skills is clear, she says not all South African organisations have embraced the shift. 'Some are waking up to it, but not nearly enough,' she says. 'In a climate of budget cuts and staff shortages, soft skills often fall off the priority list.' But Moses warns this can be short-sighted. 'Misunderstandings, low morale and staff turnover aren't just HR issues — they're often communication problems. And they can cost more to fix later than what it would have taken to prevent them in the first place.' Stories that connect During her time as a news editor leading a team of journalists in a fast-paced Johannesburg newsroom, Moses completed a management course that incorporated soft skills such as emotional intelligence, personal mastery and conflict resolution. 'That high-pressure environment demanded more than just technical know-how,' she recalls. 'I had to lead with empathy, build trust quickly and navigate conflict.' Her transition from newsroom leader to entrepreneur reinforced those lessons. 'Running a business means dealing with uncertainty, managing client expectations and being resilient. I wasn't formally tested on these — but they've shaped my success more than any qualification.' Engaging teams in a digital world She frequently coaches leaders from highly technical fields such as engineering, mining and finance — sectors where logic, precision and results are prized. But these environments can struggle with relational communication. 'One client, an engineer, was technically brilliant but his team felt overlooked. Through coaching, we worked on storytelling, body language and engagement. Slowly, his influence grew — and so did team morale and performance.' Communication blind spots often go unnoticed, Moses explains. 'Leaders assume a message has landed just because they've said it. Or they default to WhatsApp and email, even for emotionally charged conversations. Not everything can be handled digitally — sometimes you need a voice, a presence, and space for real exchange.' Looking ahead, she believes the most critical leadership skills over the next five to 10 years will be emotional agility, presence in uncertainty and storytelling for influence. 'We're entering an era where connection, not control, defines great leadership,' she says. Courageous, communicative and character-driven leaders Her advice to young professionals who aspire to lead? 'Don't wait for a title. Lead where you are. Build your skills, but also build your character. Ask better questions and lead with heart. In South Africa, we don't just need competent leaders — we need courageous, compassionate ones.' Above all, Moses believes in the transformative power of communication. 'Your voice matters,' she says. 'In times of change, your presence can bring peace. In moments of conflict, your words can bring clarity. Use your voice — and use it with wisdom.'
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The 20 Best Cannes Dresses of All Time, According to Bazaar Editors
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." When people complain that red carpets have lost their pizzazz, you can be nearly certain they're not talking about Cannes. The annual film festival's parade of dresses is notoriously the most glamorous of the season. Idyllically located on the French Riviera, with enough space to accommodate swanning around in billowing gowns, Cannes recalls a bygone era of glitz and glamour. The festival's carpet also has a strict set of unspoken rules: No shorts. High heels only. Short skirts not preferred. And most recently, no nudity or voluminous trains. Some of the most iconic looks in Cannes history have broken the code though, like Madonna stripping down to a Jean Paul Gaultier cone bra in 1991, or Kristen Stewart taking off her Christian Louboutin stilettos to walk the carpet barefoot in 2018. But others—such as Princess Diana's icy-blue Catherine Walker gown in 1987, or Rihanna's strapless taffeta Dior Couture from 2017—perfectly encapsulate what people envision when they think of unadulterated elegance. The 20 best looks, according to Harper's Bazaar's editors, run the gamut from risk-taking to perfectly poised. But what they all have in common is an unapologetic air of opulence. See every single one her Blond Ambition tour in the '90s, Madonna would shed her pinstripe suit to reveal her Jean Paul Gaultier cone bra while performing 'Express Yourself.' When she went to Cannes in 1991 to promote Madonna: Truth or Dare, which documented the controversial tour, she re-created the moment in a sea of black tuxedos and adoring fans. She entered wearing a voluminous pink taffeta jacket by Gaultier, her hands visibly clutching it closed, only to quickly remove it two minutes later and reveal a white satin cone bra, high-waisted knickers, and garter belt. The Cannes red carpet has a strict set of rules—it's recommended you don't even wear a short skirt—but Madonna didn't make her name by following the rules. I love watching the B-roll from this moment: The entire time she's swanning down the carpet, you can see her trying to hide her red-lipped smirk, knowing what's to come. This look further cemented Madonna as a true superstar, unafraid to, well, express herself. —Tara Gonzalez, senior fashion editorFour years after Madonna, Sharon Stone also took a risk on the Cannes red carpet in an unbuttoned look for the premiere of Isaac Mizrahi documentary Unzipped. Her silver Valentino skirt was buttoned only once, revealing a pair of hand-beaded hot pants underneath. While still considered moderately scandalous, it was not nearly as contentious as Madonna's fit. Still, Stone set a new precedent, proving that Cannes looks don't have to be entirely serious to ooze the glamour the red carpet is famous for. —TGCinderella came to life when Priyanka Chopra wore a Georges Hobeika gown at the 2019 Cannes Film festival. From the slicked-back hairdo to the perfect diamond additions, I thought she looked flawless. —Alicia Banilivy, fashion and retail credits editorWhere were you when Natalie Portman made Cannes fashion history in this petaled Dior gown? You might recognize it as the famous Junon dress, which originally debuted in Christian Dior's Fall/Winter 1949–50 runway collection—but fear not, fashion preservationists. Portman actually wore a re-creation of the Junon dress, complete with an ivory strapless bodice, a skirt made up of petal-like tiers, and flecks of ocean-blue sequins and beads embroidered throughout. —Chelsey Sanchez, associate editorWhat makes the Cannes red carpet different from any other is that the location allows for the carpet itself to be huge—perfect for accommodating dresses that take up space. It also means you can really see the movement of each gown, and Lupita Nyong'o's Gucci dress from 2015 proves it. Alessandro Michele had just recently taken over at Gucci, and this was one of his first big Hollywood red-carpet moments. Nyong'o personified the celestial energy his looks would later become known for, twirling down the carpet like an otherworldly fairy in chiffon. —TGNo one does red-carpet cool quite like Rihanna. Even at an event like Cannes—which, while glamorous, can be viewed as a bit stuffy—she was able to bring her signature edge to the festival with a creamy white Dior ball gown, matching floor-length cape, and teeny micro-glasses. The look is the perfectly curated eclectic mix, pairing a traditional Dior dress silhouette and a sleek chignon with classically Rih accessories like chunky bangle bracelets and emerald-green earrings. —Bianca Betancourt, culture editorPam Anderson in a chic black leather corset and black pants was such a moment at Cannes in the early '90s. I love the silliness and rebelliousness of it all: her getting off a Barb Wire–branded sailboat and standing on a dock doing full S&M, bombshell fashion camp in the French Riviera. Parfaite! —Brooke Bobb, fashion news directorWhen Yseult attended the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival, she completely stole the show with a recreation of Dior's iconic 'New Look' silhouette from 1947. This wink to fashion history was particularly special here at Bazaar, given that the 'New Look' term was coined by former editor in chief Carmel Snow, and Yseult totally killed it. As she later said in an interview: 'I went through Dior's archives, and for this first collaboration, it was important to me to wear the house's most iconic cut. It turns out my stylist was doing his research, and that was the look he had in mind for me. We instantly knew this was the look for Cannes.' They were both right. –Joel Calfee, assistant editorLet it be known that Cameron Diaz did the transparent trend before it became a trend. She wore this sparkly one-shoulder Versace number to Cannes in 2002. While daring in its own right (Diaz appears to wear little else underneath, besides some black briefs, it's a piece I can easily imagine going viral today. I love how bold the playful checkered print is, as well as some of the more understated details, like the twisted draping converging into a high-hip cutout. —CSVintage fashion queen Kate Moss looked amazing in a black feathered 1950s Jean Dessès dress she wore to Cannes in 1998—long before wearing archival dresses on the red carpet was popular. —Nicole Fritton, executive fashion directorI was absolutely gobsmacked when I saw Gemma Chan in this custom Oscar de la Renta dress at Cannes in 2021. It just does such cool things to the idea of the red carpet 'naked' dress. I love the interplay of the gold flowers and the cutout parts, especially the giant bloom by her neck, and it fits her like a dream. —Izzy Grinspan, digital directorHer Royal Highness Diana's 1987 ice-blue draped custom Catherine Walker gown was inspired by the one worn by Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief—an homage from one fashionably glamorous princess to another. —Miguel Enamorado, accessories directorThe Cannes red carpet isn't effortless. It is painstakingly considered. The amount of work that goes into each look is impossible to ignore. And yet, somehow, without fail, every time, Chloë Sevigny always looks like she just threw something amazing on and happened to stumble into a movie premiere. I love all her Cannes looks, but this Loewe wool coat with the oversize scalloped collar from the Fall 2019 collection will forever be stuck in my brain. I think it has to do with the sunglasses. They make this look so cool and so Chloë in a way no one else can pull off. While some celebrities look like fabulous fish out of water at Cannes, Sevigny always looks exactly like herself. —TGI've always been a Parker Posey superfan—she brings that kind of 'What's she going to do next?' energy to everything she touches, and this Cannes look is no exception. I still remember when these photos came out, and I'm just as charmed today by how fully committed she is to the look—from the sequins to the turban to the shades to the posing. She is a constant delight! —Leah Chernikoff, executive editorDaniel Roseberry's artful gown made Bella Hadid look as if she were breathing with lungs made of gold. It's one of those red-carpet moments that made waves outside the fashion community—I had non-fashion friends asking me about this look for weeks after. And it's not hard to understand why. The surrealism of Schiaparelli is a perfect fit for something as mythical as the Cannes red carpet. —TGHunter Schafer is truly in a league of her own when it comes to red carpet dressing, and when she and her stylist Dara get together, they're pretty much unstoppable. So, it should come as no surprise that Schafer's Cannes red-carpet debut was a memorable one. For the premiere of Kinds of Kindness, the actor wore a steel blue design from the Armani Privé Spring 2011 collection, which was composed of a silk organza that looked like liquefied metal. It was a remarkable fashion sight to behold. –JCThe Fifth Element star Milla Jovovich wore the only beaded loincloth ever in the Cannes carpet's history—at least to my knowledge. And the look by John Galliano puts every single 'naked' dress out there to shame. The intricate embellishments make this entirely different from the famous white cutout bodysuit she wore in the film, als0 designed by Galliano. But there's still a clear synergy with that look, and nothing feels more cinematic than her bringing the punk aesthetic of her character to the carpet. —TGA muse to many—including designer Yves Saint Laurent—Catherine Deneuve may as well have written the handbook on how to wear a classic wardrobe staple but make it glamorous. She looked so elegant in her sparkling short-sleeved YSL dress on the 1966 carpet. —Jaclyn Alexandra Cohen, senior fashion and accessories editorThis custom Roberto Cavalli chainmail dress worn by Naomi Campbell is the epitome of elegance and glamour to me. She always looks statuesque, but this look makes her even more so, as if she had been dipped in shimmering gold for all of us to admire. —TGThere never has been and never will be anything better than Tom Ford–era Gucci. This white cutout gown from the Fall 1996 collection was just such a jaw-drop moment—so effortless, yet so striking. Could cry! It's also one of the few times Hadid has been styled by Law Roach. A duo we can only hope returns. —Faith Brown, senior social media manager You Might Also Like 4 Investment-Worthy Skincare Finds From Sephora The 17 Best Retinol Creams Worth Adding to Your Skin Care Routine
What's On
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- What's On
Mochakk is playing a set in Dubai this weekend
The groove is about to get real… If you haven't heard of Mochakk yet, now's the time. The Brazilian DJ and producer (aka Pedro Maia) is bringing his signature tech-house beats to Pacha ICONS at Five Lux JBR this Friday, April 25, and it's set to be a proper party. What's going down Mochakk is not just another DJ. He knows exactly how to keep a room moving. You've heard hits like Jealous , his remixes of Groove Armada's Superstylin , and Diplo's Express Yourself , and you know the kind of energy he brings. The artist's got a connection with the crowd that feels on point, making every set feel like something you don't want to miss. With Gerd Janson and Fabrice joining the lineup, expect a night that'll keep you moving. The sound Expect deep grooves, raw rhythm – driven by pulse, layered with groove. It's a night to move to the beat, and with Mochakk at the helm, you're not going to stop. Ticket details Dancefloor tickets are priced at Dhs150, and Dhs250 with a drink included. Feeling extra? VIP tickets are Dhs500, fully redeemable, and include a complimentary hotel stay. VIP table bookings are also available for those who want to go all in. Also read DJ Sama Abdulhadi is coming to Dubai this April Solomun headlines Pacha ICONS this May: A night you can't miss Why you should be there Mochakk's been making waves in the electronic scene, and his Dubai debut is bound to be something special. If you're down for a night of non-stop dancing, good vibes, and serious tunes, this is the one. Playa Pacha, Five Luxe JBR, The Walk, Friday, April 25. Images: Supplied/Instagram > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
The Guardian
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Elton John and Madonna have made up, but why do famous people publicly go to war?
Madonna and Elton John have kissed and made up. After decades of high-octane feuding (more of which anon), Madonna recently turned up impromptu backstage when John was appearing on late-night television sketch show, Saturday Night Live in New York to 'confront' him. Her ensuing Instagram post, liked 420,605 times and counting, said: 'Over the decades it hurt me to know that someone I admired so much shared his dislike of me publicly as an artist'. Madonna continued: 'When I met him, the first thing out of his mouth was 'Forgive me', and the walls between us fell down.' The spat between the musicians was one for the ages: a dense matrix of jibes, counter-jibes, and outright insults ('She looks like a fucking fairground stripper'). Throughout, John seemed the most vocal and volatile. At the 2004 Q magazine awards, receiving the classic songwriter award, he said of Madonna's nomination: 'Madonna, best live act, fuck off! Since when was lip-synching live?' Before her 2012 US Superbowl half-time show, his publicly bequeathed advice was: 'Make sure you lip-synch good.' (John later softened, if not entirely retracted, his lip-synch criticisms.) It was such a long-running contretemps, it had its own eco-system and supporting players. At the 2012 Golden Globes, after John was beaten by Madonna for best original song his husband, David Furnish, said: 'Her acceptance speech was embarrassing in its narcissism.' When Madonna noted that Lady Gaga's Born This Way sounded like her own song, Express Yourself, John professed outrage at how 'ungracious' she was. Now a Madonna-John collaboration is mooted, and the world can be relieved that the artists have finally buried the hatchet, and for once not in each other's metaphorical skulls. Alternatively, it could be that deep in our dark, damaged hearts, we enjoy such feuds. That celeb-strata hostilities are considered part of the entertainment: watching the rich and famous, the great and the good debase themselves, splash about in the bin-juice of human discord, revealing themselves to be just as imperfect, short-fused and obstinate as the rest of us. All of which proving that a feud can be many interesting things but it is also a great leveller. Still, what are such feuds really about? Why would any famous people publicly go to war, especially these days, in a social media era when every slight, snub and smear is distributed, amplified and preserved for ever in online amber? In psychological terms – on any measurable level – what do they get out of it, how is it feeding them? And what of those of us who avidly watch these A-list bloodbaths play out? Who reach for the XXL tub of popcorn when celebrities openly diss each other on social media or via carefully cryptic but deadly comments in magazine interviews. What fault-line in the human condition explains that? Dr Audrey Tang is a chartered member of the British Psychological Society, and the author of The Leader's Guide To Wellbeing. She explains to me that generally with human beings, feuds can be a manifestation of something that's been going on for much longer beneath the surface. 'It doesn't seem right to say that person also plays music, they're in the same space, therefore they're going to be competitive,' she says. 'It's not necessarily professional. It may be that something personally triggered something in the other one and they're reacting to that inner trauma.' According to Tang, in psychological terms, feuding can be a highly complex matter involving primitive natures, hierarchies, fear-based impulses, familial structures, building personal needs on self-esteem (based on comparison) rather than self-compassion, not possessing strong enough conflict resolution skills, and more. Why are relatively few feuds successfully resolved? 'Then the question comes: what part of that feud is performative? What are people gaining? Is a feud performative because it gets ratings, it sells papers? Even if it's not performative, how are you benefiting from prolonging this action and this experience?' As for the public appetite for relishing the fall-out from high-profile feuds, Tang thinks it's not only schadenfreude: 'In a healing sense, it can spark discussion … You can remove yourself directly from the situation but you can discuss the same feelings, behaviours and actions talking about someone else … It allows us to explore these feelings safely.' Certainly, the global stage has never been short of feuds, panning out across popular culture and far too numerous to list in full here. Sometimes the differences are resolved; other times, people double- or triple-down, taking their antipathy all the way to the grave. The highways of rock'n'roll are littered with the firebombed wrecks of former creative closeness. The familial froideur of the now reunited Oasis brothers, Noel and Liam Gallagher, resulted in many a snipe (Noel, 2009: 'Liam is the angriest man you'll ever meet … a man with a fork in a world full of soup'). Decades after Johnny Marr prompted the Smiths' 1987 split, Morrissey still appears intent on feuding with him, in 2022 asking that Marr 'please stop mentioning my name in interviews' (cue much hollow laughter from any hacks who, like myself, have ever tried to crowbar a Morrissey-quote out of the famously disinclined Marr). Elsewhere, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry (now reconciled) initially dispatched each other to the wilds of social Siberia over some alleged stolen tour dancers. Kanye West's beef with Swift is bizarre and ongoing: just a few days ago, he accused her (via her relationship with Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs) of being why he hasn't been invited to play the Superbowl half-time show. Kelce is reported to be 'furious'. Nor have feuds been confined to musicians. In football, Brian Clough and Don Revie fought over the soul of circa-1970s Leeds United. In Hollywood, sisters Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland feuded, and there was bloodcurdling enmity between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. On Crawford's death, Davis was quoted as saying: 'You should never say bad things about the dead, only good. Joan Crawford is dead. Good.' With royalty: did we ever solve the mystery of who made who cry (Catherine? Meghan?) over Princess Charlotte's wedding tights? In politics: the sibling fireworks of the 2010 Labour party leadership contest led to David and Ed Miliband being rebranded as the Cain and Abel of New Labour. Then there are writers. The 18th-century poets Lord Byron and John Keats grated on each other. Novelist Julian Barnes started a feud with Martin Amis (later resolved) when he dropped his wife, Pat Kavanagh, as his literary agent. In US literary circles, Gore Vidal remarked of fellow author Truman Capote's death: 'A wise career move.' Norman Mailer also furiously feuded with Vidal, at one point punching him to the floor. Getting up, Vidal is supposed to have said: 'Once again, words fail Norman Mailer.' Another literary feud involved novelist sisters, AS Byatt and Margaret Drabble, the latter observing: 'Discussing my sister just makes trouble.' Some might prefer to think that all these celebrity skirmishes say something: that the famous are the absolute worst for feuding, and it's all about paper-thin skins and giant egos, with social media pouring on the rocket fuel. For new kids on the block, there may even be cynical advantage to linking your name to a more successful person via a well-timed online fracas. (There is a food chain in feuds, just as there is anything else.) But again, what about our own part? It's somehow the famous sibling rivalries, the fraternal/sororal scuffles that bring the concept of feuding, the whole messy all-too-human shebang down to earth. Perhaps because sibling rivalry is a reminder that all of us are capable of feuding, even if Entertainment Weekly wouldn't be remotely interested in whether we achieve conflict resolution; even if ordinary folk don't make up in dramatic scenes backstage at Saturday Night Live, with thousands of likes on Instagram. In the comments beneath Madonna's post, John wrote a message, thanking her for 'forgiving me and my big mouth'. John and Madonna's well-cooked beef is done, but at 78 and 66 years old respectively, you really do have to marvel at the precious battery-life expended on verbally tearing lumps out of each other over the years. To paraphrase John's own song, sorry wasn't the hardest word, it was just a bit of a long time coming.
