What Soft Skills do you need to Survive (and Actually Thrive) in the Telecoms industry?

Let’s discuss.

For me, this journey started long before I knew what telecoms even was. I was sitting in a classroom when my teacher, Monsieur Rousseau, said something that stuck in my brain and never left.

“Mariko, you’re VERY good at History." (Cue teenage pride.)

Then he said: "But….. to be successful intelligence only counts for 5%; 95% is made up of hard work."

Believe it or not, I repeat this to my kids today (passing on the motivational life lessons, obviously)

At the time I thought: Surely it counts for more than that? But as I built a career in the legal telecoms industry surrounded by tech, networks, masts, fibre, contracts, passive infrastructure deals and a never-ending stream of “what now?” moments I’ve come to realise he was absolutely right.

 This world demands far more than a strong IQ.

Here’s what I’ve learned it really takes to survive (and maybe even enjoy yourself) working in the fast-paced, technical, gloriously complex telecoms world:

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 ✅ Grit Humour and Resilience (and lots of it)

 You might think telecoms is full of technical whizzes who understand data transmission, network design needed in an infrastructure business etc etc…. Wrong.

Telecoms is FULL of drama:  like a rolling historical epic with characters, conflict, politics, and plot twists.

For me this translates into a DSIT government consultation lands. A multi-million pound network-sharing deal explodes into life. A rooftop leaseholder blocks a crucial 5G upgrade. The drama is endless.

If you touch things like network rollouts, mast upgrades, Code agreements... you know what I mean.

If you can’t smile at the absurdity sometimes… or worse, if you take it all too seriously… you’ll burn out fast.

A sense of humour, thick skin, and the ability to roll with the madness are survival essentials.

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 ✅ Perspective

 The tech is complex. The projects are complex. The regulatory environment is complex.

 It’s easy to get buried in the detail (especially if you love knowing how things work). But most of the business doesn’t want endless technical analysis.

They want this: “Can this be done and how fast?”

Big picture thinking matters. Knowing when to focus on the signal, not the noise. Knowing what’s make-or-break, and what’s trivia.

People don’t fall in love with perfect technical papers or immaculate contracts:  they want simple answers and pragmatic workable outcomes.

If you can turn complexity into clarity, deliver results and you’ll always be in demand.

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✅ Personality

Surprise: your human skills matter as much as your technical ones.

You can be the sharpest engineer, project manager, lawyer, or strategist. But if you take yourself too seriously, come across as cold or full of jargon? You’ll lose your audience.

People (yes, even in a highly technical industry) want humans they can trust, connect and laugh with to add a bit of #FUN in their day.

Bring curiosity. Bring humility. Admit when you don’t know. Offer to find out. Be real.

It builds relationships faster than any credentials.

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✅ Pace

This industry does not hang about.

Whether it’s fibre rollouts, spectrum auctions, private networks, or multi-operator deals, things move at warp speed. Commercial teams want answers yesterday.

If you chase perfection, you risk becoming irrelevant.

Progress beats perfection.

Practicality beats theory.

80% right today is better than 100% right next month.

If you can think, decide and move fast while handling the discomfort of imperfection, then you’ll thrive.

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 ✅ Love the gadgets and tech

If you work in telecoms, you need to care about tech.

 You need to ask the "stupid" questions and keep asking them:

What does this bit of kit in the data centre do? What is Open RAN and why does it matter? How does this radio network fit with fibre deployment?

Ask. Learn. Understand.

The best tech and network teams love to explain (patiently, if you’re lucky).

Every time you understand a little more, your confidence grows and so does your value.

Staying curious keeps you relevant.

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✅ Curiosity

Not just about tech. Deals change. Network plans shift. Political winds blow. Last-minute surprises pop up.

If you stay curious about the business, the risks, the hidden blockers you’ll spot things others miss.

Listen. Ask. It’s not paranoia. It’s professional survival.

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Conclusion: Why Bother?

Because this industry is never boring.

Telecoms powers everything: mobile, broadband, data centres, cloud. It touches everywhere: cities, fields, rooftops, factories and remote villages.

One day you’re sorting rooftop access in London. The next you’re wrestling with ICNRP or a fibre build challenge. Every day brings new puzzles, new people.

It's technical. Strategic. Fast. Frustrating. Fun.

If you like learning, thinking, problem-solving and laughing when things go sideways…. THEN telecoms might just be your perfect playground.

And if you can thrive on the chaos? Even better.

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THOUGHTS?

What has helped you survive or thrive in telecoms? Please share