What really makes someone effective in the workplace? Strategy and intelligence matter. But without emotional awareness, the ability to adapt, and focused execution, even the best ideas fall flat.

In this episode, I mind-blended with Faris Aranki, strategic consultant and founder of Shiageto Consulting, whose work centers on helping businesses and individuals “do business better.” With over 20 years of experience across sectors and countries, Faris brings a sharp yet human lens to what it takes to truly lead and collaborate.

We talk about the soft skills that aren’t really soft at all, like empathy, emotional intelligence, and focus. Faris shares how living and working in different cultures taught him to read people better, ask smarter questions, and help teams align not just on what they’re doing, but why they’re doing it.

And at the core of it all? A reminder that many businesses have a blind spot. They invest in strategy, but often neglect the people dynamics, emotional context, and focused alignment that ultimately determine success.

“We over index on the words we're about to say, not how we say them or how we look when we're saying them.”

In this episode, we explore:

• Why emotional intelligence remains an underrated leadership skill
• How focus—not just busyness—drives real impact
• Why living abroad sharpens your people skills in unexpected ways
• The difference between being smart and being understood
• How strong facilitators help teams slow down and solve the right problems

If you’ve ever felt like your team is doing a lot but still not moving forward or if you're curious what really drives effective strategic execution, this episode offers a fresh, human-centered perspective. Faris also shares how his experiences living and working across cultures have sharpened his ability to lead with empathy, spot what others miss, and help organizations move from busy to aligned.

About Faris Aranki

Faris is the founder and CEO of Shiageto Consulting, with over 20 years of experience delivering strategic change for both corporate and non-corporate worlds. He has over 15 years of strategic leadership experience across top consulting firms and organisations, working as a top-tier strategy consultant, non-exec director, educator and in-house strategist.

His work has spanned numerous companies (from global behemoths to small start-ups), in numerous countries, across a range of sectors (including energy, banking, consumer goods, telco and media, government, automotive and education), supporting them all to unlock strategic success.

Faris came to realise that often what hinders institutions from achieving their goals goes beyond the quality of their strategy; it is their ability to engage effectively with others at all levels and remove barriers in their way that can be the real barometers of success.

"I am passionate about strategic effectiveness for all businesses and individuals. It doesn't matter about age, experience, size, industry, objectives, we can all improve our effectiveness. It's something I personally try to do everyday and the area I have been able to most add value to my clients; these are the very reasons I founded Shiageto Consulting".

You can connect with Faris on LinkedIn and Shiageto Consulting.

Mind Blend is all about real experiences and meaningful conversations—through sharing these insights, I hope to inspire and empower you as you navigate your unique journey.

I’d also love to hear from you! What resonated with you today? What topics or guests should we feature next? Let’s keep the conversation going—connect with me on LinkedIn @⁠karenkchong⁠ and @⁠Mind-Blend⁠

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Until next time, stay curious, keep exploring, and let’s continue to blend our minds and discover what’s possible.