There are many things you need to know to run a business. You need to understand the industry you want to work in and who your ideal customer is. You will want to keep up with the latest knowledge and trends. One area often overlooked is the professional skills needed to run a successful business.
So what are some of those skills that are needed? Read on to learn about a few professional skills and why they can make a difference.
Communication
Communication and people skills are two essential parts of your professional profile. How you share ideas and recommendations with clients, in the boardroom or how you talk to potential employers is important. You need good verbal communication skills to do well in business; body language is also a big part of communication. You don’t want to lose a client because your movements display something different than what you appear to be saying. Make sure your body language shows that you are a confident, honest person whom your coworkers and customers can trust.
Delegation
Delegate, delegate, delegate. It sounds easy, but for many leaders, it can be challenging. As a leader, being able to delegate work well, if at all, is a skill that doesn’t get enough attention. Managers often put themselves under a lot of stress because they choose not to give work to other people. This means they have to do all the work themselves. It can become hard to decide which tasks are most important and meet deadlines. Clients get angry, and the business is affected.
On the other end of the spectrum is giving away too much work. Putting too much work on one or two people without thinking can make them stressed and angry, which can be bad for the productivity of the team as a whole.
As a manager or leader, you should ensure that you give work to team members equitably but suitable to their skill level. Finding the right balance between giving people control and letting them have freedom would be best. This might mean you need to outsource; things like your marketing, IT, and consumer products manufacturing are ideal candidates. If your business handles sensitive information, consulting a security clearance attorney might be necessary to ensure compliance with legal and security standards.
Determination
Every entrepreneur needs hard effort and dedication to get the job done, which is less of a skill and more of a mindset. People who achieve the most in life continue to work hard even when they don’t feel like it. You may have to rely only on yourself in the beginning stages of your business, so if you don’t show up, neither will your clients or their money.
Passion can drive your determination. If you love what you’re doing, you’ll want to get up early and get stuff done. Why? Because you enjoy doing it. Does it mean you must create a business out of your passion or hobby? Not always, but it’s something to consider if it’s an option.
Know that there will be times when things will go differently than planned. There will be days when things go wrong. However, if you are determined to have a successful business, your determination can keep you motivated and inspired.
When starting or growing your business, you will take time to plan out what is needed for success. Include professional skills in the plan, as they can make or break your business. Consider working with a coach to sharpen your skills or a trainer to lead workshops for your team. You won’t go wrong when taking this approach. Here’s to your success!
Carolyn R. Owens is an ICF-certified Master Coach and serves as a Career Strategist, Executive, Leadership, and Mentor Coach. She can assist you by helping you up-level your skills to up-level your income, career, business, or life. Carolyn provides one-on-one and group coaching, organizational training, and personality assessments. She is certified to give the Energy Leadership Index and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Assessment. You can learn more about assessments and other products and services at https://infinitycoaching.net.
