11 Must Have Business Skills

According to Forbes, there are “11 Crucial Skills That All Business Owners Need From Day On”.   Today we are going to dive into what they are so you can assess where you stand with each one.

Here’s the quick list of 11 skills:

  1. Delegation
  2. Thought Leadership
  3. Basic Communication Skills
  4. Proactivity
  5. Financial Literacy
  6. Leadership
  7. Emotional Intelligence
  8. Sales
  9. Customer Service
  10. Digital Marketing
  11. Self-Awareness of Blind Spots

Delegation

While it isn’t easy to turn tasks over to others, if you don’t hone this skill you will impair your ability to grow. Leaders need time and mental space to focus on the big picture

Thought Leadership

Being a leader is one thing, but being a thought leader can take your business to a whole different level.  Find the courage to innovate, motivate and share your original ideas.

Basic Communication Skills

Having good communication skills can make or break your team and business. Being clear, open, honest and willing to receive feedback will result in a healthy, productive team and business.

Proactivity

From solving customer problems to mending internal conflict, being proactive is essential to running a successful business. Make an effort to be proactive and constantly tweak processes based on situations.

Financial Literacy

Without knowing your numbers and the basics of business finances you are doomed to fail.  Educate yourself and make time to stay on top of your finances.

Leadership

The ability to bring your staff together, give them a purpose and get them on board with the company’s vision is what will keep your company moving forward and thriving.

Emotional Intelligence

Business owners that are aware of their own emotions and the emotions of others tend to make better decisions and run healthier businesses. While this skill isn’t easy to develop, improving your EQ can keep stress down, employees & customers happy and your business growing. 

Sales

Many business owners struggle with the concept of sales, but it’s essential you know how to sell yourself, your products or services and get buy-in from everyone involved in your company. 

Customer Service

It’s more expensive to acquire new customers than retain existing ones and doing so all comes down to giving excellent customer service.  Be sure you know how to deal with difficult or angry customers, company mistakes and negative feedback to ensure you are always going above and beyond.

Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is no longer an option in business, it’s required.  You need to know the basics of things like SEO, social media marketing and more to grow your business. This applies even if you hire people to do these jobs.

Self-Awareness of Blind Spot

Knowing your weaknesses and where you need help is key to business success.  Don’t be afraid to get support and listen to the people you trust.

So how do you stack up with the 11 crucial business skills? 

Do you need help building and honing any of these skills? If so, feel free to reach out to one of our Business Coaches for support.

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