Posted on May 13th, 2022

Whether you fancy yourself as the next big thing in business, are looking to boost your career, or want to start a new venture - in this post, you’ll find the skills you need for succeeding in business

1. Goal-setting

Let’s start with the basics, if you’re starting a business you need to know what you want to achieve. Is it selling 1,000 pairs of shoes? Opening a bistro? Beating your number one competitor? You need to know how to set a feasible goal. This goal can be critical in helping steer your business as it grows so it needs to be sensible but ambitious.

2. Self-promotion

Knowing how to promote yourself is crucial for your career, but mastering how to do it without sounding too modest or too arrogant is no easy task. Almost nobody likes talking about themselves.

3. Literacy

Sometimes talking the talk is exactly what you need to do. The English language is used in workplaces and organisations all over the world – communicating clearly and carefully is vital to projects running smoothly and building international relationships. And if those things weren’t enough, sometimes you simply can’t afford poor English skills – you don’t want to run up international phone bills repeating things.

4. Numeracy

Whether it’s wrestling with Excel or balancing the books, having an eye for numbers can come in useful in lots of different ways. You don’t need to speak fluent algebra to succeed in business, but having an appreciation of things like percentages, ratios and averages – how to interpret data and understand statistics – will be invaluable.

5. Legal

A working knowledge of basic law can help you resolve conflicts, improve your analytical thinking and avoid hefty legal bills – your boss and your bank balance will thank you.

6. Project Management

One of the most valuable skills in any career is knowing how to manage your workload; effective project management can save you time, stress and money.

7. Brand Development

What is it that sets you or your business apart? What do you stand for? What tone of voice do you use when speaking to customers? These are all questions you need good answers for if you want to have a memorable brand, and a successful business.

8. Industry Awareness

If you’re going to stand out, you need to know what you’re standing out from, this means understanding your company, marketplace, industry – or all three.

9. Networking

Forming solid relationships with other professionals and entrepreneurs can help you in all sorts of ways, whether it’s having someone to turn to for advice or a useful contact to help you get a foot in the door.

Source: https://www.futurelearn.com/info/blog/9-skills-need-succeed-business