The workplace is a fast-paced, competitive environment. You’ll quickly discover that there are vital skills you need to develop and hone in order to stand out from the crowd. In this article, we’re going to look at the key skills that will help you get to the top.
Learn to communicate
Communication is key to your success. Whether it’s developing a friendly and effective telephone manner or learning that it’s sometimes more effective to persuade people to your point of view than to browbeat them. Understanding how to get your point – or the exact nature of a particular task – across often makes the difference between getting on and standing still. Remember too, that it’s not enough to be articulate in conversation but that you also need to be able to communicate effectively on paper (or electronically) using correct grammar, proper business language and making sure that memos, messages and papers are concise and well-structured. Finally, you have to learn how to listen because, believe it or not, you don’t have a monopoly on good ideas or common sense.
Be tech-savvy
When was the last time you heard someone in the workplace say with a shrug: “I’m just not good with computers.”? That’s right, you didn’t. If you’re one of those people who’s a dab hand at social media but struggles with a spreadsheet, put some time and effort into brushing up on your skills. There are plenty of excellent beginner’s books to get you started and YouTube isn’t just for music videos – you’ll find thousands of hours worth of tutorials on technical subjects; you may even find your employer runs get-acquainted sessions to help employees familiarise themselves with specific systems and processes. Take advantage of them and improve your technical skills as much as you can.
Be a leader
Everyone knows how important effective leadership can be for a team, a department or an organisation. It can make the difference between lacklustre by-the-numbers performance and genuine soar-away success. And don’t think that you have to be a manager to be a leader. Leadership is about motivating your colleagues and influencing their actions, it’s about spotting a problem before it actually becomes a problem, and pushing the people you work with towards the accomplishment of a common goal. All companies need leaders and the sooner you begin to develop this skill, the better.
Manage your time
In a busy work environment, you’ll find that things are thrown at you from all directions, all the time. It’s vital that you learn to prioritise those tasks in order of importance or deadline – rather than just doing something for whoever’s shouting the loudest. Learn to set realistic deadlines, goals that are achievable and then set about completing tasks in an ordered, manageable fashion. If something’s not possible in the time, say so – some of the most ‘disorganised’ people around are those who’ve never learned how to say ‘no’.
Be professional
Every company has rules of the road and codes of behaviour, and it’s important that you understand what they are and then adhere to them in a professional manner. Treat your colleagues with respect, dress and behave appropriately at all times and represent your company with pride and loyalty. If you’d like to work for a company that demands the highest professional standards, why not see what we can offer here at Enterprise? You can find our latest opportunities here.
