5 Business Survival Skills

Going into business is not only fun these days, it is highly rewarding in very many respects. To survive out there, everyone needs skills, real practical skills. One of the most important skills you need to survive in today's business world is the ability to learn and to learn very quickly. Once you are able to do that, it becomes easier for you to learn and to quickly grasp all other survival skills. The act of learning is every bit as important as what you learn. Believing that you can improve yourself and do things in the future that are beyond your current possibilities is exciting and fulfilling. Among the many skills you need, these here 5 skills are some of the most essential skills which can deliver the biggest payoff for your efforts at surviving in today's business world.
 

01. Ability to take initiative. Initiative is the ability to take action without prompting. If you acquire the skill, it will take you far in business and in life. Anyone can always take initiative if they find ways to get over other things which usually get in the way. Knowing what to do and getting it done in spite of obstacles, requires initiative. In the business world, it is inevitable that you have to take risks and push yourself out of your comfort zone, until taking initiative becomes second nature to you. That is one great way to survive out there.

02. Time management skills. Management experts have determined that one of the biggest things that get in the way of effective time management is the "tyranny of the urgent." This is simply the tendency of little things that need doing now to get in the way of what really matters. If because of the supposed urgency of these little things you neglect other important matters, you end up spending more time doing things which will not help you to get the real work done. Learning to manage your time effectively is one essential skill you need to free up more time for you to perform optimally.

03. Emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is your ability to recognize and understand emotions in yourself and others and your ability to use this awareness to manage your behavior and relationships. It is a skill you can learn. Doing business is all about managing behaviors and relationships. Even though it may seem intangible, emotional intelligence is that something we all need to manage behavior, navigate social complexities, and make personal decisions that make positive results. In every field of human endeavor particularly in business, emotional intelligence is the critical reason that sets star performers apart from the rest of the pack. It distinguishes between genius and mediocrity, between high achievers and non performers.

04. Ability to stay positive. I am the first to admit that it is hard to find the zeal to focus on the positive when positivism seems like nothing more than wishful thinking. Emotionally, the real obstacle to positivism is that our brains are hard-wired to look for and focus on threats for the sake of our survival as human beings. This survival mechanism serves us well when it is a matter of life and death. But, in today's world, this mechanism breeds pessimism and negativity through the mind's tendency to wander until it finds a real threat. It is really a mind thing and the mind is subject to everyone's control. What you think about and focus on is thus subject to your own control. When you think positive, you stay positive. Thus, maintaining positivism is a daily challenge that requires real focus and attention. It pays to find ways to stay positive by deliberate efforts thereby preventing your brain from wandering off to fears and threats which it is naturally wired to look out for.

05. Listening skills. I once heard that the reason we have two ears and one mouth is because we are naturally expected to listen twice as much as we talk. Sure, it can feel so good to unload on somebody and let them know what you really think, but that good feeling is temporary because when you are at it, you can hardly know what the other person is saying. True listening is one effective way to focus solely on what the other person is saying and to think about a clear response strategy. It is about understanding, not rebuttal or comments. Learning how to delay judgment and focus on understanding the other person's response is one of the most important skills you can develop. In plain words, if you are not skillful enough to decipher valuable information from the other person's tone of voice, body language, and what isn't said, you could get left out of the game easily.