6 Soft Skills Every Entrepreneur Must Have

In this time of distance and uncertainty, the necessity to genuinely connect with one another is of high importance. This has become a challenge for many businesses as they are mostly limited to digital interaction nowadays. Soft skills have therefore become more valuable especially in organizations that have shifted to remote setup. While brainpower holds much weight in running a business, having soft skills serves as the optimization fuel to make it run like a well oiled machine. 

Soft skills must be coupled with strengthened digital skills as technology continues to evolve alongside new business dynamics. There is a growing demand for coding skills which is clearly an additional asset for any entrepreneur to smoothly manage a number of programming concerns. Though, we’re going to focus on six soft skills that every entrepreneur must hone to effectively adapt to the ever-changing business environment.

Communication. It is no secret that adequate and competent communications keep any organization afloat. On a personal level, the ability to send a message across that people easily understand and relate to can do wonders for your business. Having good communication skills encompass a lot of things such as being able to listen intently, speak with conviction, and negotiate persuasively. This involves improving both verbal and non-verbal communication skills. Mastering the art of communication requires continuous practice and would take a long time, but all the hard work will certainly be worth it.

Leadership. No one is born a leader as understating and relating to people is experiential. As an entrepreneur, it’s inevitable that you will always work with a team. You should make the effort to know your members well so you can also delegate tasks to them that fit their competencies as well as plan for activities that can push them out of their comfort zone. Remember that the most valuable asset that any company has is its people. You should know how to work well with others not only to deliver desirable results but also to actually enjoy the work that you do towards the same goal. A culture of allowing people to agree to disagree can sharpen their critical thinking skills and capability to handle constructive feedback as well. The teamplayer evidently has huge shoes to fill for everyone’s development.

Empathy. The significance of being able to put yourself in another person’s shoes cannot be overstated. Managing a business is more than making sense of numbers but also knowing the problems that your people face. It’s not about solving them yourself but understanding them to make their load manageable and the project work in the most efficient manner. Accomplishing a goal should be done in high consideration of what people feel about it and how they are navigating through it. Empathy will also allow you to see things from another perspective and even improve your communication skills by having insight on the people who work with you. After all, what makes work more fun is the potential to connect with another person while enjoying the whole experience.

Time management. This is one of those things that is easier said than done. Workload won’t ever end and you would either feel overwhelmed that you wouldn’t want to get off your desk or demotivated that you’d rather cram everything. The first scenario is detrimental for your health while the latter will most likely sacrifice the quality of your outputs. Thus, you need to know how to realistically plan and set your goals. Think of your priorities per day and identify which tasks could be delegated to your other teammates. Time management also involves much discipline especially when you have too much on your plate. This will allow you to respect both your time and the time of others. 

Patience. In a tough business environment, people and situations will always test your patience. Letting your emotions get the best of you could ruin what you’ve been working on. Take time to breathe when things get hard and assess first the situation. Acknowledge the frustration that you feel but focus on the solution. People will make mistakes and you have to let them in order to grow. Of course, they shouldn’t make the same mistakes again with your guidance. Keep in mind that you should be patient with yourself as well. To go fast, you need to go slow. Good things take time so better trust the process rather than rush it. As you try your best to respect others, don’t be too hard on yourself as well.

Accountability. You’ll not always be right. Own every mistake you make and learn from it. It might be difficult to admit, but doing so would benefit the whole company in the long run. Your employer or your teammates will definitely appreciate your honesty. That way, you’ll also serve as a good example to others. They will also have the opportunity to learn from the same mistake and grow together as a team.

Soft skills empower people to voice out, connect with others, and move towards one direction. Each business has its own stories of misunderstandings and struggles, but what allows it to rise above them are the employees who carry admirable characteristics that mainly root from the abovementioned soft skills. It’s imperative that business leaders make opportunities for their employees to continuously hone them. This will go a long way that can be key to their and the company’s success.

About the author:
Chatty is a freelance writer from Manila. She finds joy in inspiring and educating others through writing. That’s why aside from her job as a language evaluator for local and international students, she spends her leisure time writing about various topics such as lifestyle, technology, and business.