Listening skills- most people are terrible listeners. Their mind starts wandering almost as soon as someone. You need good listening skills to run a business. Good listener can normally repeat back accurately what they heard. Without this skill you will loose customers.
Written communication is write, well constructed well presented essays, reports and letters for different audience.
Using IT is use appropriate it packages example: word processing, spreadsheets, databases, Power Point, web page, construction and email
Decision making is systematically choose the best option form a well researched range of alternatives and understand as much as possible about the consequences of making choice.
Interpersonal skills relate to the way you behave when you are dealing with other people. Even if you are popular with your friends and adored by your family this does not mean that you will automatically be skilled at or employ.
Areas that I will need to develop are:
- Listening skills
- Presentation skills
- Negotiation skills
- Decision making
M2
The areas I need to develop are, listening skills, presentation skills, negotiation skills and decision making.
Listening skills
I need to improve my listening skills because without this I won’t be able to run a business successfully. For example: the customer asks me for help and I stand there and ignore him/her or if and colleague tell me to write a letter to a customer about there delivery and I did not listen. Without this skill I will not just loss customers but will make colleagues angry.
I will improve this skill by practising listening to a friend , get training on customer service by doing a course and get a part time job so i could get experience before staring my business.
Presentation skills
Presentation skills are an effective way to communicate to large numbers of people at the same time. It’s a way of communicating ideas and information to a group in a meeting. As a manager i will to show my staff presentations and how to present. It’s a way of communicating in a business and i will need to develop this skill.
I will need to work on the following areas to improve my presentation skills
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Eye contact: This helps to regulate the flow of communication. It signals interest in others and increases the speaker's credibility. Speakers who make eye contact open the flow of communication and convey interest, concern, warmth, and credibility.
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Facial Expressions: Smiling is a powerful cue that transmits happiness, friendliness, warmth, and liking. So, if you smile frequently you will be perceived as more likeable, friendly, warm, and approachable. Smiling is often contagious and others will react favourably.
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Gestures: If I fail to gesture while speaking, I may be perceived as boring and stiff. A lively speaking style captures attention, makes the material more interesting, and facilitates understanding.
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Posture and body orientation: I communicate numerous messages by the way I talk and move. Standing erect and leaning forward communicates that i am approachable, receptive, and friendly. Interpersonal closeness results when I and my audience face each other. Speaking with my back turned or looking at the floor or ceiling should be avoided as it communicates disinterest.
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Voice. One of the major criticisms of speakers is that they speak in a monotone voice. Listeners perceive this type of speaker as boring and dull. People report that they learn less and lose interest more quickly when listening to those who have not learned to modulate their voices.
I can improve this skill by following methods which are:
- Practice listening to my voice while at home, driving, walking, etc. Then when I am at work or with company, I will monitor voice to see if I am using it how I want to.
- Present a document piece to my friend, or family and try to improve
- Get training from a colleague or senior member
Negotiation skills
Negotiation skills are the most important skills needed to run a successful business. If you know how to negotiate well, then you can make profitable deals. You need this skill in a successful business because it is used for selling, purchasing, staff (e.g. contracts), borrowing (e.g. loans) and transactions, along with anything else that I feel is applicable for my business.
I will improve my negotiation skills by;
- Practising regularly – I will do this by practising with my friend everyday.
- Improve personal and professional profitability.
- Be confidence
- Know when and how to walk away from a negotiation.
- Build leadership and team building skills, I will do this my working in a team regularly at work.
I will be using these methods to improve my skill and become a better Negotiator.
Decision making
Decision making is a very important skill needed to run a successful business.
This skill will enhance my ability to view any in a different light. Especially when I come to decision, I can say that I am well informed! In a business I have to be 100% sure before I give anyone information weather it is a colleague or customer.
For example If i have i was given two different coffee and was told will be better for our business and would have to make a decision.
I will improve this skill by:
- Analysing any problem- where our business is not getting profit.
- Look for alternatives - search the are or problem and find any solution.
- Accept the responsibility – not just stand there and watch accept any responsibility given and work hard on it.
- Evaluate my results – see what iv come up with this way i will be able to now if iv made the right decision.
- Practice with friends, this way i will can see if i have made the right decision
- Consider my goals and work hard on them.
By using these methods I will be able to improve my decision making skills. I will work part time which will give me the opportunity to make decisions and evaluate if they were right.
