5 SKILLS YOU MUST DEVELOP TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS.

1. Critical thinking.

When you question assumptions, claims, and viewpoints
instead of just accepting them as gospel, as in “A Harvard
professor said it online, so it must be true,” that’s called critical
thinking. It’s fundamental to smart decision making. And that, in
turn, is key to being successful at just about anything.
Lately, however, it seems that people have forgotten how to
think logically. As continuously bombarded as we are with
content and sound bites, our ability to question what’s real and
what isn’t, to reason logically and not generalize from a single
data point, to understand causal relationships, is more critical
today than ever before.
So question everything, especially common doctrine. Listen to
those who challenge your own and popularly held beliefs.
Resist the pressure to view things in black and white or “us vs.
them” terms. Learn to see the world in shades of gray and
from different angles, viewpoints, and perspectives.

2. Focus and discipline.

We passed the point of information and communication
overload long ago. Even highly focused overachievers who
should know better sit down to work only to find that, a few
tweets, texts, and emails later, half the day is gone and all the
work remains.
Focus and discipline have always been critical to success in
just about any field, but these days, managing distraction has
become harder for even the most disciplined among us. And
that’s not likely to change any time soon.
Now, more than ever, you have to learn how to shut out the
noise without shutting yourself off from what really matters.
That's not easy. But if you’re too distracted and undisciplined
to focus on what’s critical, you can’t get things done. And if
you can’t get things done, somebody else will.

3. Being human.

In a very real sense, we are becoming virtual images of our
real-world selves. That would be fine if those personas
replicated the real us. Instead, they’re carefully constructed
avatars that reflect social norms, popular themes, and wishful
thinking. The information we share is filtered. More and more
we behave like sound bites personified—virtual actors
portraying cardboard characters in a two-dimensional digital
world.
But successful businesses are built on real communication and
real relationships. Running a business is about motivating
investors to provide capital, customers to buy products, and
employees to work their tails off for you. Every business
transaction ultimately has a human being at both ends.
In a world of indistinguishable online lemmings, those who
strive to remain unique individuals will have a big advantage.
Instead of hiding behind your social media avatar and personal
brand, have the courage to be your genuine self. Forget your
social network and build relationships in the real world. Listen
to what people have to say and trust your instincts. That’s the
only way to genuinely relate, make connections, and understand people . Be human.

4. Getting things done.

The idea that successful business leaders are typically driven
by high ideals and lofty aspirations is a myth. None of the
highly accomplished executives I’ve known got where they are
by walking around with their heads in the clouds. They got
there by putting one foot in front of the other and getting the
job done.
Successful entrepreneurs have the ability to focus and motivate
people to work together toward a common goal. They have a
strong sense of personal responsibility, accountability, and work
ethic. They're born troubleshooters and problem solvers. And
adversity, obstacles, and risks don't deter them—on the
contrary, they energize them.
They also know what their goals and priorities are—they know
what they want to get done, and that’s exactly what they do.
They deliver the goods, get the job done, and satisfy the needs
of their stakeholders, no matter what.
Recently a reader scoffed at one of my columns on what it
really takes for startups to be successful. He said ideas are all
you need. The problem, of course, is that everyone has ideas.
What we really need are people of action who are driven to
make things happen and get the job done. That’s a
competency that will be in greater demand as time goes on.

5. Competitive spirit.

Ecommerce and the rise of the global economy have opened
the business world’s competitive floodgates. New competitors
are arising on every front as technology lowers the barriers to entry and more and more companies cross over into each
other’s lanes. Meanwhile, we’re de-emphasizing competitive
spirit and individual achievement in our schools. As we level
the playing field, the motivation to compete and win is being
bred out of society. We’re beginning to see competition as a
bad thing.
That’s creating an interesting dichotomy, a competition gap, if
you will. Clearly, the situation presents both challenge and
opportunity. On the one hand, the competition is brutal. It’s
rough out there. On the other hand, if you’re highly driven to
compete and win, you’ve got a leg up on most of the young
people entering the workforce. And that gap is only going to
widen over time.
Markets are essentially zero-sum games, meaning market
share is somewhat constrained. And while markets are elastic—
they grow over time—at a macro level, at a micro level, every
business transaction generally has one winner and multiple
losers. Only one business wins the contract. Just one company
is selected to provide the necessary service. In a very real
sense, you're always competing in the real world.
But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.
One product, company, or candidate beating out another on
their merits is an honorable thing. It’s no disgrace to lose,
either. That’s how we learn to improve and do better next time.
Competition is how new technologies replace old ones, how
startup companies become corporate giants, and how good
performers become great ones.
The point is, many if not most great companies are founded
and led by fierce competitors. Google aggressively pursued
Apple into the smartphone business. Uber’s Travis Kalanick
takes a lot of heat for his competitiveness, but in just five
years, he’s built a company that’s now valued at $41 billion. .
Competitive spirit, the relentless drive to win, is a critical
success factor that will only increase in value as the
competition gap grows. You can learn to adapt and develop
these abilities through experience. And that, in turn, will give
you a long-term competitive advantage in a changing world.