10 Must-Have Communication Skills for Business Success

What does it take to run a successful business? Some people tell you it’s the art of identifying and seizing an opportunity—the union of preparation and luck. Some say preparation and education best prepare people for the rigours of the business world. Still others claim it’s all about connections. But none of them offer the whole story.

There’s one major element that’s essential: effective communication. Indeed, strong communication, more than any other factor, may be the leading predictor of business success. In some way or another, communication contributes to all those other factors. Communication helps us learn about new opportunities, manage our education, and ultimately maintain and cultivate important connections. But it also helps within a business; with employees, customers, and shareholders; and in virtually every other aspect of business.

In an economy where 80 per cent of new businesses fail, every step of the process counts. Here are some key ways to review and improve your business communication and make sure you’re making the most of it.

1. Give people what they want

This isn’t about telling people what they want to hear, though that’s a part of equation. Really, it’s about knowing how to talk to people. In other words, organize your communication so you reveal the information that’s most important to your audience first.

Naturally talented speakers do this automatically. It makes sense to organize a list with the most important information at the beginning, where it is most likely to be noticed. Imagine an inverted pyramid: the key information is at the top (which makes your case stronger) with supporting information arrayed below. The art of correctly gauging your audience’s priorities and adjusting your speech on the fly to better accommodate it takes more subtlety. Politicians on the campaign trail face this challenge regularly. They never know who will come to public events or what impromptu questions they’ll get from citizens and reporters. Imagine your customer as a critical reporter: Make sure all of your communication emphasizes what they care about most.

2. Learn some quick problem-solving strategies

You may think this goes without saying, but it’s worth repeating: Problem solving is an indispensable part of business.

Your Problem-Solving Checklist

These fixed steps provide structure to any process, and are extremely important when communicating how to deal with problems in case you aren’t there to do it personally: