Essential Skills for Modern Communicators

Everyone Talks About The Importance of Soft Skills, But Few Explain How to Develop Them. 14 essential soft skills and how to master them, courtesy of my friend Nicola Ballotta: 𝟭/ 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 ➤Self-Awareness • Practice mindfulness and meditation • Keep a journal of your thoughts and feelings • Seek feedback from friends and colleagues    ➤Resilience • Develop a positive mindset • Build a strong support network • Learn from failures and setbacks ➤Self-Motivation • Set clear, achievable goals • Celebrate small victories • Find inspiration and learning in every task 𝟮/ 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 ➤Empathy/Compassion • Practice active listening • View situations from others' perspectives • Volunteer for causes that connect you with diverse groups ➤Negotiation • Practice active listening • Develop empathy to understand other's viewpoints • Study negotiation techniques and strategies ➤Conflict Resolution • Learn and practice active listening skills • Adopt a problem-solving attitude • Seek to understand before being understood ➤Influence • Build credibility and trust • Understand and appeal to others' interests • Practice storytelling and emotional intelligence 𝟯/ 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 ➤Verbal Communication • Volunteer for presentations at work • Record short videos of yourself speaking and watch them • Ask peers for feedback on your communication    ➤Written Communication • Take writing courses • Start writing publicly • Practice concise writing ➤Non-Verbal Communication • Observe and mimic the body language of effective communicators • Record and review your non-verbal communication in different settings • Take acting or improvisation classes to improve your expressive abilities 𝟰/ 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 ➤Time Management • Use planners or digital tools to schedule tasks • Set clear priorities and deadlines • Avoid multitasking and minimize distractions    ➤Problem-Solving • Practice structured problem-solving methods • Develop your analytical and critical thinking skills • Collaborate with others to gain different perspectives ➤Adaptability • Embrace a growth mindset • Stay curious and seek out new experiences • Practice resilience and stress management    ➤Problem-Solving • Practice structured problem-solving methods • Develop your analytical and critical thinking skills • Collaborate with others to gain different perspectives PS: Soft skills are just that: skills. We all start somewhere, and with intentional practice, we get better.

Hard skills get you interviews. Soft skills get you hired. 92% of hiring teams want soft skills ≥ hard skills (Deloitte) This is more true than ever as AI enters the hiring process: ↳ AI analyzes your video interview ↳ AI interprets your answers to application questions ↳ AI reads your resume But employers know that: 💜 AI can't match human empathy 👋 AI can't match human emotional intelligence 🧠 AI can't match human discernment/critical thinking So it's critical you show what it would be like to work with you through the interview process. Here are soft skills that matter most  ⬇️ (and how to prove you have them in an interview) 1. Strategic Communication ↳ Effective in-person and digital communication ↳ Handles sensitive conversations with grace Proof: ↳Tell a story about a difficult conversation you handled well. 2. Agility ↳ Embraces change (even when it's uncomfortable) ↳ Quick to learn new tools and approaches Proof: ↳Share a time when you managed the unexpected. 3. Emotional Intelligence ↳ Reads the room (virtual or physical) ↳ Navigates workplace dynamics well Proof: ↳Share examples of teamwork in your answers. 4. Critical Thinking ↳ Makes smart judgment calls ↳ Evaluates AI output with discernment Proof: ↳Discuss a difficult decision you made. 5. Integrity ↳ Builds trust through transparency ↳ Does what's right, not what's easy Proof: ↳Talk about a time you did the right thing. 6. Influence ↳ Inspires others to follow your lead ↳ Speaks up and speaks out when needed Proof: ↳Share when you found a mistake and spoke up. 7. Cross-Cultural Fluency ↳ Works effectively across time zones and cultures ↳ Respects diverse perspectives Proof: ↳Show you are comfortable with different opinions & people. 8. Digital Collaboration ↳ Handles hybrid team dynamics ↳ Builds relationships across screens Proof: ↳Have examples of when you worked virtually 9. Time Mastery ↳ Manages asynchronous work ↳ Knows how to prioritize Proof: ↳Talk about your calendar management process. 10. Resilience ↳ Bounces back from setbacks ↳ Stays calm under pressure Proof: ↳Discuss how you keep your cool when faced with a challenge. 11. Networking ↳ Builds authentic relationships ↳ Connects with key stakeholders Proof: ↳Show ability to be at ease with yourself in new situations 💡The good news? These skills can be learned!💡 Which skill do you think is most crucial? Share your thoughts below! 👇 ♻ Repost to help your network learn career-advancing skills! ➕ Follow Sarah Baker Andrus for more like this.

7 Soft Skills You Need to Get Ahead in 2025 (Especially in a world full of AI and Automation): Everyone’s racing to automate everything. And that’s great — you should. But AI creates a new kind of gap: A human gap. The more we automate the technical… The more valuable the human becomes. These are the skills that won’t be replaced. They’ll become the reason people hire you. 1) Anticipating what people need The best people don’t wait for instructions. They ask the right questions early, spot the gaps, and come prepared. That kind of foresight makes clients and customers feel taken care of. 2) Challenging outdated thinking Yes-men are forgettable. People trust experts who have opinions — even if they push back. If you’ve done this long enough, you’ve earned the right to say, “There’s a better way.” 3) The ability to connect AI can handle logistics. But people still buy from people they like. Relating to others — knowing when to joke, when to slow down, when to empathize — that’s a cheat code. 4) Communicating clearly Most people over-explain. Great communicators simplify complexity, eliminate jargon, and get to the point. Especially when stakes are high. 5) Active listening The smartest person in the room doesn’t talk the most — they listen the best. People don’t want to be sold. They want to feel heard. That starts with shutting up and paying attention. 6) Taking initiative If you have to be told what to do all the time, you're replaceable. If you take ownership, solve problems, and move fast — you become invaluable. Initiative is the new leadership. 7) Emotional intelligence It’s not just what you say — it’s when and how. Knowing when to push, when to pause, and when to check in… That’s what makes you a trusted advisor instead of just another vendor. You can outsource tasks. You can automate systems. But soft skills? They re the reason why people want to work with you again. Thanks for reading. Enjoyed this post? Subscribe to my newsletter — I share practical ways to combine smart systems with human connection. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gBukTtJN

All that matters is these 5 skills After spending decades in the corporate world and coaching hundreds of executives, I can tell you this: success, in both life and career, boils down to only one thing; your communication. You may have all the degrees, certifications, and technical knowledge, but if you cannot communicate effectively, none of that will matter. Communication is the bridge between ideas and action, between vision and execution. But communication is not a standalone skill. It is enhanced by four critical supplementary skills: 1. Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence allows communicators to read and respond to the emotions of others, tailoring their message to resonate emotionally and intellectually. It helps in building rapport, trust, and understanding. 2. Strategic Thinking: Strategic thinkers communicate with clarity and purpose, ensuring their messages align with broader goals and long-term objectives. This foresight helps in making communication concise, relevant, and impactful. 3. Storytelling: Storytelling adds relatability and memorability to communication. It helps convey complex ideas in a simple and engaging way, making the message stick and creating emotional connections. 4. Influence: Influence in communication ensures that your message not only reaches the audience but also moves them to action. It involves framing your communication in a way that aligns with the audience’s values and motivations. These are the skills that make leaders stand out and propel careers forward. You won’t master these skills in isolation, however. Books and courses may give you a theoretical understanding, but the real mastery comes from interacting with people who excel in these areas. It’s about learning through engagement, conversation, and mentorship. If you want to improve, you need to be surrounded by people who challenge and inspire you. Leaders with extraordinary success in both career and life tend to have vast, dynamic networks. They keep their networks alive through continuous communication, and they actively seek out new connections to broaden their perspectives. In logistics, there's a term called “last-mile delivery”. It’s the final step in the delivery process where the product reaches the customer. It doesn't matter how much effort went into production and logistics; if the last mile fails, the entire process is wasted. Communication is your "last-mile delivery." No matter how talented or knowledgeable you are, if you can't deliver your message effectively, everything else falls flat. P.S. Join me this Friday at 7pm Dubai on LinkedIn Event for a talk on 'Managing Your Career' where I will reveal how to reach and connect with amazing people who can become part of your close network. #CFO #Communication #StrategicThinking #Storytelling #Influence #EmotionalIntelligence