Key skills for facilitating personal and professional growth

The best leaders understand the significance of continuous education and personal growth – here are 20 skills from acclaimed business people to enhance your work and lives

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Forbes

Good leaders recognise that stagnation is the enemy of progress and they constantly seek opportunities to expand their knowledge and acquire new skills. Aspiring leaders, too, are encouraged to follow suit and identify areas for improvement that can enhance their work and personal lives.

Below, 20 Forbes Business Council members offer insight into what new skills can facilitate personal and professional growth and why now is the best time to learn.

Partnership Formation

I want to learn how to partner with policymakers in order to initiate change in our public health system. This post-pandemic economic downturn has forced millions of Americans into food insecurity, impacting everyone from low-income households to college graduates, the corporate workforce and even the elderly. Food insecurity is a major health crisis and now is the time to influence change. – Dilip Rao, Sharebite

Public Speaking

As an author and mom of four sons, I’ve always worked from home. Now that the boys are much older and my books are written, I’d like to break out more into public speaking and have more engagements outside my home office. – Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino, Compliance4, LLC

Secure Coding

I work in cybersecurity, so one new skill I want to learn is secure coding. It’s crucial right now due to the rising sophistication of cyberattacks. By mastering secure coding practices, I can develop robust software applications that minimise vulnerabilities and protect personal data. This skill is vital for contributing to a safer digital environment for both work and personal purposes. – Dexter Ng, Privacy Ninja Pte Ltd

An Understanding of Running A Successful Nonprofit

To me, it is critical to learn more about corporate giving and the structures that support it. The nonprofit sector is often overlooked from the standpoint of educational resources. I would like to see more information on how to run a successful nonprofit organisation. – Yana Nigen, Waste Reduction Art Project Inc.

Strategise Revenue Management

I want to get better at revenue management this year. With the state of the economy and a looming recession, we can all better navigate our business and personal finances if we are more strategic with revenue management. Focusing on streamlining operating expenses for efficiencies only takes you so far in the equation, but a keener focus on revenue can take you across the finish line. – Leslie Anne Morris, Invest in the Smoky Mountains

Building Investor Relationships

Building strong investor relationships is vital for CEOs. It fosters trust, transparency and access to capital. Effective communication and alignment with investor interests drive company success and stability. – Hadi Chaudhry, CareCloud Inc.

Burnout Prevention

I would love to learn how to avoid burnout. Addressing burnout is crucial due to increased stress levels and blurred work-life boundaries. With the added challenges and uncertainties of the last few years, burnout rates have risen. Prioritising self-care can safeguard your mental and physical well-being, maintain productivity and sustain your long-term success in both work and personal life. – Chelle Neff, Urban Betty

Active Listening

I yearn to master active listening. In this era, we’re flooded with data, yet we are often starved for genuine human connection. By honing this skill, I aspire to engage more deeply, comprehend complex issues better and make more empathetic decisions. In short, I aim to truly hear others and to create a world where everyone feels heard. – Gaurav Tewari, Omega Venture Partners

An Understanding Of The Emerging Digital Economy

The emerging digital economy and augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) capabilities are poised to impact business in the near to mid-term. As such, I am upskilling my knowledge of blockchain, the metaverse and AR/VR as they relate to healthcare and care delivery. Technology has the ability to extend reach and transform care delivery, but I need to first understand the concepts to properly leverage it. – Cindy Roark, Sage Dental

Data Visualisation And Storytelling Capabilities

I’m eager to learn data visualisation and storytelling. In this data-driven world, mastering these skills would enable me to effectively convey insights to my team and clients, leading to better decision making. With attention spans dwindling, presenting complex information visually and in an engaging way is crucial for driving impactful communication. – Markus Kreth, Asia Media Publishing Group

Critical Thinking

A classic skill that I always strive to get better at is critical thinking. With information explosion and AI technologies emerging, you don’t know what is real and what is fake. Critical thinking provides you with the skills to analyse and evaluate Information for what it really is. – Anjali Sharma, Narrative: The Business of Stories

Awareness

People work at different paces and have different potentials, meaning success cannot always be evaluated the same way. I am challenging myself to be more aware as a leader to determine where I can add the most impact to help myself and others grow. Change is constant and acknowledging it with a high level of kindness and empathy is critical in today’s world. – Muraly Srinarayanathas, Computek College

Golf

I would like to learn how to golf. As work dynamics continue to intensify, I’m finding that learning and having a real hobby is becoming increasingly important. Golf can blend work and social relationships, physical and mental well-being and the ability to quiet one’s mind from work. It’s probably a contrarian play at 60 years of age, but 2023 is the year! – Mike Sullivan, OneDigital

Risk Assessment And Planning

Risk assessment in decision making and strategic planning is significantly essential. I want to improve my risk assessment skills to confidently take more risks in growing my business and trying new ideas. The skill of risk assessment would help me to avoid analysis paralysis which freezes thoughts and prevents growth. The world is moving faster and changing daily, so risk is inevitable for growth. – Jennifer Coy, Beauty Care Choices

New Software Workflow Incorporation

I think it will be increasingly important for leaders to learn how to incorporate generative AI and large language model usage into their team’s work rhythm. It’s important to determine when and where it is appropriate to utilise software like ChatGPT, DALL-E 2, Bard, Studio Bot, GitHub Copilot and more. Prompt engineering to get the best outcomes is also a new skill set. Building AI muscles that strengthen, not weaken, workplaces is key now. – Cheryl Contee, The Impact Seat Foundation

SEO And Website Development

My small business is strictly online direct to consumers. I want to learn and improve my SEO and website development skills. In a world where online shopping is by far the most convenient, improving my skills in these areas is sure to stay in line with the consumer masses of online shopping. Therefore, my return on investment is almost a guaranteed win-win situation. – Jackie Nance-Sons, Native Wildflowers Nursery

Data Analytics

In today’s data-driven world, the ability to effectively analyse and interpret data can provide valuable insights and drive informed decision making across various aspects of work. Data analysis skills can help people identify patterns, trends and correlations. This will enable them to make more accurate predictions, optimise processes and identify areas for improvement. – Padmakumar Nair, Ennoventure Inc.

Design Thinking

One new skill that I am keen on learning to improve my work and life is the art of design thinking. It is a human-centred problem-solving approach that emphasises empathy, creativity and innovation. It promotes a mindset of continuous improvement, encourages experimentation and embraces failure as a valuable learning opportunity. – Nikita Sachdev, Luna PR

Mindfulness

One skill I want to learn is mindfulness. It enhances focus, reduces stress and fosters deeper connections. By practising mindfulness, I can be present, make better decisions and navigate challenges with clarity and resilience. Mastering mindfulness will bring balance, personal growth and fulfilment in a fast-paced world. – Johan Hajji, UpperKey

Sales Communication

I want to improve my sales communication. I love building relationships with my clients, but sometimes it can feel icky “selling.” We all understand that it takes more than having a good product; it requires the ability to build trust and rapport with clients while selling your product or service’s value. Being an effective communicator and being able to sell my services confidently is something I continually educate myself on. – Neha Naik, RecruitGyan