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Hi there, and welcome to Wall Street’s “Two-Minute English”.
When we are in the workplace or looking for work, there are a few key skills we could all learn to have that will to help us remain competitive and stand out. We’ll be looking at a few of these today.
Let’s start with communication skills. It sounds like a very simple thing, but to be able to communicate well is so important. So what makes someone good at communicating? Here some things we can all learn to do: (1) speak articulately. This means speaking slowly and clearly enough so that the person understands what you are saying. Speak loud enough so people can hear you but don’t speak so loudly in case you come across as someone shouting. Maintain eye contact and smile and show interest. Use gestures and body language to communicate what you want to say. Keep it interesting. Most importantly, ask the person at the end if they understand what you have communicated.
Next, let’s move on to problem-solving skills. Many times, people are too busy to look after you at work, especially if you are new to a job. Remember, people are not ignoring you, but it’s just that everyone is so preoccupied with what they’re doing that they might not see that you need help. If you don’t know what to do or what you should be doing, ask. Ask your colleague. Ask your supervisor. Take initiative to ask. If you have already finished a task, ask again what you should do. If possible, when doing a task, try to figure it out on your own – use the internet if it helps – before asking.
Finally, management skills. For people in management, you need to know how to lead and inspire people. This means they need to trust you and believe in your vision for the team or company. Are you able to coach your team and develop them to perform well, or do you only criticise and order people to work? You need to be fair and stand up for your team when clients or those above you attack them. You need to make your team feel safe and secure.
Well, that’s all for this week’s “Two-Minute English”. Bye-bye.
