Adapted from the article, "Aspiring Managers: Learn to Behave Like Adults" by Steve Tobak.
Become adept at 5 things: finance, selling, presenting, negotiating, and business communications.
1. Finance. I don’t care if you manage engineering, human resources, technology, sales, grass-cutting, or laundry-pressing, whatever, you need to learn about finance, handling money - making it and spending it. Why? Because that’s how companies are run and how business works. Period. Fail to learn this boys and any business you start will fail within a matter of months...guaranteed.
2. Selling. To sell your own ideas, products and plans to people to you know you have to learn how to open doors, help friends and potential customers and other business friends to make informed decisions, and close deals and make money.
3. Presenting. It’s hard to imagine your career or business going anywhere unless you can deliver an effective presentation. Unfortunately, most of us aren’t born with the presentation gene. Do whatever you've got to do to teach yourself the trade of public communication. I promise it pays off in the end.
4. Negotiating. Negotiation skills are critical to resolving conflicts, getting agreement among friends and business associates, and other key contacts in your business. Make sure, however, that you are negotiating with them in mind, more than yourself, according to the gospel-driven principles found in Philippians 2:3-4.
5. Communicating. Great managers are also great communicators; it’s a critical success skill. Unfortunately, they don’t teach you about business communications in school. Learn it well, including verbal and nonverbal skills, body language, eye contact and movement, etc.