



Here is a list of 7 essential professional skills that will help you shape up your professional career:





Know your stuff





- Ask 5 Whys to get to the root of the problem

- Understand well enough to explain

- Know and trust the facts, don't speculate

- Don't believe in too much theory or fluffy stuff

- Know what your stakeholder cares about

- Don't wait for an escalation, be proactive, take decisions

- Understand the bigger picture and the details too





Care about your work





- Take ownership of your work

- Make things happen, don't wait for things to happen to you

- Develop a "can do" attitude

- Remember Quality is important than Quantity

- Show up on time and speak up

- Internalize feedback and don't quit

- Don't wait to be told





Learn to Articulate





- When talking to business talk in business language, when talking to IT talk in IT language

- Less is more, be crisp and clear

- Know the audience, tailor your message accordingly

- Learn how to get to the point

- Visualize the complex

- Get to the point





Accelerate with confidence





- Develop a sense of urgency

- Do not allow yourself to be stuck

- Now is better than later

- Do not slow down others

- Identify and remove roadblocks

- Don't wait for permission





Influence your work





- Identify the impact of not doing the right things

- Hold the ground

- Assess win-win, win-lose, lose-win situation upfront

- Challenge the "matter/ issue/ problem' even if not popular

- Make a point





Drive and focus





- Bring people together

- Don't limit yourself

- Breakdown problem, inspire action

- Ask for help and escalate in a timely manner

- Believe in creative problem solving





Be flexible





- Be an active listener and incorporate feedback

- Learn to make adjustments in a timely manner

- Always have a plan B/ backup plan

- Think on your feet

- Be persistent to make decision

- Find multiple ways to solve the same problem





Hope you find this list of professional skills helpful. On a closing note I would like to share a best selling book that you should definitely read. If you are interested in getting better at setting goals you may want to read this

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