It would be a massive understatement to say that 2020 has been a year to remember for all the wrong reasons.
And while health is always the number one priority by far, the pandemic has had a massive effect on business, meaning that in order for your enterprise to survive (and perhaps later thrive), the dawn of the new year is an excellent time to develop those skills which can make you more attractive to clients and differentiate yourself from the competition.
With that in mind, here are five ways to upskill in 2021.
1. Digital skills
If you’re one of the millions of businesses focusing more on your digital presence than physical operations, enhancing your digital skills means that you’ll need to rely less on paying specialist agencies and become more self-sufficient.
If this sounds savvy, the Google Analytics Academy has lots of free courses which ensure that your website is perforning well and connecting with the right audience.
2. Writing
One skill that most of us could do with improving across every business sector is writing. Being able to express yourself clearly and concisely benefits every businessperson and inspires trust in clients.
Reading widely can help hone your writing, but online tools like the Hemingway editor are a huge help too!
3. Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence is another seriously underrated skill and in the current environment it’s vital that anyone with line management responsibilities integrates this into their suite of leadership skills ASAP.
Sounds good? The School of Life has a great range of emotional skills for business courses delivered via Zoom.
4. Mental health
If you’re not doing so already, 2021 is the year when you should definitely prioritise your mental health (and that of those you work with).
With working from home set to continue well into 2021 and permanently for some businesses, bosses in particular should be careful that they’re adapting their leadership style so that trust trumps autocracy, monitoring and unrealistic demands. Company culture is under the microscope right now, so be sure yours is geared to health, wellbeing and mutual respect.
5. Languages
In an age where many of us are doing business across borders online and elsewhere, being bilingual or miltilingual can be a massive benefit when you’re trying to break into new markets and rapidly establish trust and respect with potential clients, collaborators and investors.
Free language apps are available, but when want to make sure that nothing gets lost in translation, a service like Teachers To Your Home can deliver online language lessons with fully qualified teachers.
Take these five self-improvement tips on board and you’ll be in tip-top shape for navigating the uncertain waters of 2021 and sailing towards success – with determination, diligence and a dose of good fortune, next year will be more positive!
What are your tips for upskilling in 2021? Share them in the comments section!
