Developing Business Skills: ICT, Time Management, Problem Solving - Essay Sample

Business Practice Explored

Business practices are how individuals and companies attempt to conduct their operations most effectively. For instance, one of the business practices that may be adopted by a company includes setting rules that help protect the environment as well as ensures that employees are efficient at work. The paper focuses on demonstrating knowledge and understanding in a defined range of skills that are required to work in business practices and academics, along with self-awareness of my capabilities. Besides, the paper aims at providing a creative and sound solution to a predictable business context that requires the use of specified techniques as well as information sources. Also, the paper is a personal reflection that helps to audit my fitness in the business environment, abilities, and skills as well as my plans for improvement. Some of the skills that I have acquired include communication skills, teamwork, interpersonal skills, numeracy skills, time management, and problem-solving, as well as information and communication skills.

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Communication Skills

Communication skills include the abilities used when giving and receiving different kinds of information and involve both written and oral communications. The communication skills that I have learned and developed as well as using essential communications skills that have enabled me to work in both business and academic contexts. My strengths in oral communications have helped me to propel in the business environment since I can communicate with various clients and thus enabling me to thrive in business. Among the communication skills that I have learned that have been essential in both commercial and academic contexts include active listening, authenticity, body language, emotional intelligence, mirroring, articulation, and tone of voice as well as asking questions. Having practical communication skills have enabled me to succeed in academics since the skills have helped me to listen and understand the point of view of lecturers in the class. After listening to the lecturers, I can ask better questions with confidence, thus enabling me to gain more knowledge. Being able to communicate effectively with secure verbal and non-verbal communications has also helped me to pass the various projects in school.

In the business context, effective communication skills have enabled me to plan, organize, and manage as well as innovating and managing various marketing aspects of businesses. Besides, the communication skills acquired in the course have helped me to market and promote businesses as well as building and inspiring people to work towards specific organizational goals and objectives. By developing excellent communication skills, I can pay attention to other individual's ideas and able to communicate my thoughts and opinion effectively. Excellent communication skills within the business environment and at the workplace has enabled me to mitigate conflicts effectively and has also played an important factor in enhancing client relationships, team effectiveness, employee engagement as well as the profitability of the business. By demonstrating excellent communication skills, I have been able to help in the smooth running of the company and improving my bottom line. Besides, customers can return for business professionals, and employees ready to work with high efficiency. However, some of the areas that I intend to improve on include public speaking and presentation, where I can speak to a large group of people such as customers and suppliers. Among the communication theory that I intend to apply in business include accommodation theory that describes how and when individuals should change or adjust their styles of communications to other people.

Team Working Skills

Team working skills that I have learned in the course has had a significant impact on my knowledge, business environment, and abilities in various ways. For instance, I can give a clear direction to my teammates, support risk-taking and change, communicate freely as well as opening up dishonest communications among my peers. For instance, through teamwork, I have been able to pass acquire a lot of knowledge from my colleagues in school.

Teamwork skills that I have developed have helped me to create a system in businesses that ensures deadlines are met as well as high-quality work. Teamwork skills help me in business to divide work up among members of a team, thus making it be done faster and better, and business operations can, therefore, be made more efficiently. Moreover, teamwork in businesses has helped me in building the morale of my teammates, and therefore, they are able to be more productive at work. Also, through good relationships with investors, suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders, I am able to ensure smooth operations of the business. Teamwork helps in achieving efficiency and productivity. Besides, by exhibiting strong teamwork spirit when serving customers, a sense of purpose is created among the team members and thus become interested in their work. However, some of the instances in which I plan to improve on include better relationships and working together with owners of a business.

Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills are behaviors and tactics individuals use to interact with other people in a more effective manner. In the business context, interpersonal skills have helped me to work well with others since they involve communication and listening to attitude and deportment. Some of the interpersonal skills that I have acquired include leadership, active listening, motivation, dependability, patience, and flexibility. Interpersonal skills have enabled me to have the ability to interact with people through effective listening and communication. The skills have assisted me in acquiring knowledge while in school and helped me to connect with my lecturers and peers and thus to benefit from their personality development too. Interpersonal skills acquired within the learning have contributed to my ability to speak in public and being able to compose myself in a conversation. Within the business context, I am able to practice interpersonal skills in various ways, such as being respectful to others, exercising self-awareness, being a clear communicator, as well as showing empathy and understanding. However, some of the aspects that I need to improve on regarding interpersonal skills include controlling my emotions, acknowledging other people's expertise, and being assertive.

Numeracy Skills

Numeracy skills involve the ability of an individual to reason and apply simple numerical concepts. Some of the numerical skills that I have gained within the course include fundamental understanding arithmetic like addition, division, and subtraction. Numeracy skills have enabled me to develop logical thinking and reasoning strategies in daily operations. The ability to understand complex arithmetic at school helped me to pass my exams within the course. Some of the areas that I require to improve on include solving complex sums in business.

Information and Communications (ICT) Skills

Some of the information and communications skills that I learned within the course include email management and setup, online collaboration, online research, desktop publishing, and social media management. ICT skills have been essential, especially in the business context. For example, skills in social media management have helped me in reaching more customers through comprehensive advertisements. Also, online research skills and management of social media have helped me to better serve clients through reviewing customer complaints on social media. Skills in ICT have enabled me to meet daily operational tasks within businesses and establishing a secure and hassle-free communication flow. ICT skills have played an essential role in my ability to work efficiently in business especially on the marketing aspect because there are many ways to spread the word of the company, conducting market research, and setting up meetings. Also, skills in ICT have enabled me to work efficiently and perform well in school. For instance, by using analytical skills and the ability to conduct comprehensive research for my course, I have been able to succeed within the course. Some of the areas that I need to improve on include the use of systems such as excel and powerpoint presentations.

Time Management

The time management skills that I have acquired within the course include organization, prioritizing, strategic planning, and delegation. By acquiring time management skills, I am able to schedule business meetings at the right times as well as I am able to determine the right time to perform certain functions such as marketing or recruitment. The time management skills that I have learned throughout the course have helped me to develop techniques that help to improve my productivity within the business context. Throughout my course, time management helped me to prioritize tasks as well as accurately judging the amount of time that is needed to complete a particular task. Some of the theories that I am able to implement to help in proper time management include goal-setting theory as well as the bucket of rocks theory that explains that for an individual to efficiently manage time, they need to acknowledge the level of importance on each activity that he/she plans to undertake.

Problem-Solving Skills

Some of the ways in which I have learned how to solve problems in both academics and business contexts effectively include brainstorming, defining goals, assessing alternatives, researching skills, and risk management. Problem-solving skills that I have developed, such as decision making has enabled me to make appropriate decisions, especially in difficult situations.

Creative and soundly based solutions to predictable business contexts involve the use of various information sources and techniques such as the use of skills learned throughout the course, like effective communication skills and teamwork spirit. Besides, the solution may also involve conducting comprehensive research to identify gaps and methods that business leaders can apply to enhance efficient operations.

Conclusion

The communication skills that I have learned and developed as well as using essential communications skills that have enabled me to work in both business and academic contexts. In the business context, effective communication skills have enabled me to plan, organize, and manage as well as innovating and managing various marketing aspects of businesses. The time management skills that I have acquired within the course include organization, prioritizing, strategic planning, and delegation. In the business context, interpersonal skills have helped me to work well with others since they involve communication and listening to attitude and deportment.