Business skills are the agency interim batiment of a successful career. They include everything from effective communication and data analysis to decision-making and project management. These skills are critical for all types of jobs and industries, making them a key component of any professional’s career roadmap.

In a business setting, it’s not uncommon to be asked to solve complex problems or make decisions that impact multiple departments and individuals. To do this, it’s important to have the ability to think critically and take risks. In addition, it’s also important to have the capacity to manage ambiguity and uncertainty.

Achieving Success: The Importance of Functional Competence in the Workplace

Developing business skills helps professionals become more agile and adaptable to changing environments, which is increasingly common as workplaces continue to evolve and shift. In fact, 61% of businesses are now using a “skills-based approach” to organize work – unfreezing jobs by disaggregating them into their components and subtasks, then reassembling the pieces to fit newer technologies.

Functional skills are the abilities that support and complement a worker’s business skills, such as communication and negotiation, critical thinking, and organization. They help professionals be more valuable to their employers and allow them to achieve success in any role or industry.

For example, a business analyst needs to be proficient in the use of different data analytics tools, such as SQL and Excel, as well as visualization software like Tableau or Power BI. This allows them to create reports and dashboards that provide valuable insights to stakeholders. Additionally, it’s helpful for a business analyst to have knowledge of process modeling techniques and tools, like BPMN or Visio, which are used to map and analyze existing processes, identify inefficiencies, and propose improvements.