“You can improve your value by 50 percent just by learning communication skills – public speaking,” said Warren Buffet, one of the wealthiest persons in the world.
Thus, if you are earning P10,000, by enhancing your communication skills, you increase your earning potential by P5,000 more – giving you a total earning of P15,000 in this case. This is just one of the benefits you can gain when you hone your communication and public speaking skills.
In an interview, Mr. Buffet said that he first enrolled in a public speaking class but he dropped out even before it started. Later on, realizing its importance, he enrolled again and went on to improve his communication and public speaking skills. He once told BBC, “I was terrified of public speaking in high school and college. I couldn’t do it… I don’t have my diploma from college or from graduate school, but I have my Dale Carnegie diploma there (in my office) because it changed my life.”
This has also been shared by many successful people. Research from decades ago up to more recent ones say the same. According to a survey conducted in 1988 by D. B. Curtis presented at the Annual Meeting of Speech Communication Association, “the most valued skills in the contemporary job market are communication skills.” In a Harvard Business Review article by Rebecca Knight, she cites Dorie Clark, author of Entrepreneurial You, “Having influence in the workplace has clear value. You get more done and you advance the projects you care about and are responsible for… You’re more likely to be noticed, get promoted, and receive raises.”
This is not just for employees. It is true for entrepreneurs, too. A study published by the American Journal of Small Business titled ‘Perception of Entrepreneurial Success Characteristics’ revealed that the top-ranked characteristics among successful entrepreneurs are communication and listening. Small business owners were asked in this study but even big businessmen seem to agree. Billionaire Richard Branson emphasizes on the importance of communication skills. In a Virgin blog post, he said, “Today, if you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, you also have to be a storyteller… It is not enough to create a great product; you also have to work out how to let people know about it.”
The evidence seem to be conclusive. Communication skills cannot be ignored.
Communication skills have been my personal magic tool, too. I was new to the company then and had no idea of the industry it operates in. I had the technical accounting skills but I had to learn fast the business environment in my new job. But with the nature of my job, armed with basic communication skills, I navigated and sailed through the corporate turbulence – coordinating with different personnel across departments, getting them in one table to discuss plans and programs, presenting issues and needed resolutions, plus more… this on top of my technical tasks as an accountant and analyst.
I cannot discount the fact that my continuous enhancement of my communication skills was a big factor in my job performance enabling me to be promoted twice in that company in a span of three years. In an informal lunch meeting, the CFO mentioned how I adjusted and coped easily despite being new in the company and in the industry. Thanks to my training in communication and public speaking.
Are you an employee or entrepreneur seeking to increase your value and earning potential? Are you a newbie in a company aiming to launch your career? Are you a young mind aspiring to make a difference? Do not ignore this fundamental element! Enhance your communication skills and get ready to see the results coming your way.
(Chris Dao-anis, CPA, DTM is a coach, speaker and trainer on public speaking and personal development. His latest book ‘Living Large in the Little Things’ is available at Mt. Cloud Bookshop, Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road, Baguio City. For talks and trainings, email him at info@chrisdaoanis.com or visit www.chrisdaoanis.com. Like his page at www.fb.com/chrisdaoanis.)
