Career Expert Shares The One Skill Great Employees Develop To Succeed At Work

There are a variety of skills that help employees succeed in their jobs. Attention to detail, emotional intelligence, time management, and adaptability are among the traits that the most skilled workers possess. 

However, according to a career expert, there is one crucial skill that is more important than all the rest. 

The career expert claimed that to succeed at work and in life, you must have strong communication skills.

Rich Waller, a career coach and project manager at Don Whitley Scientific LTD, explained in a TikTok why strong communication is vital. Calling communication “the most important skill people can develop,” Waller said that it helps people to connect with one another and move forward at their jobs and in life. 

“To get anything done, to get anywhere, requires communicating your way from point A to point B,” he explained. 

RELATED: A New Study Reveals Just How Much Return-To-Office Mandates Are Costing Workers: A Month's Worth Of Groceries

Waller shared that one of the most notable things he picked up while interviewing industry leaders was their communication skills. “They communicated their way to the top,” he said. 

Communication skills are vital to a successful career. If you take a look at most job postings, you will notice that one of the qualifications includes “strong communication skills,” “effective communication skills,” or something along those lines. 

When you think about it, strong communication skills are the foundation of a productive workforce. Often in a job, you must collaborate with multiple colleagues, and the ability to directly and assertively communicate certainly helps. This communication enables individuals to share ideas, provide feedback, and work together toward common goals.

Photo: Ground Picture / Shutterstock

Strong communication also helps when interacting with clients and customers, which is often what keeps a business running. You are better able to understand their needs, address concerns, and provide excellent service so they will work with you again in the future. 

RELATED: Worker Shares The 11 ‘Problematic’ Things She Did To Get Ahead In Her Career That Have Nothing To Do With Actual Work

Communication also helps with problem-solving when conflicts inevitably arise. Whether it’s a time management issue or a disagreement about marketing, communication skills allow employees to resolve disputes constructively by expressing their perspectives, listening to others, and finding mutually beneficial solutions. 

Photo: fizkes / Shutterstock

You may notice that not only do we utilize effective communication at work, but also in everyday life. We communicate with our romantic partners, our restaurant servers, our doctors, and almost everyone else we come in contact with. 

Clearly, the old adage “communication is key” is entirely correct. Communication fosters relationships, allows you to express your needs and desires, and helps you navigate social situations. 

Whether it is at work or in your personal life, the importance and value of strong communication skills can not be understated. 

RELATED: Worker Reveals How She Was Promoted 7 Times Despite Knowing Nothing About The Job, Doing The Bare Minimum & Being Completely ‘Incompetent’

Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.