Critical Capabilities
To be successful in business, there are certain capabilities you need to master in order to reach your potential...regardless of the area of business you get into. Unfortunately, many of these critical capabilities aren't traditionally taught in school, but rather learned on the job or through experience.
Recognizing that most student athletes and pro athletes usually don't have the opportunities to build them while playing, we wanted to provide them here to help get you started. Watching these videos won't make you an expert, but they will give you tools and ways of thinking that you can use, practice, and refine over time.
Networking
Strategic Networking
Networking is one of the most important capabilities you'll need to develop to reach your potential in business. Elizabeth Chevry and Ariane Centrella from NBCUniversal's talent acquisition team break down how to approach networking for best results.
How to Network Naturally
Networking seems unnatural at times, but it's really just building relationships. If you feel robotic or slimy doing it, you're doing it wrong. Best-selling author and business school professor, David Burkus, explains how to network naturally.
Networking for Current Athletes
Active athletes have two incredible advantages when it comes to networking: (1) there are a bunch of people around that already know you, and (2) people love athletes and they want to build relationships with you. Big Brotha Bel of Hoop Laude explains how to leverage your opportunities to network effectively.
LinkedIn Networking: How to Build Your Profile
Not only is LinkedIn THE social network tool for business, it makes networking so much easier. The platform allows you to digitally communicate your professional brand to broaden/deepen your network and advance your career. It all starts with a strong profile. Content strategist, Reni Odetoyinbo, explains how to build an effective profile that works -- particularly for job hunting.
LinkedIn Networking: How to Engage
To get the most out of LinkedIn's networking capabilities, you have to engage on the platform. Career coach, Cass Thompson, takes you through the right way to use LinkedIn to build the relationships you need to succeed in business.
Communications
Receiving Feedback Constructively
Feedback is one of the most vital assets for a businessperson, but it's often one of the toughest things to get. How you receive and use that feedback will likely determine your success or failure in business. Negotiations expert and Harvard Law School lecturer, Sheila Heen, explains how to receive it in the healthiest way.
Communicating Strategically
You already know the importance of communicating effectively. As you move into the business world, however, you'll also have to communicate strategically to get people to behave in ways that meet your objectives (e.g., convincing a company to hire you as a brand ambassador or orchestrating a business deal of some sort). Keisha Brewer, a communications expert, explains how.
Decision-making and Problem Solving
Three Keys to Making Better Decisions
Life is a series of decisions. The better your decisions, the better your life will be. The same is true in business. Matthew Confer, a leadership development executive, explains three keys to making better decisions more often. than not.
Approaching Problem-Solving Effectively
Being able to effectively solve problems is an essential capability in business (really, in every profession). Once you're clear on the actual problem, you must approach solving it in the right way to be successful. In this entertaining video, Collins Key explains the magic behind problem solving.