Key Skills You Probably Weren’t Born With

What’s the Latest Development?

Martin Zwilling says many people believe that good entrepreneurs are simply naturally born, not the product of training or experience. But, drawing from an interview with Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines and other executives, he thinks there are also at least seven key skills that are not innate and should be cultivated.

What’s the Big Idea?

These skills to hone are: 1. ability to set priorities and focus on goals, 2. ability to identify important issues, 3. conviction to be a passionate advocate, 4. broad knowledge and experience, 5. active listening skills, 6. sound judgment, 7. pleasant skepticism. What they have in common is they are critical for team building. “To succeed, the entrepreneur must see and articulate a vision in order to attract and motivate a team, then be able to identify the key issues, challenge the views held within the team, and make judgments from among the varying perspectives in the team.”