Here’s One Skill You Need to Master to Remain Competitive

  • Author: Tim Sanders
Reading time: 3 min
  • Word Count: 449
Read the news article

The old saying, “What got you here won’t get you there,” applies to your professional life today with One Skill You Need. The world is quickly changing as well as the competitive landscape. Whether you are running a business or trying to increase your career equity, ramping up One Skill You Need set is important.

If there is One Skill You Need that stands out as a game-changer, it’s the ability to effectively communicate with people from a distance. It leads to more collaboration, better expectation management and an improved ability to lead others to outperform on projects.

For most of my life, I’ve heard that there’s nothing like face-to-face communications for connecting with others and managing relationships. But it’s harder than ever to make every interaction in-person. So, we rely on the phone and more recently, email and text. While those are convenient to use, they pale in comparison to video conferencing when it comes to high quality conversations that produce results and connections.

Here’s One Skill You Need to Master to Remain Competitive

A few years ago, I decided to invest in video conferencing by creating an area in my office with a backdrop and a lighting set and a high-quality webcam. I settled on Zoom as my platform of choice and then started to offer clients and business associates the option of doing video instead of a call or an endless email thread. Within a dozen sessions, I started to get the hang of screen sharing, which really improved my ability to collaborate with others and visually communicate difficult concepts. Today, I’m almost 100% video communications based, only doing the rare conference call.

There are many benefits to video communications. Stanford researchers found that when we conduct video conferences, we achieve neural synchronization with others, just like we do in-person. This allows us to be more candid, create mutual liking faster and get more done with less time. The other big plus is that you have more focused conversations, because video requires us to single-task unlike conference calls, email or smartphone conversations.

As a consultant, I’ve helped entire companies move their sales, service and supplier communications over to video, and it’s made a huge difference to their bottom line. It also gives them a competitive advantage over rivals who stay stuck in audio or typed out conversations as One Skill You Need.

Here are a few data points from our research that demonstrate the gains from video VS phone/email:

30% increase in value from suppliers
50% increase in closing ratio for high quality deals
25% decrease in remote employee attrition

Contact us at Speakers Inc and follow us on Twitter

Was this article helpful?

Further articles you may enjoy:

  • (3)

    The Status Quo of Crisis Preparedness Puts You at a Disadvantage—and It’s Time For That To Change. Over the last couple of years, I’ve found myself increasingly frustrated with my industry, the crisis management profession. To put my frustration simply, the status quo of crisis preparedness and crisis management no longer suffices and, as a […]

    • January 18, 2023
    • (35)

      Inspiring Leadership: A Deep Dive into the Top Military Speakers in North America Top Military Speakers possess a unique ability to captivate audiences with their stories of leadership, resilience, and dedication to a greater cause. In North America, a diverse array of military leaders, veterans, and experts take the stage to share their insights, experiences, […]

      • February 1, 2024
      • (7)

        The power to Tap into Emotion is something that has a universal appeal and can breathe life into simple cold facts. Have you ever pitched something you knew was great, only to have it shot down? Of course you have. We all have. And though the rejection might be devastating in the moment, there’s a […]

        • December 14, 2022
        • (13)

          Speakers Inc. Now Offering Blinkist Speaker Books Through Their Website Marketplace In an era where the consumption of information is rapidly evolving, staying informed and continuously learning has never been more critical. Speakers Inc., a leading speaker bureau with over 25 years of experience in the industry, has always been at the forefront of connecting […]

          • June 13, 2024
          • (21)

            The Power of Booking Top Keynote Conference Speakers in Phoenix, Arizona Introduction: Phoenix, Arizona, a city known for its dynamic atmosphere and growing business landscape, has become a prime destination for conferences and events. In the realm of successful conferences, the choice of keynote speakers plays a pivotal role. This article delves into the reasons […]

            • January 19, 2024
            • (39)

              Welcome to the Dunder Mifflin Leadership Wisdom, where we draw inspiration from the legendary antics of The Office’s Michael Scott, Jim Halpert, and even Dwight Schrute. While the show may be known for its hilarious mishaps and quirky characters, there’s an underlying theme that every leader can learn from: the importance of motivating your staff. […]

              • September 20, 2023
              • (5)

                Celebrating Pride 2024 season is upon us once again, a time of celebration, reflection, and advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. As we embark on Celebrating Pride 2024, we are reminded of the progress we’ve made and the challenges that lie ahead. This year’s festivities promise to be especially memorable, with a lineup […]

                • June 4, 2024
                • (9)

                  Duane Rockwell: The Ideal Atlanta Wedding Emcee and DJ When planning a wedding, one of the most crucial decisions you’ll make is selecting the right Atlanta Wedding Emcee and DJ. The individual you choose will set the tone for your celebration, ensuring everything runs smoothly and that your guests are entertained from start to finish. […]

                  • June 19, 2024

                  Speakers Inc.

                  Connecting you with the perfect speaker.

                  We connect you with world-class speakers to create impactful, memorable events.

                  Find the Perfect Speaker

                  Tell us about your event and we’ll match you with the right speaker.

                  © All rights reserved 2026.  Designed using Voxel

                  AI Assistant
                  Speakers Inc Logo 2024
                  Privacy Overview

                  This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.