Strengthening your business skills requires working on both hard and soft skills. 

While hard skills deal with concrete, external abilities, soft skills are more intangible "people skills" that determine how we relate to others. Though harder to measure, soft skills are essential.

Cultivating your soft skills can help you better resolve conflicts, express yourself clearly in writing, and inspire others to do their best.

Read on to learn about the soft business skills essential to any business professional's repertoire.

Why are people skills important in business?

Professionals in all business careers need skills relating to communication, social cohesion, and maintaining mental focus.

If you enhance your people skills as a business professional, your career may benefit. Coworkers or employees may find you easier to:

• Understand
• Direct
• Follow
• Help
• Disagree with safely

In outward-facing roles, good people skills may help you land opportunities for your employer. Soft skills make it possible to reach compromises