I think I shocked the participants of the high-potential leader program I was leading this week. “Rob, what is the most important Business Acumen Skill we will need going into 2022?” was the question in the virtual classroom. I am sure they were thinking I would answer something related to strategy, competitive analysis, or ways to drive increased shareholder value.

My answer, better Forecasting skills, isn’t as sexy but in actuality contains all of the above in the impact it makes. You can only execute your strategy, understand your competition, and make the best decisions to drive shareholder value if you are forecasting well and effectively.