A Rare (Learned) Talent That Can Benefit You As An Entrepreneur I can start this edition by saying that I have seen this talent, this special something, in people from all walks of life. Being able to rise up to the occasion is, often, what sets the winners apart from the losers.

By Fida Chaaban

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

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I can start this edition by saying that I have seen this talent, this special something, in people from all walks of life. Being able to rise up to the occasion is, often, what sets the winners apart from the losers. Rising to the occasion isn't a quality that defies definition, in my opinion, it's actually quite simple.

It's being able to smile and jest when necessary, but it's also about being firm and maybe even a bit stubborn when you need to make your point. It's about admitting with grace when you stand corrected, and it's also about having a grand enough presence to hold people's attention. You all know someone like this, you've all encountered people who seem to have a captivating way about them. That magnetic energy, that pull, is a skill that you can learn with sincerity. Once you learn it (sincerely) and you've adopted it the way you might adopt a good physical habit (like sitting up straight), you can then apply it to your work. this month, I was prompted to write this by seeing one of these rare and regal people in action. This person isn't regal by title, but rather regal by bearing. And that is worth so much more. Special people often know intrinsically that they are special- and it doesn't mean that they were born with it, it means that they saw a glimmer of possibility in themselves that they worked on and that they cultivated.

So work on it, cultivate it, and finally, at the very least try to rise to the occasion. The more you apply new skills, the more they appear to others as your inherent talents.Remember, it isn't just about being charming (although admittedly that does have a great deal to do with it), it's about being able to stand up straight, square your shoulders, look someone in the eye, and then get it done. I'm breaking my own rules here by bolding text, but that's the essential point. To get it done, you need to rise to the occasion, every single time. It's tough, I won't say it isn't. But it's worth a try.

Fida Chaaban

Chief Communications Officer, KBW Investments

Fida Chaaban is the Chief Communications Officer of KBW Investments, a privately held Dubai-based investment concern that works across multiple sectors. Prior to her most recent appointment, Fida was the founding Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur Middle East and Entrepreneur Qatar magazines. She is a big believer in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region’s startup ecosystem, and endeavors to use both print and web to positively encourage development in various entrepreneurial spaces and across industries. Based in Dubai, UAE, Fida is a social media enthusiast and sees it as the medium of today’s effective enterprises.
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