Top 10 Essential Leadership Skills
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Posted By: Nicole Rankine on November 15, 2021 Leadership is often a misunderstood word and can mean many things to many people. Some say a title makes you a leader, while others point to innate qualities or charismatic personalities. But the true measure of leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. It’s never been more challenging to be a leader than it is today. During these tough times, it’s important for every leader to have the proper skills that will help increase their influence with those they serve. Many of these skills are evergreen. For example, leaders will always need to be able to communicate well and delegate tasks. Take heart that your leadership skills will be valuable for a long time! Here are 10 essential leadership skills to help you recognize, develop, and refine the personal characteristics needed to be a truly effective leader, the kind people want to follow: 1. The ability to motivate others. Great leaders are great motivators. Think about how you motivate yourself. It’s not that much different to motivate someone else. 2. Communication skills. Leaders must be excellent communicators. This includes public speaking, addressing small groups, and one-on-one. Remember to practice good listening skills. Fortunately, educational materials abound and there are plenty of willing victims to practice your skills upon. 3. Delegation skills. You can’t do it all alone. Many high-achievers have trouble letting go and giving up control. You must be able to trust others and use them in the most effective way possible. It’s not enough to just delegate, you must delegate assignments to those who will excel in that particular task. 4. Create the proper culture. Leaders must create a culture that matches the industry and the employees. A Wall Street investment bank has a different culture than an elementary school or a pharmaceutical company. Even departments may have their own unique culture. 5. Adaptability. The challenges facing leaders change regularly. Industries change. Customers change. Economic conditions change. Technology is rapidly changing the way organizations do business. Leaders have to be able to evolve to meet the changing landscape. 6. Time management. Leaders are busy. There’s always more to do than there are hours in the day. Choosing the most important tasks and making the time to complete them is paramount. Time management skills are easily learned but don’t come naturally to many people. 7. Relationship management. Great leaders have strong relationships with their direct reports, hourly employees, executives, and customers. The stronger your relationships, the more you can accomplish. During great challenges, your relationships can make you or break you. 8. Change management. Leading an organization or department through change is a valuable skill to develop. As companies add technology and reduce workforces, change comes more rapidly. 9. Be a good follower. Leaders have to follow, too. Leaders that don’t follow are considered dictators. Once you inspire a team, they become largely self-sufficient. It is then your job to follow and provide occasional guidance. 10. Poise. Leaders face challenges. Poise is a necessary trait for a leader to possess. Without poise, small challenges become bigger, and employees lose faith. When you’re stressed and panicked, your employees are uncomfortable. Build your poise if you want to excel as a leader. Questions for Discussion or Reflection How do your skills measure up? Are you achieving everything you feel you can achieve? Do you think improving on any skills which may be deficient will help you become a better person and a better leader? Build your skills and your results will be enhanced. Even with all the big changes going on, leadership skills continue to be highly valued and are needed more than ever. Great leaders are always in high demand. Thank you for being a member of our community. The COLE Academy of Personal Growth Looking to Enhance Your Leadership Skills? Try Our Self-Paced Personal and Professional Development Courses. The COLE Academy Online provides an entire e-learning library of self-paced online learning courses that helps learners develop professional soft skills that build stronger, more confident leaders.: https://coleacademy.online/ BLACK FRIDAY SALE: 30% OFF ALL DISC Reports Increase your self-awareness and understanding of your communication preferences. Learn how to adapt your own style to get along better with others. Develop actionable strategies to inspire team interactions Learn More: https://bit.ly/3Fm4EAj If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Nicole Rankine
Professor, GCU University of Georgia class of 2000 Member Since July 2021 |
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