Leadership skills are vitally important to the smooth running of business operations, but can be a subtle art, requiring excellent communication skills.
Every business wants employees with great leadership skills but finding them is easier said than done. According to GoRemotely only 14% of CEO’s have the leadership talent they need to grow their businesses, with 1 in 5 employees at risk of burnout due to low leadership engagement. Clearly it is important to master leadership skills then, both for personal and company growth.
Here are our top tips to master leadership skills:
1. Practice discipline in your personal and professional life. Discipline enables you to lead by example, such as by always meeting deadlines, keeping appointments and ending meetings on time. (Wrike)
2. Build up your communication skills. Writing clearly, speaking with clarity, and using active listening skills are important, but at the core of leadership communication is the ability to convey information in a meaningful way, whilst both inspiring and encouraging your team. (McGill)
3. Work on your emotional intelligence. This is the ability to know our feelings and the feelings of those around us. The more we are in tune with those around us, the more appropriately we can respond. (Coach Campus)
4. Become a motivational powerhouse. Asking for input, clear expectations, open communication and consistently setting a good example will keep your team enthusiastic for the next project. (Robert Half)
5. Train up on mediation. A good leader must be able to diagnose, assess and treat cases of conflict as they arise. This starts with conflict identification and ends in meaningful resolution. (Ohio State University)
Key takeaways
Leadership skills are incredibly valuable and highly sought after, so take every opportunity to hone yours! Build your communication skills and work on your emotional intelligence to become more in tune with your workplace. Show your discipline and maintain transparency with your team to inspire and encourage them to grow with you. Become the ultimate mediator by training your conflict management skills.