It’s a common misconception that great leaders need to hone their hard skills and only focus on professional development. In reality, soft skills are equally essential. If you want to be a boss, then you might get away with professional knowledge. However, if you want people to believe in you and follow your lead, you’ll have to acquire additional skills.
How can you master leadership skills? – you’ll find the answers below.
How to become a great leader?
To become a great leader, it’s vital to acquire and master skills such as taking the initiative, attentive listening, critical thinking, empowerment, discipline, conflict management, and constant learning. Depending on the industry you’re working in, the mentioned skillset might vary. However, these are the basic things you should master to advance in your career and become a great leader.
Be more confident and don’t be afraid to take the initiative
You could be the most talented employee in the company but unless you take the initiative, you’ll never be a leader. You have to be confident and persuasive enough to express your ideas freely. Even if the task exceeds your competencies, you should be willing to take a risk and learn new things along the way.
Hard work will only take you so far. It’s way more important to show your colleagues that you can take responsibility and complete the projects successfully.
Don’t forget about the adult development stages
How we make sense of the world defines our character and personal qualities. When we’re kids, our mind perceives and interprets things in different ways. As we grow up, those perceptions get more complex. These are called adult development stages that can play a huge role in transformational leadership.
To be more precise, there are 5 development stages in transformational leadership: diplomat, expert, achiever, individualist, and strategist. Depending on which type describes our personality, we have different approaches toward problem-solving, achievements, or prospects. By putting an effort into getting to know yourself, you’ll be able to determine which skills your character lacks and focus on those.
Listen attentively and think critically
To be a great leader, it’s also important to be a good listener. Your colleagues and teammates will come to you to discuss the challenges or problems they encountered. They might also open up about the difficulties they are facing in the workplace. As a leader, you should be able to listen to what they are saying, pay attention to non-verbal cues, and make them feel heard.
Moreover, you should also be able to think critically. A person who can analyze the situation and predict the outcomes is an indispensable asset for any company. Typically, those who can foresee the ways of achieving success and identify probable obstacles become great leaders.
Focus on empowerment
The ability to empower is probably one of the most important qualities a leader should possess. To stand out from your colleagues and persuade them to follow you, you should be able to inspire, motivate and empower them. This can be achieved by treating all team members as equals, listening to their ideas, and helping them grow by providing detailed feedback.
Discipline yourself and learn as much as you can
Discipline is a crucial skill both in professional and personal settings. As a leader, you have to practice discipline and set a good example for your teammates. If you’re organized, they will also have the desire to sort through the chaos. If you always stick to the deadlines and encourage them to do the same, you’ll be able to achieve desired results. It’s nearly impossible to be a great leader if you’re always late to work and meetings.
Also, you should be willing to learn constantly. Regardless of the industry, there will always be new ideas, findings, or interesting approaches. Being in the know will help you implement better solutions in the long run.
Learn how to delegate
To maintain a high level of motivation in your team, you should be able to delegate the tasks accurately and trust your colleagues to complete them successfully. Micromanaging won’t get you anywhere – it’s better to show your teammates that you have confidence in their capabilities.
Only a few people are born leaders – the rest of us have to work hard on honing our skills. Once you master attentive listening, delegation, taking the initiative, and other essential skills, you’ll become a compassionate and inspiring leader.