Essential to but often left off when we define great leaders are soft skills such as emotional intelligence, empathy and humility. When most leaders have the same amount of persistence, intellect and visionary qualities, what sets great leaders apart from the good ones are the forementioned soft skills. With them, leaders with above-average education, talent and technical skills go from good to great, and in turn produce more significant results. So how do you become a great leader? Scroll down and find out.
What skillsets do you need to be a great leader?
1. Great leaders inspire others.
Good leaders manage. Great leaders inspire. They know what they stand for and are not afraid to stand up for it. They are passionate about the the big picture and the work that follows. Their passion, in turn, excites others.2. Great leaders keep it simple.
Sir Richard Branson famously said, "Complexity is your enemy. Any fool can make something complicated. It is hard to make something simple."The goal of communication is to make sure that the audience unanimously understands the message. Therefore, it is not only wise but also effective to simplify the message. The ability to simplify complicated issues and situations also expedites the decision-making process.
If you often over-complicate things, you might want to distill them down. Good practices include using plain language and avoiding technical jargons, limiting to three key talking points at one time, and knowing when to be quiet.
3. Great leaders delegate.
Great leaders understand the power of team work and have mastered the art of delegation. This doesn't mean delegating blindly. It includes putting forth the effort to pick the right tasks and the right talent to delegate to, preparing and delegating shovel-ready work in order to improve efficiency, and always being supportive and appreciative.If you don't artistically delegate, team members might grow resentful and seek opportunities elsewhere. In that case, you are no longer a leader, because you don't have a solid team to lead.
4. Great leaders set goals, create strategies and take action.
Great leaders are visionaries. Beyond that, they also set the right goals, create ways to reach them, and take actions to achieve them. They may not know how to do everything, but they know how to guide people in the general direction. Ultimately, they give people greater purpose.5. Great leaders are learners.
When leaders value education, they likely value humility, failing forward, and being open-minded. They encourage innovation, diversity and different opinions and perspectives. Ultimately, they build open and safe cultures that are solution-oriented and organizations that solve big problems.6. Great leaders have excellent social skills.
Having excellent social skills isn't about being a friendly social butterfly. It's about being friendly with a purpose, as in guiding people in the direction that you want them to move. People with excellent social skills have multiple circles of acquaintances and a commonality with and high engagement within each circle. They build rapport easily, empathize with others, and know how and when to build and maintain relationships and walk away from bad ones the kind way.7. Great leaders are authentic.
Authencity builds trust. Even though leaders get along and work with various types of personalities, they stay true to themselves. They know who they are, what they want out of life, and what they can and cannot give up in relationships.If you are always trying to be someone else just so that people will like you, please stop. Being a great leader starts with being authentic to yourself.
Parting Thoughts
Great leaders build great teams, drive change, and make positive impact. If you are on your way to becoming a great leader, start by building the necessary skills. The first step is to improve yourself, and the tips above should help you get there.
1) Management Skills & Leadership Development Course: How to be a Great Manager & Strong Leader in 10 Lessons
2) Whatever It Takes: Master the Habits to Transform Your Business, Relationships, and Life
[ Disclaimer: this article includes affiliate links.]
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