5 Things You Need to Know About Leadership Skills

It’s hard to understate the value of workplace leadership skills. Take a quick google and you’ll find a lot of information out there about how to become a better leader and the qualities a good leader should possess. Clearly it’s no secret that being a good leader can do wonders for your career.

When you think of a leader, it’s easy to picture certain traits. Often we think of other people we’ve seen succeed in leadership roles, or else those whose poor leadership caused problems for their team.

In this article, we want to take a broader view of what it means to be a leader, why learning how to be a good leader at work is so valuable, and the best way to pick up essential leadership skills.

1. Anyone Can Be A Leader

Many people assume that leaders have to be assertive or ambitious – the kind of person who likes to think of themselves as a boundary pushing pioneer. There’s nothing wrong with these personality traits but neither are they compulsory.

In many ways, the core of this misconception comes from what we think a leader is. We think of leaders as people who want to be in charge, but again that’s not always the case. In fact, it’s quite common for people to become leaders because of their diligence and commitment to the team.

Fundamentally, all a leader is, is the person who makes sure everyone else can get their work done. A leader is the trunk around which a tree can grow. How you achieve that is up to you.

2. The Best Leaders Trust Their Team

It’s hard to underestimate the importance of trust when it comes to leadership. When we care about something – particularly when it’s something we know we’re good at – delegating can be really difficult. There’s always an urge to jump in and say ‘this is how I would do it’.

This urge is perfectly normal and even called for at times. After all, if doing it your way has always worked for you, then why risk letting someone else do it their way?

In practice, there are often multiple right ways to get a job done and the best way to do it is usually the way a person is most comfortable with. That’s why, nine times out of ten, the best leaders know to use a light touch and only step in when the work isn’t getting the right results.

3. Leadership is All About Listening

One of the most valuable workplace leadership skills that you can master is knowing when to speak and when to listen.

That sounds simple but, as a leader, your voice will often be given more attention and more deference. When you’re just another team member this is usually a sign that your ideas are good and that people respect them for your value. As a leader, it’s important to check yourself and make sure that people feel comfortable disagreeing with you and presenting their own ideas.

4. You Can’t Solve Every Problem

Good leaders care about their work. They feel responsible not just for themselves but for their team. When a team member fails to live up to expectations, good leaders know to take a share of that blame. Yes, the individual may have failed to do what was asked, but the leader failed to create an environment where that individual could do their job.

All that said, sometimes problems can’t be solved. There are times when you have to let things go and times where you have to accept an imperfect situation. This can be difficult for leaders because that responsibility leads you to think you can always do more. The truth, however, is that one of the most essential leadership skills you can learn is how to accept the problems you’re powerless to solve.

5. Good Leaders Make Great Team Members

But what if I don’t want to be a leader? We hear some of you asking. What if I’m just happy as a part of a team?

As we said at the beginning, anyone can be a leader but that doesn’t mean you have to be. Taking on that responsibility is a choice and if that’s not something you want, then it may not be the right choice for you.

That being said, these workplace leadership skills are, in many respects, just teamwork skills. Whether it’s listening to others or trusting the people around you, having these skills will make you better at everything you need to do.

When you get right down to it, good leadership is about knowing how to motivate the people around you to be their best and that’s a skill we could all do to practise.