Leadership is not something that happens overnight. It takes time and practice to develop the skills needed to be successful.
There are many skills that make someone a leader let alone a great leader. Inc. shares the top five skills every leader must have.
Ability to Focus and Prioritize
If you can’t focus you can’t get work done. We are inundated with information every day. There’s the urge to text, tweet, or check email and it is all very difficult to ignore. Great leaders know how to manage distractions and can focus on the important things that affect the bottom line of their businesses.
Ability to Make Smart Decisions
Great leaders question assumptions, claims, and viewpoints. They know when to make a decision and when to proceed with caution. They accept responsibility for their decisions, both good and bad, even if it means they go down with the ship.
Genuine and Self Aware
Authentic leaders have integrity and lead their team with compassion. They truly care about their employees. They are honest and don’t sugarcoat the truth.
Ability to Communicate
The Inc. article says, “Communication has always been the means by which great leaders achieve great things. But these days, communication occurs in sound bites, status updates, text messages, and tweets of 140 characters or less.”
Great leaders don’t just bark orders. They listen to their team, customers, peers, and competitors. They know it is the best way to understand a situation so they can make the best decision.
Ability to Get Things Done
The most successful leaders get their team to work towards a common goal, satisfy their customers, and deliver on their promises.
Great leaders put others first and find ways to help people grow. To become a great leader, you need to develop the skills necessary to lead, motivate, and influence people in good and bad times.
What other traits do you look for in leaders?
