40 Must Have Leadership Skills For Career Growth

There are some leadership skills one should possess for a successful career growth. One should be intentional about getting these leadership skills.

Here are 40 must have leadership skill to have a successful career.

Leadership Skills

One could be placed in a leadership position, In order to excel and do well in such a position, it requires firm and solid leadership skills.

The purpose of these traits is to identify capable leaders and put the right professionals in positions of power.

Whether or not leadership can be taught, there is no doubt that most good leaders possess a set of essential competencies.

These abilities can be learned in the same way as any other.

Leadership Skills Examples

This content covers forty effective leadership skills that every leader should possess, ways of improving the skills, and their importance.

1. Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is one of the most important leadership skills.

Leaders deal with a variety of sensitive and stressful situations and need good judgment to be able to operate appropriately in such circumstances.

Understanding what employees might be thinking or feeling in certain situations helps managers make decisions that support the staff.

These leaders are less likely to alienate employees and likelier to connect more deeply with team members.

2. Relationship Building

Leaders interact and work with a wide variety of people, from the team they manage to higher-ups, to fellow managers and collaborating departments, to clients and vendors.

In order to be effective, leaders must know how to connect and communicate with these different groups and individuals.

3. Management

As a leader, you need to have knowledge of business, office management, finance, vendor management, policy deployment, delegating, planning, and strategic thinking

4. Collaboration

When it comes to analyzing problems, brainstorming solutions, compromising, defining roles, facilitating discussion, and employee engagement, a leader does it well.

5. Problem Solving

Leaders spend a significant amount of time putting out fires and solving issues for customers, the company, and the team.

They are the ones colleagues look to for advice and help and often have the final say on the course of action.

This quality separates leaders from the rest of the workforce. They always come up with fixes to issues and better ways of operating.

The emergence of the global economy makes cultural intelligence even more lucrative to employers.

With the constant need to collaborate with peers from different parts of the globe, having this managerial skill is a must.

A lot of Western companies have now expanded into China, India, and other parts of Asia, and these companies must now include cultural intelligence in their management skills training.

7. Persuasion

Persuasion is essential to getting colleagues to join a cause, It sparks passion.

Great leaders can express the importance of the mission and make team members believe in leadership and themselves.

The most skilled leaders not only convince team members to cooperate but inspire these teammates to collaborate.

When these individuals win their peers’ confidence, coworkers question their decisions less and follow on instinct.

8. People Management

Leaders are responsible for recruiting, hiring, training, mentoring, coaching, onboarding, disciplining, getting buy-in, and team building

9. Motivating Employees

When taking up a leading position, you are to provide rewards, give recognition, giving feedback, receiving feedback, evaluate performance, and set expectations for your followers

10. Supporting Employees

A leader is meant to Listen, keep promises, and be compassionate towards their subordinates.

11. Decision Making

Great leaders have the confidence and competence to make sound decisions quickly.

These managers know how to get more insight, evaluate choices, and pick the best option.

They are able to predict consequences and complications and can prepare for best and worst-case scenarios.

12. Focus and Results Orientation

In a high-pressure leadership role, many events may occur simultaneously, so it is important to develop the skill of focusing on what matters most and knowing what impact it has on your organization

This habit is important because a leader needs to be able to envision the result he wants before starting work on it.

When you are able to focus and orient yourself to the goal you want to achieve, the path you will lead your people on to get there will be much clearer.

13. Communication

Having good communication skills is an essential leadership competency.

As a leader, you need to be able to clearly and succinctly explain to your employees everything from organizational goals to specific tasks.

Good communication leads to less conflict, and better negotiation outcomes, and encourages the building of solid relationships within the organization.

14. Command Responsibility

A leader is responsible for both the successes and failures of his or her team.

Therefore, you need to be willing to accept blame when something does not go correctly.

If your employees see their leader pointing fingers and blaming others, they will lose respect for you.

Accept mistakes and failures, and then devise clear solutions for improvement.

15. Empathy

This quality can also help leaders identify and solve issues more quickly.

Bosses who are sensitive and in-tune with employees’ needs and feelings can pick up on trouble and get to the root of problems much more easily.

Furthermore, empathy makes for a better working environment overall. Workers want to feel seen, valued, and supported.

Leaders who make efforts to empathize with employees create atmospheres where teammates can be their full selves at work.

16. Multitasking

Leaders typically have to juggle multiple responsibilities at once, such as attending meetings, updating executives, de-escalating conflicts, and keeping up with documentation.

Prioritization is key to this practice, and these individuals are able to mentally reorganize to-do lists constantly.

This type of leader rarely gets lost or overwhelmed and manages to complete tasks on time despite fluctuations in the workload.

17. Learning

Despite the air of authority, leaders do not know everything. In fact, leaders, more than anyone, need to keep learning.

Leaders are also sources of knowledge and guidance for colleagues and learning a new skill or subject gives the entire team access to new information and abilities.

The best leaders are avid readers, lifelong students, and frequent fliers at training, conferences, and educational events.

The most successful leaders are eager students and are able to pick up new knowledge and skills quickly.

18. Agility and Adaptability

Adaptability is definitely one of the most important leadership skills as the business environment has changed so much and is continuously changing, faster than ever.

Effective leadership must be able to adapt to the changes even if that means working out of your comfort zone

19. Decisiveness

Effective leaders are those who can make decisions quickly with the information they have.

Decision-making comes with time and experience.

Decisiveness is seen as a valuable leadership skill because it can help move projects along faster and improve efficiency.

Effective decisiveness requires research, evaluation, problem-solving, and goal-setting, often with a quick turnaround.

20. Strategic Thinking Skills

What really distinguishes leaders from managers is the ability to think strategically.

The best strategic thinkers see the big picture and are not distracted by side issues or minor details.

All their decisions are likely to be broadly based on their answer to the question ‘does this take me closer to where I want to be?’

21. Flexibility

Leaders need to be flexible, accepting whatever changes come their way. Employees will appreciate your ability to accept changes in stride and creatively problem solve.

However, leaders must be open to suggestions and feedback. If your staff is dissatisfied with an aspect of the office environment, listen to their concern and be open to making necessary changes.

Employees will appreciate a leader’s ability to accept appropriate feedback.

22. Change Management and Innovation Skills

A leader needs to understand change management in order to lead an institution through the process. For instance, change management requires the creation and communication of a compelling vision

It also requires the change to be driven forward firmly, and leadership to make it ‘stick’ if the institution is not to revert within a very short period.

23. Positivity

A positive attitude can go a long way in an office. You should be able to laugh at yourself when something doesn’t go quite as planned

This helps create a happy and healthy work environment, even during busy, stressful periods.

If employees feel that they work in a positive environment, they will be more likely to want to be at work, and will therefore be more willing to put in the long hours when needed.

24. Feedback

Leaders should constantly look for opportunities to deliver useful information to team members about their performance.

However, there is a fine line between offering employees advice and assistance and micromanaging.

By teaching employees how to improve their work and make their own decisions, you will feel more confident delegating tasks to your staff.

25. Trustworthiness

It is important for you to demonstrate your integrity employees will only trust leaders they respect.

Employees need to be able to feel comfortable coming to their manager or leader with questions and concerns.

By being open and honest, you will encourage the same sort of honesty in your employees.

26. Creativity

As a leader, you have to make a number of decisions that do not have a clear answer, so you need to be able to think outside of the box.

Many employees will also be impressed and inspired by a leader who doesn’t always choose the safe, conventional path

27. Delegation

Leaders who try to take on too many tasks by themselves will struggle to get anything done.

These leaders often fear that delegating tasks is a sign of weakness when it actually can be a sign of a strong leader.

Therefore, you need to identify the skills of each of your employees and assign duties to each employee based on his or her skill set.

By delegating tasks to staff members, you can focus on other important tasks.

28. Planning and Delivery Skills

Being able to make plans and deliver them are also helpful skills for both managers and leaders.

Good risk management is also important to help you avoid things going wrong, and manage when they do.

29. Motivation

Leaders need to inspire their workers to go the extra mile for their organizations; just paying a fair salary to employees is typically not enough inspiration, even though it is important.

There are a number of ways to motivate your workers: you may build employee self-esteem through recognition and rewards

It could also be by giving employees new responsibilities to increase their investment in the company.

Leaders must learn what motivators work best for their employees or team members to encourage productivity and passion.

30. Integrity

Integrity is often seen as just truthfulness or honesty but in many cases, it also means having and standing by a set of strong values.

Integrity in the workplace often means being able to make ethical choices and helping the company maintain a positive image.

 All businesses seek to hire workers who have a strong sense of integrity.

31. Commitment

It is important for leaders to follow through with what they agree to do.

You should be willing to put in the extra hours to complete an assignment; employees will see this commitment and follow your example.

A leader cannot expect employees to commit to their jobs and their tasks if he or she cannot do the same.

32. Being a Mentor and Teachable

One skill that differentiates leadership from many other competencies is the ability to teach and mentor.

Effectively teaching colleagues or direct reports to grow in their careers helps organizations scale

Oftentimes, this skill requires that leaders think less about themselves and more about how to make their team as a whole successful.

33. Dependability

Being a dependable leader means that people can trust and rely on you

The strong relationships built by a dependable leader create a resilient team that can work through difficulties that may arise.

Being a dependable leader means meeting deadlines, being straightforward, coming through on obligations when you can’t meet a promise or a goal, communicating this early on, and having a backup plan.

34. Self-Awareness

Effective leadership means being aware of your full potential as well as the areas you need to further develop. A leader must accept that there are things he has yet to learn.

It then becomes his responsibility to learn these things and develop his leadership skills further to benefit himself and his organization.

As a leader, your team is made up of different individuals with strengths that complement each other.

You must be aware of what value each person in your team can bring to achieve the goals you envision.

35. Discretion

Leaders have access to a large amount of sensitive information, from details about employees’ personal situations to trade secrets to upcoming company announcements and plans.

Successful leaders must strike a balance between keeping secrets and keeping the team informed.

 Also, these leaders act with tact and sense which subjects to avoid even when not explicitly told.

36. Presentation Skills

These competencies include the ability to structure and plan meetings, public speaking skills, and familiarity with tools and equipment.

Not to mention, improving skills and the ability to remain unflustered when faced with surprises such as technical issues or unexpected questions.

Good presenters must also be able to distill large amounts of information into the most important highlights and hold the audience’s attention.

37. Compromise

Compromise is an essential management skill to master.

Leaders must know how to delegate between competing interests and navigate conflicts in ways that satisfy all involved parties.

These leaders learn how to present arguments, moderate discussions, brainstorm solutions, and get parties in agreement.

These individuals know when to negotiate more and when to settle, and how to find solutions that serve all stakeholders.

38. Organization

Organizational leadership involves setting goals, planning the execution, seeing the implementation through, and reviewing the outcome to identify improvement areas.

It also involves returning to the drawing board and setting new goals.

Organization skills are an important item on your checklist of leadership competencies that you need to learn to be an effective leader.

39. Boundary-Setting

Boundary-setting is one of the most overlooked leadership competencies.

It is important for leaders to be able to set limits and strike balance in many areas, such as with their time.

Leaders aim to develop positive relationships and be friendly with employees.

However, should keep the right amount of distance to promote a level of authority and respect.

Leaders should also have ethical boundaries, and not allow themselves or their employees to get pressured into behaviors that go against personal beliefs or moral norms.

40. Active Listening

Active listening is an important skill for leaders to master.

Being the distracted boss who repeatedly asks staff the same questions does not send the message that the manager cares about employees’ opinions.

Additionally, leaders should know how to filter conversations to mine out the most important points and can ask thoughtful and relevant follow-up questions.

These leaders understand that listening is visual art that involves giving cues that show interest and engagement and encourage the speaker.

Leadership Skills Resume

When writing your resume, knowing the definitions of leadership skills and viewing examples can be extremely beneficial.

You should highlight leadership qualities on your resume if you’re seeking positions that demand you to take initiative and be a leader.

1. Go through the Job Posting

When applying for a job position, it’s important to read through the job description carefully so you understand what leadership skills the employer considers valuable.

Many companies use an applicant tracking system to review resumes for specific words or phrases they’ve listed in the job description.

Using these same keywords on your own resume might improve your chances of getting your resume to a hiring manager.

2. Check out your Past Experience

Think about your past work experience and recall some situations where you’ve shown leadership skills.

It’s important to have specific examples in order to show employers you can lead employees successfully in a future role.

If you’re unsure what leadership skills you possess, ask a trusted friend or coworker about your greatest strengths as a leader.

3. Draft out a Summary

Discussing your leadership skills in the professional summary of your resume can help you communicate your strengths to a hiring manager.

In a few sentences, describe your professional experience and highlight some of the leadership skills that make you a qualified candidate for the position.

If you’ve received an award or other recognition for your leadership skills in the past, you can also mention these in your summary.

4. Highlight your Achievements

In the work experience section, list several examples of job responsibilities or situations related to your leadership skills.

You can quantify your achievements with facts, figures, or statistics to show the full impact of your leadership in previous positions.

5. List out Relevant Skills

The skills portion of your resume is an excellent place to include your leadership skills so that employers can find them easily.

Leadership skills typically include soft skills, which refer to personality traits or habits regarding how you work by yourself and with others.

However, you can also list hard skills, or technical skills, related to leadership as well.

For example, if you’re applying for a leadership position in business, you might list strategic planning as a skill because it’s both a leadership skill and a hard skill.

Here’s a template for a resume to guide you

[Name]

[Location]

[Phone number]

[Email]

Professional Summary

[Briefly describe your leadership experience and relevant leadership skills in one to three sentences.]

Work Experience

[Job title]

[Name of company]

[Location]

[Start date and end date]

[Job responsibility or achievement] as much as you’ve acquired

Education

[Name of school]

[Name of degree or diploma]

Skills

[Leadership skill] as much as you have

Example of Leadership Skills on a Resume

Here is an example of how to highlight your skill on your resume

Summary

Highly organized and results-focused leader with five years of experience coaching and mentoring teams of six to twelve employees.

Proven record of spearheading projects to increase operational efficiency and improve collaboration among interdepartmental teams.

 Possesses exceptional communication and problem-solving skills

Experience

Work experience

Store manager

Blossom General Store

Blossom, California

June 2021 till date

Oversee a team of twelve employees, communicating effectively to set priorities and expectations for each shift

Resolve issues quickly by listening to concerns and collaborating with assistant managers to find solutions

Created an incentive program that led to a 15% increase in employee retention

Coach and mentor floor staff through weekly team meetings and monthly staff-building exercises

Skills

Time management

The ability to build trust

Strong communication skills

Positivity

Reliability

Management skills

How to Improve Leadership Skills

To unlock your full potential as a leader, you have to commit to growth and development. Be passionate about learning and challenge yourself

Here are tips on how to improve leadership skills

1. Take Initiative

Look beyond the tasks in your job description.

Think long-term about what would be beneficial for your department and the company.

Try to brainstorm ideas and commit to doing work that goes beyond the daily routine.

2. Discipline

Discipline is required in order to execute the goal. Even if you have a vision or a good idea, it’s useless without discipline. If you want to execute effectively, you need discipline.

3. Constant Learning

According to John F. Kennedy “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other” When things are changing rapidly, it is important to constantly learn and challenge yourself.

Study other leaders and their qualities, mannerisms, and the way they communicate.

Though you don’t have to copy another leader, incorporate some of their traits into your style.

4. Delegation

Delegate work to your employees and let them feel empowered.

If you do this, they will feel more involved and have more opportunities to develop new skills.

Establishing clarity of roles, responsibilities, and deadlines is critical to delegating and getting a project completed.

5. Ask for more Responsibility

Once you’ve been in a position long enough to become an expert, you can share with your manager that you’re eager to grow your leadership abilities.

Ask how you can help out, are there upcoming projects that require a point person? Is there any work that you can take off of your manager’s to-do list?

6. Aim at Specific Skills

If you have a specific skill that you want to develop whether it’s creative thinking or communication create a plan to improve your abilities in this area.

This could mean taking a class, finding a mentor to help, reading books, or setting a small goal that forces you to develop this skill.

7. Listen Effectively

Communication skills are critical to being an effective leader, whether it’s presenting in front of the team, creating and writing a business strategy, or communicating to employees and clients.

One of the most important communication skills for a leader is listening.

Without listening skills, you are not able to get feedback from others and get a sense of what team members like about the projects they work on.

8. Be a Source of Motivation to Others

A true leader should positively influence people.

When employees or coworkers lose their ambitions and passions, a true leader can energize and motivate them.

Creating a positive work environment is also a key motivating factor.

Establish positive rewards for hitting benchmarks, such as a weekly new client goal or an error-free work week for a production area.

9. Handling Conflicts

Leaders have to know how to handle difficult people and resolve conflicts.

If an employee doesn’t work to the best of their ability and brings a negative attitude to work, leaders have to step up and talk to that person in private.

10. Be a Follower

Leaders should learn to recognize the value of team members, learn from them, and encourage other team members to learn from them.

Learn things that you didn’t know from a person who specializes in a particular area.

If an employee has a new idea, encourage it, and see where it goes. Be one of their biggest fans.

Help them to step out of their comfort zone and by believing in them; you’ll instill confidence.

FAQs on Leadership Skills

Below are answers to frequently asked questions on leadership skills.

1. What are the 5 key leadership skills?

a. Self-development
b. Team development
c. Strategic thinking and acting
d. Ethical practice and civic-mindedness
e. Innovation

2. What are the 7 core skills of a leader?

a. Clear Communication
b. Strong Ethics and Standards
c. Organization
d. Expresses Expectations
e. Nurtures Growth
f. Flexible to Change
g. Creates Feeling of Togetherness

3. What are the top 6 leadership skills?

a. Decisiveness
b. Integrity
c. Relationship building
d. Problem-solving
e. Dependability
f. Ability to teach and mentor

4. What are the 10 qualities of a good leader?

a. Vision
b. Inspiration
c. Strategic and Critical Thinking
d. Interpersonal Communication
e. Authenticity and Self-Awareness
f. Open-Mindedness and Creativity
i. Flexibility
j. Responsibility and Dependability
k. Accountability
l. Delegation and Empowerment

5. What are the 4 basic leadership skills?

a. Self-Awareness
b. Communication
c. Influence
d. Learning Agility

More FAQs on Leadership Skills

Still answering frequently asked questions on leadership skills.

6. What are the 4 leadership behaviors?

a. Directive leadership
b. Supportive leadership
c. Participative leadership
d. Achievement-oriented leadership

7. What are the 3 most important roles of a leader?

a. Leaders need to have clear goals and objectives
b. They need to motivate their followers and provide them with direction
c. They must support their team members in order for them to succeed

8. What are the top leadership skills?

a. Active listening
b. Empathy
c. Strategic thinking skills
d. Creativity
e. The ability to inspire and convince others
f. Flexibility

9. What is a good example of leadership?

You can practice good leadership skills in any role, at any level.
For example, showing up on time to meetings and turning in work on schedule shows dependability.
Offering support and coaching to less experienced colleagues is also an example of leadership.

10. How do you show leadership at work?

a. Be a thought leader
b. Join a professional association
c. Look at the big picture
d. Think positively and proactively
e. Listen to and learn from others
f. Network with purpose
g. Find a mentor
h. Embrace diversity

According to Stephen covey, “Leadership is the highest of the arts, simply because it enables all the other arts and professions to work”. This is why you need these leadership skills to function effectively.

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