5 Influential Leadership Skills All Leaders Should Have

When we think of great leaders, we think of Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama, and Steve Jobs. No surprises there! Because only a highly influential leader can lead a nation to freedom and a company to build an economic moat that some only dream of. Where poor leadership disrupts workplace balance and become an obstacle to the company’s success, excellent leadership inspires teams to become better and work hard towards a common goal.

Now, if you’re building a business or serving a management role at a company, you’ve probably wondered what makes a leader strong and influential. But what makes a leader great? Are they just born with exceptional leadership skills? Well, no.

As John F. Kennedy once said, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other”. To reach a place of leadership excellence, here are 5 influential leadership skills you must learn and practice as you go.

1. Connect at a Deeper Level

No matter what professional roles we serve, as a social species, we thrive in community. To become a great leader, you must move beyond the conventional employee-boss relationship and foster deeper connection with your team.

When your employees feel a sense of belonging, they’re more likely to work harder. But how do you achieve it? Well, in-person conversations are the best way to engage employees.

It’s a shame the pandemic has hindered that. But virtual one-on-one calls and team-building activities can work just as well. This bonus time allows you to know your team deeply; their aspirations, interests, opinions, and a lot more.

When there’s no distance between the leaders and the followers, there is scope for sustainable growth.

2. Strive for Respect

Nobody likes working for a “boss” or micromanager. Leaders who have a “my way or the high way” approach are not well-liked by their juniors.

In contrast, leaders who welcome employee ideas and opinions as well as appreciate and acknowledge good work are respected, even revered.

To gain the respect of your team, you must be willing to communicate honestly and openly about your success and failures. Make sure your employees feel safe to fail and be forgiving when they make mistakes.

Lastly, be there to listen to their concerns and offer possible solutions. Remember, you cannot demand respect; you have to earn it.

3. Support Employee Goals

Employees don’t only work for salaries, but they have a specific vision in mind like any organization. As the leader, you must understand their vision, goals, growth plans etc., by running surveys or meetings to gain insights. Knowing their preferences and career goals will help you explain how achieving organizational goals can help them achieve their professional goals.

When you and your employee are on the same page, success and growth will go hand in hand for both parties.

4. Delegate Meaningful Work

You can’t do everything alone. As much as you enjoy doing tasks your way, you must let others take the call too. Employees who have autonomy to function as they deem fit tend to take ownership of their work and perform better.

To encourage such independent decision-making, delegate meaningful work and provide learning opportunities to employees. Define the tasks clearly and delegate on the basis of employees’ strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. Also, provide feedback for improvement and encouragement.

This will show you trust them to make the right decisions and get the job done.

5. Lead by Example

You know what separates great leaders from decent ones? They always practice what they preach.

To earn your team’s respect and trust, there’s no better way than to lead by example. After all, actions speak louder than words.

Instead of saying “do as I say”, go out of your way to demonstrate the kind of actions, values, communication, and engagement you want your team to mimic and adopt. That is the only way to influence and build a stronger team.

Case in point: if you expect your employees to maintain a positive work culture by sharing and welcoming each other’s creative ideas, you can have problem-solving huddles with your team and voice out praise/interest when someone presents a solution.

Final Thoughts

Nobody achieves greatness overnight, not even the most influential leaders. However, with practice, you can become one. The same goes for your leadership skills.

So build on the skills mentioned above and remember to seek your team’s feedback. With time, you’re sure to become a good leader, if not a great one.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/KyC4ROd0BTo