Everyone has potential to be a leader, but those who succeed work constantly to refine their skills.
Although experience, mentorship and formal education can help someone become a great leader, uschamber.com offers the following leadership skills anyone can learn.
- Emotional intelligence. This skill makes you aware of your feelings and their effect on others. Leaders who possess this skill can read a room and influence others. Four elements of emotional intelligence are self-awareness; social awareness (showing empathy); self-management (managing your feelings and emotions); and relationship management (managing conflicts and connecting with others).
- Communication. It is important to convey your ideas to people in various formats—verbal, written, visual, etc. Leaders often communicate by using storytelling and active listening to engage and motivate employees. To improve your communication, you could take steps such as recording yourself practicing a speech; learning to focus on the person talking without interrupting them; and exploring multimedia tools for presentations and meetings.
- Learning agility. Active learners regularly build upon their existing skills by being receptive to feedback; taking the initiative to expand their knowledge; implementing different leadership styles for various situations; and seeking experiences outside their comfort zone.
- Management skills. Find ways to better manage your time, property and emergencies. You could take a free time management class to help you prioritize tasks and boost productivity; explore software and tutorials for tracking assets and inventory for your home or business; and ensure you understand crisis communication best practices and can respond calmly under pressure.
- Delegation. Potential leaders can develop delegation skills simply by organizing a community event or asking their children to help around the house. The American Management Association recommends learning how to evaluate potential duties and identify who can help; outline expectations and define success; offer support and resources; and follow up after the project is completed to evaluate your process.
