7 Core Leadership Competencies Every Leader Must Know
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“The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority.”
Kenneth H. Blanchard has summed it all up in a sentence.
While any qualified person can take the role of a leader, to prosper and thrive in that role is something not everyone is good at. It requires core leadership skills and expertise. These skills are crucial for achieving a great role as a manager. A certified executive coach is a knowledgeable professional expert who trains seniors and employees with high potential to acknowledge their true worth and achieve the maximum level of self-development. This will prove to be beneficial for the whole organization instead of simply an individual.
A leader’s responsibility is not simply to direct the organization but also to inspire his employees. Therefore, not everyone can successfully influence others. We have discussed some necessary competencies that a leader must have. Such core competencies a leader should necessarily possess in a workplace, be it for the public sector or private sector companies. Such competencies are being guided by a certified executive coach who is experienced in guiding team leaders keeping in mind the purpose of the team and the organisation.
7 Basic Competencies For a Successful Leader[edit]
These leadership skills do not have any expiry period, i.e. they apply at all times and in every kind of organization. Although modifications might be necessary based on the situation, basic competencies will always remain the same.
1) Relation-building skill - creating relationships that last
It might sound elementary, but this is the most important foundation that builds a productive working environment. Some leaders believe in vertical hierarchy to impose power on the team members. They simply believe in the traditional iron rule authorising their employees. However, with changing times, the golden rule to become a successful leader is to show compassion and appreciation towards the team members.
A leader’s responsive behavior is directly related to the performance of the employees. The more sensitive approach of the leader will result in better performance of the team members. One of the most important aspects that a certified executive coach always focuses on is improving the behavior of the leaders. In companies with stronger relationships, employees tend to make lesser mistakes and show lesser absentees. Some of the efforts for the leaders are:
- Write thank-you notes: Appreciate their work and say thank you.
- Make easy conversations during conferences and meetings
- Build stronger teams with suitable activities
2) Innovativeness- Always encourage to create
A company’s progression is recognized by its creativity and innovations. Leaders can effectively bring in productive changes in the workplace. The best example that we have of a great and effective leader is Steve Jobs. He pushed his limits and took his company, Apple Inc. to the next level by going ahead of the competition and always encouraging creativity among his employees.
Promoting innovations and encouraging employees to bring out their hidden talent yields unbelievable results. As a leader, the following actions can be extremely beneficial:
- Take out some time to think about strategies and organize your thoughts. Set objectives, suggest ways to improve, and let your team think and create amazing ideas.
- Try new ways of interacting.
- Give priority to each member of the team. Anybody can come up with a brilliant concept. Take time to hear all the members so that they feel important and an inseparable part of the team.
3) Adaptability - Welcome changes
Give room for adaptability and agility. This is widely encouraged by any certified executive coach who knows that flexibility is very crucial for any organization to survive. A leader has to adapt to changes to make the team work effectively. Situations might force a leader to come out of your comfort space. But to survive in this rigorous competitive era; priority has to be given to decisions that suit the need of the hour.
Find some peace and think about the necessary steps required to combat oncoming changes. Try to keep track of how the changes are improving the overall performance of the company. If not, ponder on what is going wrong and how to rectify it.
4) Decision maker - Take immediate decisions
It is one of the prior duties of a leader to take decisions invariably. An effective leader must have outstanding skills in decision-making. Taking rational and timely decisions is crucial for success. A successful leader not only takes decisions but also stands firm in believing them, thereby influencing his employees.
Adhere to your personal as well as organizational values. Apply both to your decisions for perfect harmony.
5) Motivator - Motivate employees
A leader not only motivates himself and hones his skills, but also encourages his employees to develop and grow. A leader must be a master at motivating his employees. It is commonly seen that most employees complain of a lack of appreciation by their leaders which leads to a lack of motivation to put in the extra effort. However, when a boss is enthusiastic about the progress of his employees and encourages them to perform better, their engagement increases manifold.
A executive coach guides the leader to know how to appreciate an employee in front of the team, but shares intuitions and observations with permission only in person. This the morale of the employees and encourage them to give their best effort.
6) Smart Negotiator - Negotiate cleverly
A leader must focus on developing better negotiation skills for the benefit of the organization. Here, showing your concerning side will help build trust among the team members. Being a leader, you need to take care of your team and defend the employees when needed. Set the right expectations on behalf of the team with the organisation and clients. Negotiate on the project completion date, working extra hours and additional payment for the team. Smart negotiation skills of the leaders can help the team to work better and deliver efficiently.
On the other hand, the leader needs to balance two sides of the coin. He also needs to negotiate smartly with the team members. Smart negotiation will not make the employees pressurised, yet make them feel motivated towards working within deadline.
7) Resolve conflicts - Wise mitigator
A manager has to go through conflicting issues since many contradictory opinions will be coming his way. Conflicts can occur with employees, customers, and competitors as well. A discerning and sensible leader will never turn his back and hide from conflicting situations. Instead, he will face the situation head on and try to resolve the matter before it hampers the organization’s reputation.
Patient hearing to each of the employees will give a complete picture of the scenario. Efficient leaders must be able to resolve the discord in a diplomatic way without letting anyone down. Also, biasedness is a strict No when it comes to a debacle. Leaders need to ensure that there is complete impartiality and transparency while mitigating any squabble within the team.
Conclusion[edit]
When a leader tries to imbibe these skills in him, he/she must always strive to improve. It is very important to continuously develop, grow, and adapt to oncoming changes. No matter how better you think you have learned the skills, more challenges will come your way to make you ready for larger responsibilities and roles.
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