Leadership skills aren’t just important for leaders. Technical skills will only get you so far in your career. At every level of your profession, it’s important to display leadership skills. The ability to influence is just as critical to success early in your career as it is when you progress through the ranks. While leadership skills comes naturally for some people, it is a skill that needs to be developed for most. So, how do you develop your leadership skills?
One of the easiest ways to develop your leadership skills is to show initiative. You can show initiative by taking on more responsibilities, going above and beyond at your current position, learning things that are outside your primary job duties, training others on skills that you possess. Once you have learned new areas of the business, put your critical thinking cap on, and think of ways to improve your area of the business utilizing behaviors you’ve learned by cross-training. Good leaders understand the bigger picture, and they have foresight to see where there are opportunities to improve the business.
Strong people skills are another requirement for leadership. A good leader knows how to inspire others to succeed through motivation and influence. Start developing your positive reinforcement abilities by telling your peers or even managers “Good job,” when they complete a task successfully. Another skill you can develop is an ability to listen attentively. Hearing other people’s feedback is key to helping them succeed. In order to show good listening skills, make sure you are giving the speaker eye contact, do not appear distracted, and try to really consider their message. Then, put your critical thinking cap back on, and try to brainstorm ideas of how you can help them resolve their pain points or prevent potential pitfalls.
Strong leadership skills are crucial to career success. According to Ken Blanchard, “The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.” If you want to show leadership skills, think about how you can positively influence others in your current role—you do not have to be in a position of authority to help your colleagues be successful. For more career advice, or to add leadership skills to your resume, give us a call at (816) 986-0909 or email us at info@platinumresumes.com.