Business Leadership Skills

This blog post is not really fully related to the subject of Creative Thinking and Idea Generation, but still, I would like to share some information about leadership skills. I learned these from the soft skills programme I attended today. The speaker was Mr. Dev Kumr Sankey, who was also the speaker for the Thinking-out-of-the-Box programme.

Anyway, here are 10 key business leadership skills essential to success as a good leader.

1. Lead by Example

A leader cannot be somebody that's never around and do not work together with the team. It is very important that a good leader lead by example. The leader needs  to lend a helping hand to the team, provide his expertise to help the team on certain matters, and to make sure that the work he is doing is clearly understood by the team. Through leading by example, the leader can also impart his knowledge onto his team members.

2. Have passion

Passion is a very important drive that can motivate people to give it their all.  A leader must have passion for the work he is doing, as it is vital that he shows enthusiasm for the project. If even the leader is not excited about the work, how will the team members be able to have passion for their job? A leader should fully believe what he is doing, and through his passion, inspire his team members.

3. Be organised

Disorganisation leads to more disorganisation. It is very crucial that a leader is fully aware of the status of his team's project or task. A leader who is very messy will be leading a team that is similarly messy. An organised leader who keeps everything in their place will be able to raise the productivity of his team members, and thus the productivity of the entire team.

4. Delegate

A good leader is not somebody who does all the work by himself. In any case, it is not possible that a leader can complete every task by himself without the help of his team. A great leader can delegate tasks to members of his team effectively and successfully. The leader can identify the strengths and weaknesses of his team and distribute the tasks accordingly.

5. Take responsibility

Even though a leader has delegated the tasks to his team members, the leader must also take ownership and responsibility for the project at all times. A great team leader must make his team feel that he has their backs during both the good and the bad times. If something goes wrong with the project, the leader must be prepared to step up and account for the mistakes of his team as a whole.

6. Communicate effectively

A good leader must certainly be a good communicator. This is to ensure that nobody is confused about what exactly their roles in the team are. Communication is also about affirming the contributions and work of the team members. A good leader will tell his team that they are doing a great job if the team is doing well. Leaders should also provide constructive criticism, and also speak in a precise and concise manner.

7. Be brave

A good leader is also a brave person who do not shy away from the problems that will crop up regularly in the team. The good leader will also not hesitate to talk to members of the team who are showing a lack of effort in their works. He will not simply ignore the problems. A good leader can also identify opportunities and go after them bravely for the good of the team.

8. Be a great listener

A leader is not just somebody who talks, but also one who listens to his team. Answering the questions posed by the team members and understanding the issues facing them can go a long way in establishing the leader as a good communicator. Another advantage of listening is that the leader can respond better to matters regarding the job at hand as he understands the needs of the team.

9. Knowing the team

While a good leader do not have to be best friends with his team members, he should know more about their personal lives as the lives of team members outside work matters. This is because the personal lives of the team members can affect the level of contributions made by them to the team. Knowing the team also helps greatly in forming connections and bonds between the leader and members of the team.

10. Be a follower

A great leader is also a follower. A leader who does not follow but only leads is a dictator. A great leader is open to the fact that he does not know everything in this world. So, a good leader will follow his team on subjects that he is not an expert on and listen to the opinions of his team. Being a leader-follower basically means finding value in the team and getting inspired by them.