Key leadership skills that define a great leader - British Academy For Training & Development

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Key leadership skills that define a great leader

Leaders should not only manage tasks but also motivate others, encourage teamwork, and guide a team towards success. Great leaders distinguish themselves by mastering primary leadership skills that drive performance and build trust. The leadership skills are not only about effective decision-making but also create an excellent and productive work environment.

Can Anyone Become a Great Leader?

With the right mindset, effort, and right development, anyone can become a great leader. There might be some individuals who are born with such leadership qualities, but leadership is mainly a skill that can be acquired through learning and experience.

Here are some tips that make you a great leader:

  1. Recognising one's strengths, weaknesses, and values plays a significant part in developing as a leader.

  2. The skills relevant to leadership such as communication, decision-making, and emotional intelligence can be developed and acquired.

  3. By accepting change and learning from mistakes, individuals can grow from their challenges.

  4. The establishment of relationships, listening, and teamwork is important for effective leadership.

  5. Continuous improvement, both personally and professionally, creates great leaders.

Enrol in the Leadership and Managing Stakeholders Course and get a complete guide to becoming a great leader.

Different Forms of Leadership

Depending on the nature of the situation, organisation, and team, leadership occurs in various forms. Here are the principal forms of leadership:

1. Autocratic Leadership

The leader makes decisions autonomously. The input from the team members is very slight or even nonexistent. This type usually works well in crisis situations, where decisions have to be made quickly.

2. Democratic Leadership

Also known as participative leadership, this style comprises getting the team members involved in making the decisions, thereby ensuring that collaboration and engagement between employees is improved.

3. Servant Leadership

In fact, the servant-leader puts the team before himself or herself. A servant-leader's interests focus on her people and their growth and well-being while affecting organisational success.

4. Situational Leadership

Transformation on changing and adapting leadership styles is taking place from the necessity of the particular team and task at hand.

5. Visionary Leadership

Visionary leadership is present, focusing on the future by setting unambiguous objectives that motivate teams in thinking and direction along the desired span of time.

6. Transformational Leadership

Transformational leaders, by inspiring and empowering their teams, promote innovation and push for growth by introducing a compelling vision.

Leadership Skills That Make You a Great Leader

The following list examines most important leadership skills:

1. Clear Communication

They will learn to articulate clearly all ideas, expectations, and feedback to ensure alignment and understanding regarding one's part in the whole.

2. Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the capability to know and handle your emotions alongside the emotions of others. It is imperative to sit in a stronger atmosphere and help create powerful relationships.

3. Adaptability

Indeed, such an influential person demonstrates flexibility and adaptability from time to time when he expects his groups to adjust to new assignments, tasks, or unforeseen circumstances.

4. Problem-Solving

Real leaders hear problems at once, and they think differently so they can persuade others to give recommendations to resolve such issues.

5. Decisiveness

Integrating and processing knowledge into a decision-making matrix in a time-efficient manner, particularly under difficult situations, would indeed be one of the virtues of effective leadership.

6. Visionary Thinking

Ability to articulate a clear vision of the future and to inspire and mobilise others to reach a collective end goal over time.

7. Delegation

Great leaders understand that they cannot achieve everything alone. By entrusting their team with responsibilities, they empower them and also help them grow.

8. Integrity and Accountability

To build trust and respect, it is important not only to lead by example but also to hold oneself and one's team accountable for actions and results.

The Primary Role of a Great Leader

The principal functions of a great leader come in inspiring, guiding, and supporting people towards achieving goals in common. A clear vision is set by him or her, and strategic decisions are made, establishing an environment where individuals can thrive. A great leader could develop a collaborative environment that motivates individuals and demonstrates the role played by acting with integrity as well as accountability among other character traits such as resilience. Thus, the ultimate purpose of his/her role is to make the team or organisation successful while moulding and empowering individuals to realise their full potential.

Key Traits of an Effective Leader and How to Develop Them

Effective leadership consists of a mixture of abilities, comportments, and characteristics to motivate and guide people to work towards the attainment of mutual goals. Here's what makes an effective leader and how to cultivate those traits:

1. Clear Vision and Purpose

An effective leader has got a clear vision and communicates it to the team in such a way that the team is actually inspired by it. They also tend to align their goals with those of the organisation as a whole. This kind of direction motivates everyone to work towards common goals.

2. Problem-Solving Ability

An effective leader is one who identifies barriers or problems in the team quickly and takes immediate action. They analyse possible alternative solutions and carry out the best course of action. Strong problem-solving skills take the team through obstacles hampering their development towards the set goals.

3. Emotional Intelligence

An emotionally intelligent leader comprehends and regulates his or her emotions and is also sensitive to the emotions of other people. This skill develops stronger relationships and resolves conflict effectively. It instills trust and enhances the environment.

4. Creativity

Outside-the-box thinking is vital for good leaders and can help turn great challenges into opportunities. Leadership and creativity combine to build a dynamic workspace jam-packed with innovative ideas and problem-solving techniques. This alone can set any business apart from the competition.

5. Empowering Others

Great leaders empower their team through delegation and support. They inspire self-determination and reliance on team members to come forward to take on new challenges, thus instilling confidence and facilitating internal growth.

6. Prioritises continuing education

Successful leaders are supposed to be up to date and skilled at new modern advances within the fields. A great leader believes in continued education for improving their career path, but at the same time, also analyses one's leadership qualities for any areas of improvement. For example, the leader who is looking forward to improving communication skills can take up a course in leadership that has a focus on communication.

Conclusion

Fundamentally, all great leaderships are characterised by certain super skills, namely communication, emotional intelligence, and decisiveness. These skills thereby equip you to lead effectively through inspiring your team to success. Continuous learning and self-development, however, remain important personal assets for significant influence in leadership. Join The British Academy for Training and Development's Course today and strengthen your primary leadership skills to lead with confidence and success.