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Last Updated on 2015-02-04 by Kassandra
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Are you in a position of leadership, either in your place of work or perhaps among your friends?
Do you influence others around you?
Do you wish be an empowering person? Lifting others up and helping them achieve their greatness?
Leadership:
noun
- the position or function of a leader, a person who guides or directs a group
- ability to lead
- an act or instance of leading, guidance or direction
There’s a lot of books out there you can read on being a great leader (anything by John C Maxwell is a great place to start!) … But I recently ran across this article written by Tara Jaye Frank on the Be Leaderly site a friend forwarded to me.
These 10 Killer Leadership Skills are things that every leader needs to possess and hone if they wish to be effective, set a high bar for greatness, and lead the way for others to do the same.
10 Killer Leadership Skills
Killer Leadership Skill #1: Empathy
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Be an ACTIVE listener! Don’t think about what you’ll say next.
Understand yourself as well as those around you.
Although discerning a mutually beneficial path may be tumultuous, it’s better to ensure all parties involved get what they need than for you to be right.
The most effective leaders are very emotionally intelligent, and make others feel not only understood and respected, but also empowered.
Killer Leadership Skill #2: Vision
As a leader, you must be able to effectively cast your vision. If you are not able to communicate and openly share this with others, who will want to follow you?
Whether it’s a new singular product idea or new business, a strong vision outlines the big picture. Hard work fills it in.
Killer Leadership Skill #3: Agility
Agility is the ability to fluidly take in new information and be able to re-examine goals and plans.
What once was a good decision yesterday may not be so today.
Great leaders can quickly change course without causing extraneous drama.
Killer Leadership Skill #4: Story
Great storytellers are able to inspire others and get people to buy into their vision. Not in a negative way like a slimy salesperson, but in such a way that other people see it and want to be a part of it.
Are you able to understand context, create a point of view that compels others, and tell a memorable tale about it?
Killer Leadership Skill #5: Strategy
Great leaders are able to identify pertinent information and form related (and often times to others unrelated) patterns into opportunities. They see meaning and options where others don’t.
And then they take action.
Killer Leadership Skill #6: Inspiration
If you are a great leader, you inspire others. They willingly will take personal risks for you. They buy into your vision, believe in you and what you stand for, and trust you.
When you inspire others, it is your vision, your integrity, and your ability to be open and honest that instills in others the craving to be part of something greater than themselves.
Killer Leadership Skill #7: Creative Problem Solving
“Think outside the box.”
We’ve all heard this term, right? While this term may be a bit out dated, it’s basically telling you to develop the skill to be able to view a problem from new or different angles.
Sometimes you must experiment with multiple paths in order to sharpen a team’s ability to uncover relevant solutions for whatever problem (or as Zig Ziglar likes to call them opportunities) lie before you.
Killer Leadership Skill #8: Presence
Poise. Posture. The “EF Hutton” effect.
Whatever you want to call it, it is the certain je nai sais qua that happens when a leader walks into a room … You just know they do. Their stance, the way they talk, the way they interact with others …
When a leader speaks up, people lean forward to listen. The people around them are trying to get every little drop of knowledge and wisdom they can from them.
It’s as if these people carry gravity you can feel with the things they say, do and think.
Killer Leadership Skill #9: Authenticity
You must be transparent in times of change if you wish to be a great leader.
You must be vulnerable in times of loss and not hide it. People need to know you’re human – not some robot.
You must always be honest and genuine. If you’re not? People see through that crap eventually.
Be relateable. Be trustworthy.
Be someone of integrity.
When you are an effective leader with authenticity? You will mobilize teams faster because they know you are someone of your word they can trust.
Killer Leadership Skill #10: Courage
Question your own assumptions. Sometimes the things you believe to be true are in fact the complete opposite. Always question and strive for better, even when the times get tough or you may be ridiculed.
Great leaders ask tough questions, tell the truth, and expect the best of themselves and others.
Bust up the norm! Don’t be afraid to be different.
It’s sad and true that the average person leads an average life because they do average things.
A true leader is not average. But in order to be above average (or to even excel) you must do, say, and think things that the average person won’t. And sometimes this can cause issues with friends, family, and loved ones. But take courage!
Be the leader they’re looking for … Because everyone is looking for someone to follow to greatness …
Be bold! Inspire boldness in others around you.
Now, obviously 10 is not a magic number and there are a ton of traits one admires in the people they follow … So!
What are your thoughts? What’s missing from this list, in your amazing opinion? 😀
Leave a comment at the bottom and let me hear from YOU!
And if you would like to improve your leadership skills, definitely check out the presentation below.
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