What makes a leader? Contrary to popular belief, a leader is more than just a title. What defines a leader is the actions you take before you’re even in a position of leadership. Let’s take a look at what actions are true leadership skills.
Helping Others
There’s nothing wrong with being ambitious and having the drive. But, a true leader is one that seeks out ways to help others and put others before themselves. Becoming a great leader can’t come at the cost of using others to get you to that place.
A true leader will pass on their knowledge and skills that they have learned to help you grow and succeed in your own role. Even if it’s not their responsibility, you’ll still see those destined to be great leaders helping those around them.
Being A Great Listener
This is probably the greatest and most important skill of a leader. You just can’t succeed if you don’t know how to listen to the needs of those around you and of the company. In order to be a good listener, you first need to know the difference between hearing and truly listening.
Hearing is simply by hearing the noises that come to our ears and can be done without much thought. Listeners will spend more time actively listening to those around them than they do talking.
Be A Learner
Great leaders are not only open to constructive criticism, but they also seek it out. They don’t get arrogant and think they know more than those around them. They have a mindset that is open to growth, learning, and being coachable. Being coachable means you have a mind that is truly open to being taught or trained.
Good Communication Skills
There’s nothing more painful than listening to someone and not understanding what they are trying to say. They either use words that others don’t understand or they try to sound more knowledgeable than they really are. Practice your communication skills so that you are communicating with clarity. Speak the company language of those around you.
Be Proactive
This is another skill evident in future leaders. Proactive people don’t react to problems. They seek out and find issues before they become a problem. They then work to fix the problems or issues. This isn’t a skill that comes naturally to all people but you can teach yourself over time.