Douglas: Welcome to the Unleash Your Potential Blog, what question can I answer for you today?
VisionVirtuoso: How can I develop better leadership skills?
Douglas: Most of us, at some point or another, will be called upon to be in a leadership role. It might be in our careers, relationships, or our community. Some of us (like me), will feel called to leadership so we end up in those situations more frequently. In any case, it is usually a good idea to spend time developing leadership skills so that you are ready when that moment arrives.
If your goal is to develop better leadership skills, then you have to understand what skills you are referring to and which ones will be most helpful to you. It would also be useful to know which ones you may already have developed. There is no sense in working on something you are already strong in.
In 2023, Rebecca Knight wrote an article for Harvard Business Review that outlined eight essential leadership skills. I am not claiming this is THE list, because while it is couched in research, it is still an opinion-based question. If I ask 100 leaders what their most important leadership skills are, I will likely get 100 slightly different answers. Nonetheless, Ms. Knight’s article resonated with me, so I am going to expound a little bit on her list.
Authenticity – Effective leaders are living their best lives and are true to who they are. When a leader is authentic you can count on them to be consistent about who they are. Their actions are consistent with their values. If you want to develop authenticity, you need to do some self-work and know who you are.
Curiosity – It is important to wonder why things happen. As a leader you will face many challenges and curiosity will inspire you to better understand why things happen. Curiosity is about not just accepting the results, but asking those 6 great questions, Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How. If you want to develop curiosity, challenge yourself to try to understand the reason beyond things that happen.
Analytical Prowess – Effective leaders are eager to get into the data. We are always collecting information (and data isn’t just numbers) from different situations. An analytical mind (paired with curiosity) seeks to understand what the data is telling us. How can we harness all that information to develop a path forward? You can develop your analytical prowess by choosing to engage with the data. Realize that even situation provides data, you just need to be willing to dig into and understand what it means.
Adaptability – I have written many times about the need to have strong goals and plans. However, the best-laid plans are going to hit bumps in the road. Life is going to throw you unexpected challenges. Adaptability is the skill that allows you to “roll with the punches.” When you are adaptable, you can see multiple ways to accomplish a task, just in case the first way doesn’t work. This is a hard skill if you are someone who tends to think there is only one way to accomplish a task. If you want to develop adaptability, when you encounter a challenge, start by listing three or four different ways to address it. Adaptability starts by acknowledging the multiple solutions to a situation.
Ambiguity – This skill is all about coloring with gray. The world is not black and white. Ambiguity is the ability to see and work with the fact that every situation is nuanced and there are many sides. The best answers are often not either/or, but yes/and. Developing this skill is becoming comfortable and understanding that you won’t always have all the information and the situation will often be fluid. You have to be willing to harness your adaptability as you navigate these situations.
Resilience – Things are not always going to go your way. A resilient leader can experience failures and setbacks, realize the places for improvement, recognize the positives that did happen, and move on. Resilience is about not beating yourself up about it. Resilience is the willingness to get back on the bike and try again. We fail far more often than we succeed, but resilience teaches us that failures are the greatest opportunities for learning and growth.
Empathy – Effective leaders can put themselves in their follower's shoes. Empathy allows us to connect those we lead and helps them to understand that you are on the same team. Being empathic is understanding what matters to others and allowing it to inform the decisions you make. Empathy is not saying, “I understand how you feel,” because we can never fully understand where someone is coming from. Empathy is understanding what it is like to feel what they are feeling (e.g. frustration, sadness, joy, etc.). I know what it feels like to feel frustrated and I am with you as you experience it. Empathic leaders are connected with their followers and seek to harness that connection for the greatest good.
Creativity – This skill pairs well with adaptability. Creative leaders can think “outside the box.” I once heard someone say to another as a compliment, “You don’t just think outside the box, you don’t even know there is a box!” There is a lot of truth in that statement. Creativity allows us to see beyond the practical and conventional to see the possibilities. In those possibilities often lies the best solutions.
The best way I know to develop any of these skills is through practice. Practice is how we develop any skill. Thinking about it, talking about it, researching it…these are not going to improve your ability to use these skills. Put yourself in situations where you can practice all of these skills.
I hope my answer sheds some light on your question. If you want to dig into this concept further, I encourage you to reach out and set up a conversation. In the meantime, check back tomorrow for the next question in the Unleash Your Potential Series!
Be Well!
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