Leaders should be able to perfect the balance between hard, technical skills and soft skills. The ability to effectively work well with people around you may be intangible but it is a vital part of management.
These soft skills can set you apart from the pack and be a huge game-changer on your career. The Muse shared the top five leadership skills that one must master to succeed.
1. Listen. While there are a lot of leaders who are excellent public speakers, it doesn't mean that they're good communicators, though. Since communication is two-way, leaders also need to learn how to listen. Give your team members your full attention when you are in discussion. This will also help them build their trust in you.
2. Act with integrity. When you say that you're going to do something, make sure that you follow through. Moreover, when something goes wrong as a result of your decision, don't be afraid to take responsibility for it and learn from it.
3. Be resourceful. A good leader should have the ability to find solutions even with limited resources. Get creative and "use your disadvantages to your advantage. Oftentimes, great innovations come about with limitations and constraints.
4. Know yourself. Don't get caught up with emotions when you aren't even sure of what you're feeling. Don't act on impulse. Acting on pure emotion would cloud your judgment which would, in turn, hinder your decision-making. Take a breather and catch a moment with yourself.
5. Build empathy. Find time outside of your corporate pursuits to give back to the community. One of the best outlets for this is volunteering. One can also take up education courses, travel, work on side projects as well as attend conferences and/or cultural events. This would help you learn to connect with others outside of your industry and even outside your culture. It would definitely broaden your understanding of the world and people.
Forbes has also urged leaders to channel their emotional intelligence in order to be able to manage their team well. It is important that managers have the ability to identify, understand and respond constructively to emotional experiences.
