The Eight Essential Skills for Every Leader and Leadership Team

Based on our experience and widely reported research the following skills are required whenever an individual or team is required to provide leadership or governance to others. These are deeply powerful, meaningful skills that drive change, satisfaction and productivity.

 

Mission, Vision, Values

The leader(s) must be able to provide a crisply stated purpose, a specific, measurable definition of success and the high-level principles and beliefs that drive behavior.

 

providing clear direction

When passing instructions or delegating tasks it is important that a process is followed that ensures all the key elements are passed on and the requirements are clear.

 

taking corrective action

Meeting goals without mis-steps and with minimal risk taking requires regular check-ins on progress and consistent corrective actions. The leader needs to have a systematic way of testing satisfaction, building engagement and driving commitment toward continuous improvement.

 

addressing performance issues

When working with an individual or team that is not on-track a leader needs to be methodical and consistent in addressing performance issues. The process needs to be able to identify and address issues of goals, competence and circumstances, and ensure that below-expectations performance is managed up or managed on.

 

engaging stakeholders

Ethical leaders engage their stakeholders by using the following skills:

• Demonstrating their trustworthiness through their competence, reliability, openness, and principles.
• Using a consistent vision, mission and language to involve and relate to others.
• Regular check-ins and two way communication to demonstrate interest and understanding.
• Ensuring every significant milestone is accompanied by an after-action review to demonstrate interest and drive continuous improvement.

 

collecting and sharing credit

It is an essential relationship skill to collect and share credit with grace. Stakeholders are kept satisfied, engaged and committed by identifying positive contributions and sharing the recognition.

 

REWARD and motivation

Employees have the most opportunity to exercise their freedom, creativity, challenge, mastery and altruism when leaders are purposeful about the way they delegate tasks, design jobs and link rewards to performance.

 

making change stick

Making an initial change is only part of the leaders’ responsibilities. Equally important is that they make changes stick. Successful leaders have the ability to analyze the personal, social and environmental issues that reinforce the ability to think, feel and do the right thing.