10 vital leadership skills
Ready to level up your leadership? Set aside some time to reflect on how you are doing on these 10 common leadership skills—and use them to create your personalized growth plan. You can download the PDF here and rate yourself on a scale of 1 - 10, with 10 being top-of-game and 1 being needs significant improvement.
1. Vision and Direction
Setting a Clear Vision: I am clear on my vision and I communicate it weekly.
Strategic Planning: I have a system for tying my business goals to my projects, so there is a clear strategic link to the work that I do.
2. Decision Making
Making Informed Choices: I analyze data, consider feedback, and make decisions that balance short-term needs with long-term objectives.
Risk Management: I evaluate risk and weigh the potential impacts of my decisions before acting on them.
3. Inspiring and Motivating
Fostering Innovation: I provide a safe place for my team to explore and sometimes fail, knowing that failing is an inevitable part of an innovative culture.
Building Trust: I keep my word to others.
Building Trust: I keep confidences, only sharing sensitive information with the people who need to know it.
Building Trust: My values drive my behaviors in ways that are consistent, so my team knows what to expect.
Encouraging: I provide feedback with clarity, specificity, and warmth, and am generous with positive reinforcement and honest with feedback that will help my people grow.
Supporting: I provide adequate resources and time for my people to do their best work.
4. Communication
Transparent Communication: I communicate to my leaders and employees with clarity and transparency—on a regular basis.
Active Listening: I listen with an intent to understand, without interrupting, and with curiosity.
Congruence: My behaviors are consistent with my words.
Truthful: I tell the truth, even when it is difficult. I understand the importance of knowing when and how to speak truth.
Professionalism: My communication is professional, to the point, and provided with an understanding of my audience.
5. Accountability
Setting Expectations: I clearly define roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations.
Accountability: I meet with my direct reports at least monthly and hold them accountable for their work.
6. Problem Solving and Innovation
Addressing Challenges: I de-escalate situations and approach challenges with optimism, a sense of creating mutual wins, and clarity about my expectations.
Emotional Control: I remain calm in the face of stressful situations, creating a sense of stability for those around me.
Encouraging Innovation: I encourage my people to think outside of the box.
7. Building and Managing Teams
Hiring and Development: I am good at attracting, developing, and retaining high performing talent.
Creating a Positive Culture: I cultivate a collaborative team environment.
8. Ethical Responsibility
Upholding Integrity: I generally act from principle, not from fleeting feelings or a desire to please others at all times.
Ensuring Compliance: My people understand when and how they need to involve legal expertise in situations.
9. Adaptability and Change Management
Leading Through Change: I remain optimistic, focused, and steady in times of change.
Staying Flexible: I am open to new ideas and to hearing how I could do my work better.
10. Performance and Results
Driving Results: I have clear metrics for the part of my work that can be measured, and I review progress on them monthly.
Continuous Improvement: I inspire my team to keep pursuing better ways of doing their work.
Wondering how to move forward on the areas you want to focus on? Coaching can provide you with guided goal-setting, accountability, and insights to help you accelerate your growth—and ultimately elevate both your impact and how others perceive you.