Increase Your Leadership Ability with These Ten Skills

Increase Your Leadership Ability with These Ten Skills

As a leader, do you think how well do you relate to your people matters much? The answer is relationship is the important factor in having an engaged and motivated team that works together to achieve outstanding results.

An important aspect, I believe the key aspect, of good leadership is the ability to work and relate with others. Here’s why… as John Maxwell says, “Leadership is influence, nothing more… nothing less.” Relating and relationship skills is the foundation of influence. As you develop your unique leadership style consistently developing relationship skills must be a priority to gain influence.

Here are ten qualities that characterize successful leadership in the area of relating and communicating with other people.

1. Availability
A good leader is available and in touch with people. An important leadership skill is the ability to recognize needs and be able to respond to them quickly and in the moment.

2. Facilitating Harmonious Relationships
A good leader realizes the importance of harmonious relationships and is proactive in creating a harmonious atmosphere. Successful results are born out of harmony rather than conflict. Good leadership will prioritize keeping conflict and disharmony to the minimum.

3. Approachability
A good leader is approachable and has an open door policy. Good leadership creates an environment where openness and honesty can occur in an atmosphere of fairness rather than judgment.

4. Appropriate use of authority
Sensitivity to the proper use, and conversely the misuse, of their authority is the whole mark of good leadership. A good leader will not use their position of authority for self gratification and promotion or in a controlling and domineering manner. Successful leaders use their positional power with wisdom and sensitivity to the appropriateness of the circumstances.

5. Confidentiality
Good leaders conduct conferences and meetings in an atmosphere of trust. They display appropriate confidentiality and respect towards others and about others.

6. Self Motivation and Development
Good leaders set and use goals to motivate themselves and others. They understand the importance of personal and professional development. Great leaders are readers! Successful leaders do what is necessary to upgrade their knowledge and skills and be on the cutting edge in their field. Successful leaders not only motivate themselves in personal development but also motivate those around them to grow.

7. Supportive
Good leaders are able to provide emotional support for those for whom they are responsible. They recognize the importance of encouragement and inspiring confidence and also give recognition of a job well done.

8. Maintaining Motivation and Team Spirit
A good leader provides incentives and motivators to improve the performance of their employees to challenge them to maintain quality results.

9. Clear Communication
A good leader is an excellent communicator. Their leadership involves communicating clearly the objectives and procedures required of a task. They set clear, attainable, and measurable goals.

10. An Understanding of Group Dynamics
A good leader understands the dynamics of group relationships. Successful leaders have the ability to lead groups without aggravating conflict and at the same time minimize disharmony. They are inclusive and skilled in creating a sense of team unity. They are adept at balancing the strengths and weaknesses of the group for best results.

As a leader it is important to continually develop good relationship skills. The effectiveness of the leader can be assessed by the quality they connect and communicate with people. This quality will determine the level of success in achieving the leader’s desired results.

A good leader is able to create in her team a desire to follow her leadership wholeheartedly and that is influence!

Coach’s Challenge for You:

Take these ten characteristics and use them as a checklist to determine the strengths and weaknesses in your leadership style. Celebrate and work on your strengths, identify your weaker areas and find ways to manage them. Do these things and move from a good leader to a GREAT leader.