What are leadership skills?

Leadership skills are an essential component in positioning executives to make thoughtful decisions about their organization's mission and goals, and properly allocate resources to achieve those directives. Valuable leadership skills include the ability to delegate, inspire and communicate effectively. Other leadership traits include honesty, confidence, commitment and creativity.

In IT, executives are often required to be jacks-of-all-trades. In addition to being able to plan strategically, their leadership skills must also be directed toward risk management, disaster recovery, compliance and other aspects of data governance.

Top 15 leadership skills that make a good leader

To be an effective leader, a person should possess certain skills that can steer and motivate the team members toward success.

The following list examines 15 important leadership skills:

Open communication. A good leader keeps an open line of communication with team members and can succinctly explain organizational goals and tasks using different types of communication channels, such as one-on-one sessions, email, video, chat, phone calls and social media. An effective leader also shares clear messages and makes complex ideas easy to understand for everyone.
Empathy. Empathetic leadership focuses on identifying with others and understanding their perspective. Leaders who show empathy are successful because they can better understand how the employees feel about their work environment. This enables the leaders to bring positive changes to the workforce.
Strategic thinking. Leaders need strategic and critical thinking skills, as they are tasked with challenging decision-making. A strong leader makes well-researched and objectively scrutinized decisions that can lead an organization toward achieving its goals.
Creativity. A creative leader can brainstorm new ideas and inspire others toward creativity and innovation. For example, a successful leader will always recognize and reward employees for their creative input.
Positivity. A great leader brings positivity into the work environment, which in turn uplifts the employees and encourages them to perform better. Positivity can be cultivated by showing care, respect, diplomacy and empathy toward the team.
Flexibility. The best leaders get out of their comfort zones and quickly adapt to changing work conditions. They wear multiple hats and can problem solve and improvise on the fly. A successful leader also promotes employee engagement and is willing to accept constructive feedback from the team.
Conflict resolution. A great leader not only knows how to avoid conflicts in the workplace but can also resolve them in an efficient and timely manner. While resolving conflicts, the leader stays level-headed and decides analytically.
Time management. This is an essential skill for leaders, as they need to delegate tasks, prioritize commitments, set attainable goals and multitask. Successful leaders practice time management skills by setting SMART goals for themselves and their team members.
Reliability. A strong leader is dependable and one that people can count on for fulfilling commitments and meeting deadlines. This encourages the team to appreciate the leader's decisions and follow in their footsteps.
Mentorship. Great leaders are always ready to mentor and teach to bring out the best in their employees. They put in a lot of effort to make the team successful by using positive reinforcement, clarity, motivation and by rewarding achievements.
Recognizing potential. Great leaders have a keen eye for recognizing potential talent and competencies in the workplace. They also don't shy away from acknowledging the abilities and achievements of their employees.
Responsibility. The success and failure of a team ride on the shoulders of a leader. Therefore, leaders should be accountable for their actions and willing to take the blame when mishaps happen. Great leaders take responsibility and devise strategies for improvement instead of pointing fingers and blaming others.
Organization. Leadership positions depend heavily on organizational skills. A successful leader can handle a variety of different projects, spend ample time on each, prioritize and ensure that all project deadlines are met.
Delegation. Sometimes, it's difficult for leaders to let go of the projects they're passionate about. However, a great leader knows the strengths and key skills of each employee and delegates accordingly based on the project requirements. This also helps with relationship building within the team as employees feel valued, respected and trusted.
Feedback. Effective leaders never miss an opportunity to provide constructive feedback to team members regarding their performance. Without feedback, employees can't gauge where they stand and which areas they need to improve on.

What makes an effective leader and how can you become one?

Leadership is a learned behavior that comes with many attributes. According to a study conducted by the Center for Creative Leadership, between 38% and more than 50% of new leaders fail within the first 18 months.

The following leadership qualities can inspire anyone to become a better leader:

Good values. To be an effective leader, one should be honest and committed to their leadership role and always remember that their team reflects the values they uphold. A good leader shows respect for everyone and their opinions.

Vision. One can't be an effective leader without having a strong vision for current and future growth because a big part of a leader's job is to connect a group of people through a shared vision. A successful leader isn't hesitant about bringing change and pushing the boundaries of what is achievable through their intellect.

Creativity. Thinking outside the box is imperative for successful leaders because it enables them to turn challenges into opportunities. Leadership and creativity work together to produce a dynamic workspace that's rife with innovative ideas and problem-solving techniques. This can provide any organization with an edge over the competition.