Five Overlooked Leadership Skills
Five Overlooked Leadership Skills….
ssshhhhh… they’re the silent skills
Much has been written about leadership skills… what they are, how to develop them, which skills stand out, etc. Many of the same skills show up on most lists. A few often un-touted leadership skills are also very important to a leader’s success; and a leader’s success means success for the group! These skills are quiet leadership skills that don’t usually bid well at the boardroom table or in the frenzy of a stock market dip.
These are the silent leadership skills that are often not talked about.
- Patience– The true goal of leadership is not to cross the finish line first, but to take as many others with you as you possibly can. Having the patience to develop others is true leadership!
- Compassion– Great leaders are able to understand and respect the feelings and emotions of others. This skill of empathy is one of the highest traits for Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in leaders.
- Connectivity- All great leaders know that being connected to others is what allows success to happen. Great leaders reach out for connection to and with others and have strong networks in place. No one person can do it all or know it all. A great leader will admit this.
- Submission- A great leader has also been a great follower at times. People who have not practiced being submissive are often arrogant, unrealistic, and autocratic in style.
- Wisdom– This is not knowledge or smarts. Rather, this is wisdom that comes from braving the storms and trials of life with sense of self as well as compassion for others still intact. Wisdom is very quiet.
The above leadership skills are character builders. Pay attention to the next really effective leader you meet and notice how quietly these skills are embedded in their life’s work.
Judy W Bell
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Tags: Character, Compassion, Connectivity, Emotional Intelligence, EQ, Judy W Bell, Leadership, Leadership Skills, Wisdom