7 Core Competencies Every Leader Should Possess
By Amanda Da Silva, B.Hkin, B.Ed, and M.Ed
5-minute read
Striving to become a successful leader is an admirable aspiration for any individual who seeks to make a positive change in their workplace.
In fact, a competent leader can make all the difference for an organization and its culture. They not only work to increase productivity but also to improve the work environment and inspire their team members to invest in their personal growth as well as that of the company.
Here are 7 core competencies every leader should possess.
7 Core Competencies Every Leader Should Possess ⤵
No.1 Communication
Great Leaders communicate, and great communicators lead” - Simon Sinek
The way you lead is intrinsically linked with the way you communicate. Effective communication is a vital aspect of leadership. In fact, leaders are often evaluated based on the impact they have on their team’s productivity.
Such a positive impact cannot happen without clear and open channels of communication. Leaders who can share their ideas and plans in a concise way, who can explain everything from big goals to specific tasks in a clear manner, can lead their team through any occurrence.
No.2 Leadership
“Leaders aren’t born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that’s the price we’ll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal.” -Vince Lombardi
Leadership is all about establishing trust through honesty and transparency, providing direction, and assigning responsibilities. As a leader, the way your team sees you is shaped by the values you embody. When you’re honest and transparent, this facilitates building a strong bond with your team members, one that is deeply rooted in trust and mutual understanding.
People want to follow a leader with high moral standards. When they feel that they’re being treated respectfully and that their work is appreciated, they will begin to adopt the company’s values and goals as their own.
No.3 Building Relationships & Helping Develop Others
“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” -Jack Welch
Powerful leaders are capable of building and nurturing strong relationships with their professional network. They seek to connect with people on a personal level and show interest in their lives as well as their opinions and what they care about, be it personally or professionally.
This approach to leadership promotes genuine collaboration and teamwork since employees feel heard and appreciated. Moreover, they look forward to coming to work because they know their leaders respect the contributions and efforts they make. Successful leadership is also about helping others on their own paths to growth and self-development.
No.4 Adaptability
“Adaptability is about the powerful difference between adapting to cope and adapting to win.” -Max McKeown
Adaptability is the ability to effectively adjust to change but also to engage in continuous learning and critical thinking. Competent leaders know how to use and instill adaptability in their team to promote their growth as individuals but also the growth of the organization.
This skill is vital because it allows leaders to find creative ways to deal with setbacks and overcome any obstacles as soon as they occur, and sometimes, through the concept of inversion and anticipatory thinking, before they even emerge.
No.5 Project/Task Management
"No matter how good the team or how efficient the methodology, if we're not solving the right problem, the project fails." -Woody Williams
Good management requires a precise set of skills. These include proper delegation of tasks, efficient problem-solving, as well as teaching and monitoring. When you lead with guiding principles and a sense of trust, you’re allowing your team members to be more autonomous, and by extension more productive, since they’re not being micromanaged.
● Delegation skills: Organizing a team and delegating tasks for each member as well as for deciding the pace of projects is the essence of leadership.
● Problem-solving skills: This concerns the ability to come up with efficient solutions to common problems that can come your way.
●Teaching and mentoring: Supporting other people in your team, helping them overcome common hurdles, and giving them feedback on what to do is an important part of being a leader.
No.6 Personal Growth & Mastery: architect your future
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” -Viktor E. Frankl
Self-mastery requires a certain level of commitment to continuous improvement. When a leader is invested in his or her personal growth, they can see their mistakes, not as a failure on their part, but as an opportunity for learning and development.
They don’t set limits on what they can accomplish or on the potential they have. Instead, they think strategically, and they persevere all while pursuing what will allow them to expand their horizons and thrive in their domain.
No.7 Innovation
“The innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower”. -Steve Jobs
It should come as no surprise that one of the core leadership competencies is the ability to think innovatively. Successful leaders often look for creative solutions that will allow them to produce valuable results in an efficient manner. They want to produce new and better ways for the organization to be successful. These leaders make it a habit to stay up to date with the current trends, industry challenges, and innovations that are taking place in their field so they can use the information they compiled and apply that knowledge in their work.
In Conclusion
The development of all of these core competencies can be a long process.
With that said, making the effort to improve your skills in the areas discussed above can help you become a more successful, effective, and well-respected leader. As long as you’re invested in developing these competencies on a regular basis, your efforts will put you well on your way to becoming a better leader.
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Hi! I’m Amanda Da Silva.
I’m a mother of two boys, a wife, daughter, teacher, entrepreneur, former CEO, and life-long learner. I’m all about personal growth, community 💕, and being of service. (Find out more about me here.) In addition to being passionate about personal development, I’m an educator and coach with 20-years experience teaching and leading in the BC school system. I have a B.Hkin, B.Ed, and M.Ed, specializing in leadership and administration. Creating community and leading thriving teams are two of my favourite things to do. I also love helping people live empowered and growth-oriented lives.
I hope you’ll join me as we build our success together! 🙌
