Dr. Miner helps companies strategize and develop their future-leader pipeline. Her motto is "Leadership From Day One." www.trainingdr.com
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There are a few key skills that leaders have in spades. Some of them, like communication, are critical in any field — from entertainment to politics to science — while other skills are specific to business leaders alone. If you aspire to become a business leader, you’ll need to develop these five skills, which will enable you to be viewed as “leadership material” and help you to eventually rise to a leadership position.
Communication
The ability to communicate cannot be overstated. A business leader must be able to communicate his or her ideas to company employees so they buy into those ideas and execute on them. As an up-and-coming leader, communication is the one skill that you can utilize daily to impress others. A confident verbal communicator will contribute during meetings without waiting to be called on and can lead discussions with others — even if they are not the one managing the meeting.
Communication is more than just speaking, however. It involves being able to listen and paraphrase others’ ideas so that they feel they have been heard. It also involves written communication which clearly conveys one’s point. Written communication is harder to master because the way that we intend something is not always the way it is interpreted on the “other end.” When speaking, we can use our body language and have the ability to rephrase something as a fail-safe. In written communication, we need to be clear, concise and to the point on the first try.
Creativity
According to the LinkedIn Learning 2020 Workplace Learning Report, creativity is one of the top skills all employees need. Creativity is important because nothing in business is static. As conditions change, leaders must adapt and execute on a new plan. Without the ability to be creative, companies become obsolete very quickly. Look at how Apple continually reinvents itself, practically on a yearly basis, whereas Microsoft struggled to maintain its market share during a long period of complacency in the first decade of this century.
The easiest way to “be creative” is to simply not accept the first answer. Assume that there are many possible solutions to a problem or answers to a question and continually ask “what else?” By searching for additional ideas, you will build your creativity muscle.
Another way to foster creativity is to become a contrarian. A contrarian is someone who opposes popular opinion or practice. When everyone in a meeting is “for” an idea, the contrarian will interject, “What if we did it this way, instead?” A contrarian isn’t trying to be negative or argumentative; their objective is to broaden the possibilities.
Team Mindset
For companies to function optimally, they need everyone to work together like a team. Everyone knows their position and knows that ultimately their role is to support other positions on the team. In the last few years, we’ve heard a lot about “brand you” and “you be you,” but to be viewed as a leader, you need to be seen first as a team player and a team supporter. When having discussions, you can use phrases like “why don’t we” instead of “I think we should.” In terms of tasks, take on a responsibility that isn’t clearly yours, such as picking up trash in the parking lot or picking up supplies when you notice the office running low.
A team mindset can also be thought of as collaboration. Collaboration is another skill that the LinkedIn Learning 2020 Workplace Learning Report lists in the top five of most in-demand skills. Working collaboratively usually results in a greater outcome than someone working on their own. If you become aware of a new project that someone in your group has been assigned to, take the initiative to ask, “How can I help?” Not only will you learn more this way, but you’ll develop a reputation as someone who looks beyond himself.
Business Acumen
Business acumen can be defined as an understanding of how business works in general and how your business works in particular. For instance, all companies have interdependencies — customer service is dependent on sales, which is dependent on marketing, which is dependent on product development, and so on. Too often individuals have little understanding of how the company they work for functions as a whole. They know their job and they know how to execute their responsibilities, but if you were to ask them, “How does this company make money?” or “Who are your company’s stakeholders?” they would have a hard time answering.
The best way to develop business acumen is to be curious and ask questions about your business. Why do we do that? Who benefits when we do that? What are obstacles or challenges our company faces? What is the long-range plan for our company’s success?
External Perspective
This final skill is one that you won’t see suggested often. To have an external perspective means to have a wide range of knowledge. Many individuals rely on being an expert in their field as a way to be promoted to leadership, but a true company leader understands more than just their role or even their company. They are conversant in their industry — its competitors, its challenges, new breakthroughs in the pipeline — as well as other industries and external factors. For instance, if you wanted to be a leader in a hospital setting, you might be a very skilled doctor or nurse, but to run a hospital, you’ll need to understand the healthcare system in general, insurance companies and the pressures they exert on both providers and patients, the community in which your hospital operates, your competitors and more. In order to be a leader you’ll need to have a big-picture perspective.
Becoming a business leader is not fast and it’s not easy. It takes years of dedication and application, but if you truly love business (as actors love acting and musicians love playing), you’ll enjoy learning the various skills required to grow into a leadership role.
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