If you are a leader, you are expected to lead. But what does it really mean to be a leader? What are the basic leadership skills you need to succeed and how can you put these skills to good use? These are the questions this writer intends to answer in this article.
What Exactly is a Leader?
In simple English, a leader is a person who leads or commands a group of people, an organization or a community. It follows that the leader’s job description includes exercising authority, delegating responsibility, ensuring order and influencing people. The job description above does not cover everything a leader does but it gives you a clear picture of what leadership is. To carry out your duties effectively as a leader, you need basic leadership skills and these skills include the ones below.
Communication Skills
As a leader, you often issue instruction to your subordinates and you expect these instructions to be carried out to the letter. Now, if the people you are speaking to or writing to do not understand what you want them to do, they will not do it. This is why you need excellent oral and written communication skills to function effectively as a leader.
Integrity
As a leader, you have to be trustworthy because the people you are leading will not follow you if they cannot trust you. You know the old saying about one example being better and more effective than a hundred sermons. Well, it is perfectly applicable to leadership. You have to be able to walk your talk and you should set a good example all the time to the people you are leading. Trustworthiness is definitely one of the most important qualities of good leadership.
Diligence
If you want to come across as an effective and result-oriented leader, you must have the ability to work hard. This is because if you are lazy, your workers will follow your example and most of them will do little or nothing in the organization. On the other hand, if you are diligent and committed to your duties, you can enforce the work ethic on the people you are leading.
Delegating Duties
Now, this is one of the most important skills you need as a leader. You cannot be everywhere at the same time and you cannot do it all. This is why you need to delegate some duties to others. You need supervisory skills as well to ensure that the jobs you are delegating get done by your subordinates.
Final Word
As you can see, you need the right skills to be an effective leader. Use the tips above and you will never go wrong.
