“In order to succeed, you have had to continually adapt and acquire new leadership skills in order to keep pace with this rapidly shifting environment.” – Mila Baker
Recently, Crosworks had the opportunity to lead an HR Leadership conference tackling top trends within HR and what is needed to prepare for the business needs of the future. With company culture changes, business practice changes, and evolving work environments, human resource teams need to adapt and help to assist employees’ needs and facilitate business and leadership growth. A key part of the leadership conference focused on upskilling and reskilling. Fostering an environment of growth and continuing education benefits not only the individual but also, the company. This idea of upskilling and reskilling applies to every person, including those in leadership roles. According to the World Economic Forum, “54% of all employees will require significant reskilling and upskilling in just 3 years.” Taking the next steps to revisit what you already know and learn something new only increases your success in your position, with your teams, and for your organization as a whole.
Tips on Acquiring New Leadership Skills
Through education, training, and practice, the quality of leadership can be obtained. Just like any position, it is a learning process and with initiative and persistence, skills can be learned and achieved. Just because you are a leader does not mean you automatically know everything there is to know. The most successful leaders are the individuals who pursue continuing education and are available to improve their leadership skills with the goal of helping everyone on their team do their tasks better. Need a place to start? We have outlined some tips and tricks to help jump-start the journey to becoming a better leader.
- Ask for feedback | Excellent leaders are not shy when pursuing feedback from their peers and their teams. Asking what went well and what could have been better will help with future projects and give you an overall understanding of strategies that work and strategies that don’t work.
- Share your knowledge | Another secret way of learning is by teaching. “We have to develop ourselves, keep learning, and model what we believe. No matter where you are in your career, you can mentor others, offer what you know, share your questions, exchange insights, and keep learning. By so doing, you’ll further your own education.” –Sally Fox, Engaging Presence.
- Find a mentor | Support is necessary for any position, and leadership is no exception. Examine your network and find a mentor that can help you grow and offer guidance when dealing with management and leadership. Having a source to bounce ideas off of and explore ways to adapt to the changing workplace environments can help you keep checks and balances on your management style and success.
- Find your style, observe, and get coaching | Over time a preferred leadership style is acquired, mostly by observation of others – deciding that you like the way someone did something and you disliked another way. To establish your style, you can accelerate this process by working with a coach who can highlight your strengths, balance them with your personal traits, and help you merge the two to successfully lead in your position.
- Reflection | Self-discipline comes into play within a leadership role. One thing we can be really disciplined to continually do is to reflect. Take time in your day to reflect on how things went – how your direction was received, how that presentation went. Taking a moment to really look at your accomplishments and your failures will help you adapt and learn for the future.
- Read and research | There are an array of bestselling books on leadership, management, and executive education. Highly regarded authors and leaders teach through their writing and sharing their experiences. Research the style of leadership you are drawn to and then soak in all the knowledge you can get between the pages.
- Take part in training programs | Invest time and money in your development and the development of your team. Commit to furthering your education and the education of others to see vast results and a profound impact on skills and productivity.
- Volunteer | One of the soundest ways to get better at anything is to practice. Practice leadership? Yes. Start leading and learning. Volunteer with a local cause or to lead a fundraiser and put your skills to work by practicing what you know and what you have learned.
- Hunt for the latest ideas | Through all the methods above, keep your ears and eyes open to new leadership trends and ideas. There are always new methods and repurposing of older methods that you can implement in your own space.
Staples of Leadership
Exploring new ways to improve your leadership skills is an imperative part of your role as a leader. However, in addition to new skills, there are staples that we should always work on maintaining and nourishing to succeed as a leader. These are the foundation we build on, to improve and provide excellent guidance and support to our teams and organizations. Some staples to remember are:
- Relationship Building
- Agility and Adaptability
- Innovation
- Employee Motivation
- Decision-Making
- Conflict Management
- Negotiation
- Critical Thinking
- Focus on Results
- Communication
- Time-Management
- Cultural Intelligence
- Responsibility
- Commitment
- Self-Awareness
- Delegation
- Organization
- Consistency
- Honesty
- Team Building
- Confidence
If you are looking to upskill your leadership approach or inspire your team in new ways, investing in an executive coach is a wonderful place to start. At Crosworks, we work thoroughly with our clients to establish the best results that will lead your team and organization to perform at the highest level. We offer a variety of coaching techniques to help you focus on what you need for yourself, your team, or your organization. Contact us today for a consultation on all the ways we can support, educate, and guide you and your team.