Leadership is best thought of not as a single skill, but as a bundle of skills, all of which can be learned and improved upon. Here are five skills that are essential to leadership and how to improve upon them in your own career.
Communication
An ineffective communicator can never make an effective leader. To lead, you’ll need to make information, goals and tasks relatable to a wide range of audiences. You’ll also need to listen carefully, paraphrase and evaluate feedback from the team. Work on these skills, both verbally and in writing, in order to improve your leadership abilities.
Adaptability
When you’re on a team, your goal is to “work well with others.” As a leader, your goal is to “work well for others.” Adaptable leaders can adjust their management style to fit the needs and personalities of their team members. Start by thinking about how your co-workers approach their work, and how you change your approach to them for the best results.
Vision
Managers tell the team what to do; leaders share the “big picture” toward which the team’s efforts contribute. To lead, stay on top of the big-picture issues, like emerging trends in your area of law and how your work contributes to the goals of your team or organization as a whole. Start building this vision in your current position, so you’ll know how to maintain it as a leader.
Delegation
Good leaders know that trying to do everything themselves will only lead to burnout. Effective delegating of tasks is essential for leaders. While you may have no one to delegate to at present, you can practice a closely related skill: prioritizing tasks. Prioritizing tasks is effectively delegating your time, rather than your personnel – and it allows you to practice the same kind of judgment skills you’ll need to delegate tasks effectively as a leader.
Confidence
Leaders must make many decisions in a short time with incomplete information. As a result, they need to have confidence in themselves and their team. They need to trust they will make the best decision they can, and they can address any unforeseen complications. Practice gathering information to make solid decisions, then sticking by your decision unless a major change forces you to reevaluate.
At Kent Legal, our experienced staffing partners can help you highlight your leadership skills and connect you with some of the best legal support positions in the Toronto area. Contact us today to learn more.