“Today, the idea that organisations can simply go out and “hire” new leaders is being called into question,” the report says. “Rather than searching to find and hire great leaders from the outside who may or may not succeed in the organisation’s corporate culture, most organisations would do well to explore new approaches and to invest more in developing the potential leaders they have.”
The most successful leaders are not only able to master technical skills but – and perhaps more importantly – they are able to grasp soft skills brilliantly. Indeed, LinkedIn’s CEO Jeff Weiner has said soft skills are more important than knowing how to code in today’s job environment.
So, if you want to differentiate between a great leader and just an okay manager, here are a few things that will help distinguish between the two.
Empathy
A great leader must possess empathy, humility and be a good listener. This enables them to help redirect any negativity into something positive.
Communication
Communication is probably the biggest asset that a great leader possesses. Clear communication enables leaders to meet challenges, inspire others to perform their task effectively and resolve any disputes quickly and fairly.
Foster Innovation
A great leader is able to foster a culture of innovation and reward employees for taking ownership of their own problems and for coming up with solutions. They encourage employees to look for inspiration from the world outside the organisation and allow scope for employees to carry forward their ideas as far as possible.
Creativity
The ability to think out of the box is an important factor for a great leader. Having the freedom and allowing others the freedom to unleash creativity should be encouraged.
Teamwork
While leaders must lead, they must do it by example. Gone are the days when the work of a leader was to merely supervise, a good leader is able to be very much a part of the team and involved in the work that the team is doing.
Do you want to help foster great leaders within your workplace? Get in touch with us. Video Arts is an award-winning e-learning provider, renowned for delivering corporate training in an entertaining and memorable way through video. You can view our leadership collection of videos here.
