Three areas to focus on to become a successful leader

Not everyone in a management position is a good and successful leader, capable of motivating employees to give their best possible performance and providing the team with a common vision. Some managers excel in the necessary hard skills but may lack sufficient communication skills. Or, on the contrary, they know how to communicate really well but are not experts in their own field. There are three traits and areas which anyone wanting to be a good leader must focus on and which need to be balanced. These three areas are covered in this article.

Illustration

General attitude

As the Harvard Business School states, the foundation stone of leadership is the general attitude of the person in question. This trait is at the very base of the imaginary pyramid of leadership; everything depends on it. The given person must have the right attitude, possess the desire to lead others and motivate them, to innovate and keep developing at all times. They must also be able to find a compromise and set aside their ego when necessary. Only with these traits can they then develop the other management skills and only then will their further development be much easier. Decide for yourself if you really have this attitude and the personality enabling you to be a good leader.

Soft skills

Among the soft skills every successful leader must have are primarily communication skills, the ability to empathise and psychological resilience. Some people are born with these traits, others have to learn them. However, all managers must actively practise and develop these soft skills. Do not underestimate the importance of interpersonal communication, body language and the way you talk to employees, and develop these skills in the long term.

Hard skills

Even the best manager with polished soft skills will not achieve much with their team if they do not understand the specifics of the work agenda of team members. Being a good manager is not just about reading a few books on personal development; you must have the necessary specialised hard skills. Be an expert in the given field, know the specifics of the work of your subordinates and thus be able to give them expert advice if necessary. Only then will they respect you and be willing to strive towards the common goals under your leadership.

 

-mm-

Article source Harvard Business Review - flagship magazine of Harvard Business School
Read more articles from Harvard Business Review