Top 10 leadership skills (+ examples)

Leadership skills are the abilities and qualities that enable a person to lead others effectively. But what separates a good leader from a great one? We will cover 10 essential leadership skills examples, so you can identify which ones you already possess and which ones to consider developing. We'll also highlight the types of jobs and roles that require leadership skills and how to highlight them on your CV.

• What are leadership skills?
• Examples of leadership skills
• Jobs that require leadership skills
• Why are leadership skills important?
• How to improve leadership skills
• How to include leadership skills in a CV
• To sum up

What are leadership skills?

Leadership skills are the abilities that help you to lead others effectively. These skills can be useful in a variety of situations, from leading a team at work to mentoring a new employee. While leadership skills are often thought of as soft skills, they can be improved with practice and experience. They are also transferable skills, which means that they can be applied in many different settings.

Leadership skills are important for students because they help to develop confidence and communication skills. For workers, they are essential for career advancement and building strong teams. Jobs that require leadership skills include managers, executives, trainers and customer service representatives. However, these are just a few examples — leadership skills can be beneficial in any job where you interact with other people.

Examples of leadership skills

As anyone in a leadership position knows, there is more to being an effective leader than simply giving orders. In order to be successful, a leader must possess a wide range of skills. This includes both hard skills like strategic planning and financial management and soft skills like communication and emotional intelligence. Let's take a closer look at some of the key leadership skills that are essential for success.

Communication

Whether it’s communicating your vision to your team or simply giving instructions, being able to get your point across in a clear and concise manner is crucial. This also includes active listening, which is the ability to hear and understand what others are saying.

Decision-Making

As a leader, you will often be faced with difficult decisions. Being able to weigh the pros and cons of each option and make a sound decision is essential. This skill requires not only being able to analyse a situation but also the ability to think quickly and under pressure.

Empathy

The ability to understand and share the feelings of others is an important leadership skill. Having empathy allows you to see things from another person’s perspective and build strong relationships. It also makes you more understanding and approachable, which can encourage others to open up to you.

Conflict Resolution

Resolving conflicts is essential to being a great leader. When disagreements arise, it’s important to be able to find a resolution that is fair and satisfying for all parties involved. This can often require compromise and creative thinking.

Delegation

Being able to delegate efficiently allows you to make the best use of your team’s skills and talents. It also helps to prevent burnout by ensuring that no one person is overloaded with work and assigning tasks to suit people's skills.

Motivational Skills

A good leader needs to be able to motivate others. This includes setting clear goals and providing the encouragement and support that people need to reach their potential. Being able to inspire others is a key leadership skill, as it can keep your team focused on the task at hand and engaged in times of high pressure or adversity.

Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinking involves setting goals, analysing the competition and making plans accordingly. It also requires the ability to think flexibly and adapt to changes as needed. As a leader, it’s important to be able to think ahead and make decisions that will benefit your team in the long run.

Innovation and creativity

As a leader, you should encourage creativity in your team and come up with new ideas that will help to achieve your goals and inspire new ways of thinking and working. Being open to change and embracing new ideas is essential for any successful leader and complete projects successfully. It can also help to build morale and keep your team engaged.

Negotiation

When you’re negotiating, it’s important to be able to find a balance between the needs of your team and the resources that are available. This can often require compromise and negotiation skills. As a leader, you should be able to negotiate effectively in order to get what you need while still maintaining good relationships.

Time Management

You will often have to juggle multiple tasks and priorities. Being able to manage your time effectively is crucial in order to get things done and avoid feeling overwhelmed. This includes being able to set deadlines, prioritise tasks and delegate when necessary.

These are some of the main leadership skills that are essential for success. There are, of course, many other skills that are also useful, for example:

• Flexibility
• Organisational skills
• Planning
• Problem-solving skills
• Public speaking
• Research skills
• Resourcefulness
• Teamwork
• Recruiting skills
• Persuasion skills

Jobs that require leadership skills

Leadership skills are important for a wide range of jobs. Here are five jobs where leadership skills are essential:

• Project manager: A project manager is responsible for leading a team of employees to complete a project on time and within budget. Strong leadership skills are essential in this role, as the project manager must be able to motivate and inspire employees to work together effectively and reach the project goals. Without good leadership skills, it would be very difficult to successfully manage a project.
• Human resources manager: Human resources managers recruit and manage employees. They need to be able to identify talented candidates, as well as train and develop staff members. In order to do this effectively, they must have strong people skills and be good at motivating and inspiring their team.
• Change manager: Change managers are responsible for leading an organisation through a period of change. This can be a big challenge, as employees may resist change or be reluctant to adapt to new ways of working. This is where strong leadership skills are essential, as the change manager must be able to effectively communicate the changes and inspire employees for a smooth transition.
• Content and communications manager: A content and communications manager creates and manages all of the content for an organisation. This includes developing strategies, writing copy and overseeing the distribution of content. In order to be successful in this role, it’s important to be able to manage a team of writers effectively. This includes being able to give clear instructions, set deadlines and provide feedback.
• Community organiser: Community organisers work to bring people together to achieve a common goal. This can be a difficult task, as it requires being able to motivate and inspire people. It’s also important to be able to negotiate and build relationships with different groups in the community.

Why are leadership skills important?

Leadership skills are important both for students and workers to improve their chances of success.

For students, leadership skills can help them to succeed in school and in extracurricular activities. For example, students who are able to effectively lead a team are more likely to be successful in group projects. They can also use their leadership skills to become involved in student government or start their own club, which can make them stand out when applying for jobs or internships.

For workers, leadership skills can be essential for career advancement. Many employers value employees who can take charge, inspire others and get results. Being a good leader can also help you to earn the respect of your colleagues and to build strong teams. Management roles always require leadership skills, so if you’re hoping to move into management, developing your leadership skills is a good place to start.

How to improve leadership skills

Here are 10 actionable ways to improve your leadership skills:

1. Identify your leadership style: Are you more of a delegator or a hands-on leader? Do you prefer to lead by example or by giving clear instructions? Once you have a better understanding of your own leadership style, you can start to work on improving it.
2. Learn from established leaders: Read books, listen to podcasts, and attend conferences led by successful leaders in your industry.
3. Get a mentor: choose someone whose leadership style you admire and who is willing to give you honest feedback.
4. Find leadership resources: Whether it is Leadership 101 articles or TED Talks on YouTube, make sure you’re constantly learning and growing as a leader.
5. Take leadership courses: There are many online and offline courses available that can help you develop essential leadership skills. Check out this Developing Leadership module as a great place to start. It’s free!
6. Be decisive: When faced with a decision, don’t hesitate – trust your instincts and go with your gut. While it’s important to consult with others, at the end of the day, you need to be able to make decisions quickly and confidently.
7. Be proactive: Rather than waiting for things to happen, make an effort to take the initiative and make things happen. Being a proactive leader is necessary for success.
8. Communicate effectively: Learn to communicate clearly and concisely, both in writing and in person.
9. Build relationships: Strong relationships are key to being an effective leader. Get to know your team members and build rapport with them. This will make it easier for you to give and receive feedback, delegate tasks and work together towards common goals.
10. Encourage others: As a leader, it’s important to create an environment where people feel comfortable sharing their ideas and taking risks. Encourage others to step out of their comfort zones and reach their full potential.

How to include leadership skills in a CV

When it comes to writing a CV, it's important to highlight your leadership skills. After all, employers are looking for candidates who can take charge and get the job done. So how can you show off your leadership skills on your CV?

Here are a few ideas:

• Include any relevant leadership experience you have: You could write about a time when you led a team or project, and what the results were. For example, you could write "Led a team of 10 people to successfully complete a project ahead of schedule" or "Increased sales by 20% through effective team management."
• Focus on key achievements and accomplishments that demonstrate your leadership abilities: If you don't have any direct leadership experience, think about other examples where you've taken initiative or been responsible for something. For example, you might have organised an event or raised money for a charity. Include examples of times when you've shown qualities like decisiveness, creativity or problem-solving. These are all important leadership skills.
• Highlight soft skills such as communication, problem-solving and team working: These are essential skills for any leader. So, if you have them, make sure to mention them on your CV! You could add them within the "Skills" section or write about them in more detail in your "Career History" or "Achievements" sections.

For more tips on writing a winning CV, check out our handy guide on how to write a CV.

To sum up

• Leadership skills consist of the ability to motivate, inspire and influence others.
• They include soft skills such as communication, team building, time management and decisiveness.
• These career skills are important for jobs in most industries, particularly if you're looking to gain a management role.
• If you want to improve your leadership skills, there are a number of ways to do so, including taking courses or reading books on the topic.
• Including leadership skills on your CV will demonstrate that you have the ability to lead teams and achieve results.

Looking to get serious about becoming a good leader? Check out our handy leadership skills course to improve your abilities:

Take the leadership skills course