Skilled leadership requires more than just a little know-how and knowledge. You also need to possess these 8 skilled leadership characteristics, so you have the chance to stand out. They will also help you become a more effective communicator and improve your problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
1. Effective Communication Skills
Effective communication is undoubtedly one of the more important leadership characteristics seen in successful women. We aren’t simply talking about speech either; we also have to include nonverbal communication, the ability to read and write well, and active listening.
An effective leader and successful woman in business can provide guidance, ask questions, and seek out feedback when necessary. She is more than transparent in her communication and can clarify any issues that may arise.
2. Trustworthy
Another skilled leadership characteristic of a successful woman is trustworthiness. A successful woman can build an environment of honesty, trust, and integrity. She can set realistic goals and encourage the free flow of creativity and ideas. As a result, people are more comfortable following leadership that takes the time to listen to what they have to say while maintaining a certain level of confidence in the workplace.
3. Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Skills
A businesswoman may come across many issues, including competition and a less than stable economic environment. However, when she possesses problem-solving and critical thinking skills, she can be more objective about what is going on. It allows her to ask the right questions about a specific problem she is experiencing to assess all the information and develop a well-thought-out solution on what needs to happen moving forward.
4. Confidence
A successful leader needs to have confidence. This is especially important when it comes to making decisions. To gain more confidence, a good leader must prepare herself and acquire all the information needed to make a decision. However, it is also important to remember that failure can happen along the way. This doesn’t mean people should fear the decisions they make. Instead, confidence can have a more positive impact and can define any leadership role.
5. Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is another key leadership characteristic. This means as a leader, she can manage her emotions and the emotions of those around her. When it comes to emotional intelligence, social skills, empathy, motivation, and self-awareness are all involved. These skills can be used to find personal success as well as success for team members.
6. Creativity
Creativity is essential for any leader, especially in a business environment. However, with the high levels of competition one may face and uncertainties, leaders are often presented with challenges due to their performance. A successful woman leader will display a high level of creativity and innovation while facing diversity and examining different viewpoints to find the best way to manage her team.
7. Knows How to Share
One of the lesser-known skilled leadership characteristics of successful women is knowing how to share. This means knowing how to share credit when credit is due and when to share power to engage and empower her team. Instead of focusing on the authority a leader has on others, a successful leader will focus on finding ways to distribute that power and align the team for better results.
When it comes to sharing the credit, a successful leader knows that she can’t do it all by herself. She praises each person’s accomplishments and understands that hard work comes from all areas of the business.
8. Knows How to Engage
Finally, a good leader knows how to engage her team by taking a highly collaborative approach. She seeks out alternative points of view from team members and positively impacts the business culture by fostering trust, networking, and collaboration among everyone on her team.
If you possess any of these skills, you are well on your way to becoming a successful woman in leadership.