by Cheryl Marks Young
It’s true that some are born with personality traits and skills that lend themselves well to leadership roles. It’s not true, however, that the only good leaders are natural-born leaders. As Vince Lombardi once said, “Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.”
The skills that set good leaders apart from the pack can be learned and honed by anyone ready to put the work into developing them. Even “natural leaders,” after all, need to cultivate their potential. If you’re looking to sharpen your leadership skill set, focus on these 6 skills:
Communicating
Sure, charismatic speakers might also be dynamic leaders, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. Good leaders have the ability to clearly convey expectations and ideas. However, there’s more to effective communications than giving direction. Great communicators (and by extension, great leaders) are skilled at more than delivering a message. They are also great active listeners who ask meaningful, open-ended questions that invite discussion. (Find tips to boost your communications skills here: Communication Skills Every Leader Must Master.)