#1 Integrity
This is by far the MOST important skill any leader should possess. Without it, you cannot lead. To be in a leadership role, the people that report to you must be able to trust you 100%. If trust is broken, you have nothing. Being honest and having strong moral principles are necessary, because as a leader you will be tested and tried in ways that are unthinkable. You will be asked to do things that in your heart you know is not fair or incorrect. You have to be strong enough in your moral values to speak up when things are out of order. You cannot just flow with whatever. WARNING!!! Having integrity is not popular. So, do not be surprised if you are alone. If you do not stand up as a leader then anything goes…which leads to chaos and dysfunction. When people are in your presence, they should already know you stand for what is right. In addition, the more people learn you as a leader the less you will receive request for things that are unfair or immoral. No one is perfect, however, if you put forth your best effort to have integrity and correct your mistakes you will see that the people you serve respect you, which leads to better productivity and positive outcomes.
#2 Adaptability
Yes. Adaptability is vital. There is no leadership position that does not have its waves of adjusting. You have to satisfy what the system wants, what your direct reports wants, finance people, your team, and much more. Expectations change all the time. Not to mention adjusting to new leadership changes, short staff, not enough products, call-ins, new guideline updates, HR issues, etc. The list of things you have to adapt to never ends. This is why you must be able to keep cool and calm at all times. If you fret then those that report to you will follow suit. No matter what comes your way you have to stay cool enough to be able to make good decisions. The last thing someone wants is a leader that is screaming, hollering, and running around like a crazy person when things are not going smoothly. I know this is easier said than done. It takes experience and time to be able to learn how to adjust with all that comes with being a leader. However, you can do it! A couple tools I use is my faith and not to make quick decisions. I simply step back from the situation seek God and give myself time to think. Feel free to try my tools. They truly help with adaptability.
#3 Team Work
There is no “I” in team. One of the biggest issues I see with creating teamwork is when you have people that want to shine at any cost. As a leader, you must express the importance of what everyone brings to the table. Your team has to feel that their contributions are valued. That their viewpoints are heard. I am a strong believer that everyone has something special to bring to every team. In my experience, if everyone feels free to bring in ideas it brings forth great efficiency and creativity. It is not the leader’s job to shine. It is the leader’s job to make room for their team to shine. Nothing does my heart better than to see one of my team members beam with success when they bring into fruition an idea or thought that made an impact. That is what brings me joy. Leaders stay humble. Be the type leader that encourages teamwork. It will make your job as a leader much easier. Great teams bring great progress.
Trust me. If you strive to possess these top three soft skills there is no limit to your success. -AG