Leadership skills: 5 aspects to consider

There are many leadership skills, but not all are equally suitable for any company. That is why each team manager must learn to identify which characteristics of their position, especially in terms of psychological and interpersonal skills, may be more appropriate for all the people under their charge to achieve their goals without undermining their well-being.

Where do leadership skills come from?

We are faced with the eternal question so often asked by many leadership theorists: is a manager born or made? As with other roles in life, it is neither one nor the other but a perfect combination of the two. 

For various reasons, it is clear that some people are not born to lead and therefore cause small and large disasters when they occupy a position that involves coordinating and directing other people. 

We also find examples of certain individuals of whom we can say that “it seems that they were born to lead”: they have such good leadership skills, exercised so naturally, that it gives the impression that everything in their lives has led them to that position.

In reality, we cannot categorically determine where this ability, or lack thereof, comes from. As in any other talent, it is possible to think that there is an innate base, qualities that have always accompanied the person but are nothing without an environment that molds them adequately. And that enhances them. 

When we talk about leadership skills, it seems difficult to affirm that the manager was born with them as if they had not learned them from different sources.

Primary leadership skills

Managing teams is not easy, and, as has already been said, no one is born “with knowledge” in anything, at least not completely. Therefore, managers must be honest with themselves, get to know themselves, and progressively discover and improve their particular way of performing their roles. 

Regardless of the company or sector in which they work, there are specific leadership skills that every manager must possess. For example, knowing when it is time to be strictly professional and when it is possible to use a more informal or casual tone without being inappropriate.

It is also good to have the wisdom to identify the different talents of your team members and put them at the service of meeting objectives. This way, they are more motivated and have good employee experience and professional development. Of course, a good manager is comfortable with the fact that it is not necessary to know everything, do everything, or supervise everything. There is a reason for a team and not a group of individuals. 

In addition to the above, here are five leadership skills that should not be neglected.

1. Good working memory

Working memory is a capacity that we all have, although some people have it particularly well-developed. It allows us to manage all the aspects related to resolving a more or less complex task at any given time. Thanks to it, the most gifted managers can hold a large amount of information in an efficient and coordinated manner.

2. Retainment capacity

A manager can manifest in different ways and be effective in all of them. However, the most effective is usually the ability to retain rather than being explosive or reporting anything at any time to anyone. 

Therefore, among leadership skills, we must include the ability to manage the information at our disposal properly. We must also understand retention as an interpersonal skill that consists of being present when someone needs you and giving security and support to that person.

3. Positive role model

A leader has to show good habits at work and act with consistency between what they say and what they do: what is commonly known as leading by example. Otherwise, they cannot become an authority in the eyes of their team members. Therefore, managers must be a model of the company’s norms and values and a certain style of working that could be considered “healthy.”

4. Constructive authority

Part of the manager’s role requires combining the authority one has with the authority one is. The point is that this cannot be achieved if you lack certain leadership skills related to properly administering firm instructions and cautions, the capacity for job recognition, and transmitting a good knowledge of the subject matter in which the team works.

5. Communication skills

While all of the above is important, we should not forget the most obvious of the leadership skills: being a good communicator. Again, this can be done in many ways, but it always includes active listening skills, empathy and, of course, clarity in the transmission of messages so that they are easily understood and, therefore, increase efficiency.

Fostering emotional well-being in organizations

It takes a lot to become a good manager, so those who occupy this role must have the necessary tools to perform it properly. 

That is why at ifeel, we offer our global emotional well-being service for companies, designed by our team of psychologists who are experts in well-being at work. This collaboration allows managers in People, Talent, and Human Resources to receive personalized and data-based advice on how to take care of the psychological well-being of the teams they are in charge of. 

Do you belong to the Human Resources department of your organization? Try our program now to see how it could help you.

In addition, our program offers all employees a complete mental health care service that includes emotional support and online therapy with one of our professionals. 

Don’t forget that in our Resources section; you can find different materials, such as Podcasts and HR Guides on various topics (for example, a glossary of workplace well-being, a guide to preventing burnout, or how to properly approach OKRs from an HR manager’s point of view). You also have interviews with top HR managers. In addition, we have a Psychosocial Risk Factors Template, which you can use to comply with the requirements of the Labor Inspection.

We hope you found this post about leadership skills interesting. If you would like more information about our emotional well-being program for companies, simply request it, and we will contact your team as soon as possible.