5 skills every leader must have

What does it mean to be a leader in business today?

What skills do we need to develop to ensure we are bringing our very best selves to work?

In order to thrive at work & in life, we need to be aware of our mindset & moderate our behaviour so we continue to transform ourselves and our teams. Like most things in life, leadership is a journey. If we're willing to spend time reflecting on our leadership style & are humble enough to do the work on ourselves, we can inspire others to do the same.

Of course, there are more than 5 skills leaders need to thrive, however here are 5 that can make a real difference to how effective & engaged you are at work;

1. Mindfulness - mindfulness has become a bit of a buzzword lately, but what does it mean to be mindful? Mindfulness means having self awareness. It means being aware of the impact our words & actions have on other people. It means regulating our emotions & cultivating consciousness.

2. Energy - in my opinion, managing our energy is the single most important thing we need to do to be an effective, engaged leader. With so many demands on our attention, we need to manage our energy & focus our attention on the right things. We need to minimise distractions, set boundaries & be disciplined about how we spend our time. Do you waste precious morning energy checking emails & social media? Do you batch your work or skip from one task to another in a constant state of distraction? If you find yourself mentally wrecked by the end of every day, take an energy audit. Then commit to one change.

3. Growth Mindset - a growth (learner) oriented mindset means we have a desire to learn & are not afraid of making mistakes. We embrace challenges, see effort as the path to mastery, learn from criticism & find other's success inspiring.

4. Develop the people you lead - take a coach approach with your teams - ask rather than tell. Use feedback effectively. Communicate with clarity & consistency. Set clear expectations & lead with purpose, kindness, respect & compassion.

5. Create & Innovate - business today demands continual innovation. We are asked to achieve more with less resource. Budgets are getting tighter and revenue targets are getting higher. Competition is fierce. To be creative we must carve out space to think. You can't innovate when you're stressed, tired & stretched to the limit. This ties into #2 - energy management. Our brains can't create if they're tired. Find a tool that works for you and aim to practice it as often as you can. It could be 15 minutes of quiet time in the morning - no social media, no newsfeed scrolls, no email checking. It could be a 10 minute walk during the day. It could be cultivating a meditation practice. Find one thing you enjoy and do it every day. You'll be amazed at the difference it will make.

At ThriveU we specialise in 1:1 Leadership coaching, leadership strategy, workplace wellbeing programs, & meditation for modern minds. Contact us to learn more about how we can support you at work & in life.