Key Skills Required to Be a Good Leader: Nurturing Growth, Ownership, and Learning from Mistakes

We can’t talk about healthy environments without addressing their leaders. In any organization or team, effective leadership plays a pivotal role in driving success and achieving goals. And I don’t mean only C-level and management, but all aspects of leadership. A good leader inspires, guides, and empowers their team members to excel and take ownership of their projects. Leadership is not just about holding a position; it is about possessing certain skills that allow individuals to positively influence others and foster an environment of growth and collaboration. In this article, I will delve into the key skills required to be a good leader in my humble opinion, the gravest mistakes leaders make, how team members can grow into excellent leaders, and why ownership and learning from mistakes are crucial components of successful leadership.

But before we jump into the leadership skills, I wanted to highlight some of the features I think we all need to have and work for, independent of your position:

Be knowledgeable, but humble. Nobody likes a know-it-all.

Be empathetic and sensitive.

Trust yourself and trust others. Hard to do, but important to learn.

Share knowledge, insights and responsibilities. We are all learning.

Be yourself. Don’t fake it, as others can see right through you. And it impacts trust.

Respect yourselves and others at all times.

Be truthful.

With those in mind, let’s dive into what good leaders are made of.

Key Skills for Effective Leadership:

???Communication: Strong communication skills are essential for leaders. They should be able to clearly articulate their vision, expectations, and instructions, while also actively listening to their team members' perspectives and concerns. Effective communication fosters trust, encourages open dialogue, and ensures everyone is on the same page. Additionally, be consistent. Nothing breaks a team more than a leader that changes his/her mind every turn and creates confusion, uncertainty and unnecessary overload. It is good to be flexible and agile but don’t confuse this with being capricious and moody.

???Emotional Intelligence: Leaders must possess emotional intelligence, which includes self-awareness, empathy, and the ability to manage emotions. Being aware of one's own emotions and understanding others' feelings helps leaders connect with their team members, build relationships, and make informed decisions. Talking about company culture without addressing how leaders deal with stress and emotional overload is pointless. As a leader, you must remember your stress reflects on how your team deals with issues and being empathic and sympathetic is key to keep balance and peace. Some leaders think that ‘crunching your way through’ is a positive thing. Nevertheless, when constant and consistent, unnecessary stress burns the team out and increases dissatisfaction.

???Adaptability: The ability to adapt to changing circumstances and navigate uncertainty is crucial for leaders. They should be flexible, open-minded, and willing to embrace new ideas and approaches. Adaptability enables leaders to guide their team through challenges, make informed decisions in dynamic situations, and foster a culture of innovation. Flexibility is great when it is not imposed and forced upon the team, so remember your emotional intelligence and read the room. If your high adaptability level is stressing the team, take a step back and listen to their concerns before acting.

???Vision and Strategic Thinking: A good leader should have a clear vision and the ability to think strategically. They should be able to set achievable goals, develop action plans, and inspire their team to work towards a common purpose. Strategic thinking allows leaders to anticipate future trends, identify opportunities, and make informed decisions that align with the overall objectives of the organization. Nevertheless, be transparent to your team about your strategies, creating a connection with them that will allow them to cross that path with you and the organisation. Additionally, be sensitive to their work/life balance in your strategies. If your plans overload the team, they are not suitable and should be rethought.

???Empowerment and Delegation: Leaders who empower their team members and delegate responsibilities effectively create a sense of ownership and accountability within the team. By trusting and supporting their team, leaders encourage personal growth, foster creativity, and build a collaborative environment that drives success. Trust the team to be the experts on their fields. Afterall, that’s why you hired them. Nobody likes a helicopter boss.

Plus, be ready to recognise the leadership skills of your team members and make sure you provide suitable growth and remuneration opportunities for them. You want not only to keep your best players but help them become even better and happier in their roles.

Gravest Mistakes Leaders Make:

???Lack of Communication: Poor communication leads to misunderstandings, confusion, and a breakdown of trust within the team. Leaders who fail to communicate clearly and regularly may hinder progress, demotivate team members, and create a disengaged work environment. But that doesn’t mean having millions of meetings and overexplaining things. Just don’t ghost the team, while not being cringy either. Balance and transparency, while being a truly good listener, are key.

???Micromanagement: Leaders who micromanage their team members stifle creativity, hinder autonomy, and create an atmosphere of distrust. Micromanagement can demoralize employees, hinder their professional growth, and prevent them from taking ownership of their work. Learn how to delegate and trust, letting go of your own concepts and ideals. Your way of doing things might be great for you but might be not the right way for other team members. Give them space for find their own pace.

???Lack of Accountability: Leaders who do not take responsibility for their actions or decisions and fail to hold themselves accountable set a detrimental example for their team. Lack of accountability erodes trust and discourages team members from taking ownership and being responsible for their work. This is a pet peeve of mine, in any level or company: people who are never in fault for anything, pushing the responsibility to someone else when things go wrong, while being quick to own the victories, theirs and others. Boils my blood.

???Failure to Provide Feedback: Constructive feedback is crucial for growth and development. Leaders who fail to provide timely, specific, and constructive feedback deprive their team members of opportunities to improve and hinder the overall progress of the team. Keep in mind that nobody can read minds and what might be clear for you, might not be for others. Besides that, nothing is more unfair then being dismissed from a job / project for mistakes which were never discussed or pointed out during the execution, giving the participants no chance to prove and improve themselves.

Team Members Growing as Leaders:

It is always best for organisations to provide clear growth paths for their members, fostering leaders among the team members. Nevertheless, you can become a leader, if that is your goal, without the need of being appointed. Help your managers understand you not only have the skills for leadership, but also the desire, while supporting your team members in a positive manner.

???Mentorship and Coaching: Good leaders act as mentors and coaches, guiding their team members in their professional development. They provide guidance, support, and resources to help individuals grow their skills, expand their knowledge, and develop leadership qualities.

Therefore, team members with good leadership skills are supportive of their colleagues and happy to coach others to become their best as well. Competitive and fearful team members, who are always looking over their shoulders and perceiving their colleagues as threats tend to become defensive and mistrustful leaders.

???Encouraging Learning Opportunities: Leaders can promote continuous learning by encouraging team members to attend training programs, workshops, and conferences relevant to their areas of interest and expertise. By investing in their team's growth, leaders empower individuals to enhance their skills and knowledge. Team members that see themselves as complete experts and are unwilling to learn more tend to not listen to others and become authoritarian leaders.

???Offering Challenging Assignments: Leaders should provide team members with opportunities to take on new challenges and responsibilities. By stretching their capabilities and allowing them to work on projects outside their comfort zone, leaders foster growth, resilience, and confidence in their team members. Team members with leadership aspirations should inspire, motivate and support their teams to tackle the challenge together and improve themselves in the process, while not being afraid to ask for help if something feels overwhelming.

Taking Ownership and Avoiding the Blaming Game:

As leaders, our goal is to nurture team members who will feel confident and motivated to take ownership of their activities, while helping each other. For that, there are some features to keep in mind.

???Creating a Culture of Accountability: Leaders should create a culture where team members feel comfortable taking ownership of their work. This involves setting clear expectations, providing necessary resources and support, and celebrating successes while learning from failures. Deal with fearfulness and insecurities by promoting a positive work environment and motivating the team members to ask for help whenever necessary.

???Encouraging Learning from Mistakes: Leaders should promote a growth mindset within their team, where mistakes are seen as valuable learning opportunities rather than reasons for blame. By encouraging reflection, identifying lessons learned, and implementing improvements, leaders foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. And avoid creating an environment suitable for the blaming game, where pointing fingers becomes the norm. It is toxic and counterproductive.

???Leading by Example: Good leaders lead by example and take responsibility for their own mistakes. When leaders acknowledge their own errors and demonstrate a willingness to learn and grow, team members feel empowered to do the same, creating an environment where everyone is encouraged to take ownership and learn from their mistakes. The ‘leading by example’ rule can be used for pretty much every positive behaviour you would like to see in your team. Be the guide.

Becoming a good leader is an ongoing and challenging journey that requires honing essential skills, avoiding common pitfalls, and nurturing the growth of team members. It is usually easier said than done and good leaders are constantly learning and improving themselves. Always remember: Effective leaders communicate clearly, practice emotional intelligence, adapt to changing circumstances, envision strategic goals, empower their team, and delegate responsibilities. By fostering a culture of ownership and accountability, leaders inspire their team members to take charge of their projects, learn from mistakes, and contribute to the overall success of the organization. The position doesn’t make the leader. True leadership is about positively influencing others, nurturing growth, and creating a collaborative environment that fosters excellence.?