Must-Have Soft Skills for Today's Leaders

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand, connect, read between the lines, detect signs, and see clearly what is really going on.

As a leader, you are not a therapist, but you need to be able to create a connection with your team members. Sometimes, by using the right language and asking the right questions, you can establish this connection.

Connection leads to trust and open communication channels. Often, we see an exhausted team member or someone who has lost motivation and grit. As a therapist and coach, I can tell you that workplace exhaustion frequently stems from loneliness.

As a leader, it is understandable that you may not be equipped to handle such feelings and emotions directly. However, you can utilise resources like HR or coaches for inclusion and team connection activities.

The key skill required to make all this possible is courage. The courage to admit your vulnerability, acknowledge that you do not have all the answers, and recognize that you cannot solve every issue alone.

You need to make time to connect, lead as a human, and listen. Calculate the cost of distress and disconnection in terms of productivity, performance, and engagement.

Allow plenty of space in your conversations with team members. Listen and listen again. Learn to be comfortable with silence and just listening. Don’t judge. Adopt the mindset of a coach if needed.

After all, one of the most important skills of a great leader is coaching.

Get in touch to understand how I can help you become a better and more successful leader.