Boost for New Leaders: Flip Your Skill Set

The skills you had as an individual contributor will serve you well in your new role, but they will also need to be calibrated, adjusted, and taken to the next level. You may have been the subject matter expert in your field and mastered the technical components of your role. You may also have led others before and have dealt with some of these challenges. In any case, as a leader, these are key skills required for your growth and development, as well as that of your team. There are 2 critical skills that leaders need in order to be successful: communication and influence. At many organizations, this relates to your ability to engage stakeholders ‚- both internal and external. You need to listen, empathize, ask questions, and demonstrate understanding to build and nurture ongoing relationships; and to give customers and colleagues an experience they will want to repeat. Your ability to provide and receive feedback, and to lead others in a manner that will motivate their hearts and minds, will allow you to influence outcomes and solutions.