Leadership is a complex task and being a successful leader requires a wide range of skills and abilities. In the modern workplace, the demands on leaders are high and constantly changing. Therefore, it's important to have a deep understanding of what good leadership skills are and how to develop them.
In this article, we will dive into the topic of leadership competencies and describe the most important skills and abilities a modern leader should possess. In 2016, Væksthus for ledelse conducted a follow-up and comprehensive study that identifies the competencies that make leaders successful. Further down in the article, we go through the top 7 competencies that characterize successful leaders. Use these competencies as inspiration for what can make you a better leader.
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What are leadership skills?
Leadership competencies can be defined as the skills, abilities and attributes that a leader needs to manage and develop employees and organizations in an effective, motivating and results-oriented way. Some leadership competencies may be innate, but many are learned, and common to them all is that they need to be developed continuously through education, experience and personal development.
A leader with strong leadership skills is able to create a vision and strategy for the organization and/or team, motivate and develop their employees, make decisions and follow up on results. Leadership skills cover areas such as strategic leadership, communication, conflict management, people management and change management.
In the following, we will take a closer look at 7 of the most important leadership competencies needed to successfully lead and develop people and organizations in an increasingly complex and changing world.
What skills should a leader have? 7 essential leadership competencies that characterize a successful leader
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, in 2016, the Danish Management Growth House conducted a large, follow-up study called "Ledere, der lykkes 2". The study identified the most important competencies of successful leaders through interviews and analysis of 22 municipal and regional leaders.
The results of the study identified 7 key leadership competencies, all of which were the hallmarks of successful leaders. It's important to note that the 7 competencies are not the norm for what a leader should be able to accomplish, but an ideal based on the practices of many great leaders. In addition, the 7 leadership competencies should not be read as a complete competency profile, because as a leader, you may need other, more basic competencies than the 7 we've outlined below.
1. Economic ingenuity
Leaders show financial acumen and prudence to create more room for leadership.
In the modern municipal and regional reality, the ability to manage resources is crucial. This requires not only spreadsheet management and accounting skills, but also strong business acumen and financial diplomacy.
In addition, this competency requires creativity and the ability to find additional resources and utilize them optimally. Managers are aware of the importance of creating some "breathing room" by seeking extra funding, reallocating the budget and reducing costs.
2. Strategic zoom
Leaders switch effortlessly between detail, overview and foresight.
To practice strategic leadership, it's not enough to formulate or implement a specific strategy. It requires a permanent orientation towards future challenges and opportunities, as well as the ability to think holistically, align and integrate them into everyday tasks.
With this competency, leaders are able to see the big picture in the small details. They make meaningful connections between the overall goals of the organization and the daily challenges of their employees. The particular strength of leaders is not only their well-developed ability to think big picture or their keen eye for important details, but also their ability to effortlessly switch between the big picture and focusing on details.
3. individual empathy
Leaders have an eye for the individual and treat everyone with the same respect.
Having a strong capacity for empathy and presence is a common trait of the study's successful leaders. They have a well-developed sense of how to treat each person in their organization with respect and equality. They are able to add a personal touch to their professional relationships without overstepping their leadership role or crossing the boundaries into the private sphere.
The managers and employees interviewed in the study said that they experience managers who insist on knowing and understanding the person behind the employee. They also manage to maintain a proper and ethical standard in their relationships, even when situations come to a head. Leaders see all people - citizens, employees and partners - as equal individuals, not as pieces that can be moved around.
4. performance-oriented passion
Leaders strive energetically and persistently towards ever higher goals.
Leaders are not just hard workers, but passionate in their efforts. They have high ambitions and expectations for themselves and others, and they put in extraordinary effort and endure great challenges. Leaders have an unwavering will to constantly improve themselves and their organization, and they demand a lot from their surroundings and themselves.
Their primary goal is rarely to nurture their own career, but to fight for the cause and create better collective results. This often results in them working harder and longer than most. They are persistent and resilient enough to keep going even when faced with challenges and adversity.
5. Diverse mobilization
Leaders build valuable relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
The leaders in the survey are known for their ability to actively build strong ties with all key stakeholders, both internally and externally. They understand the importance of these relationships for success.
The number of relationships, their diversity and quality, are exceptional. The commitment and motivation of leaders can also inspire others to take responsibility and contribute to common goals. Relationships are often personal but remain professional to drive results and achieve better outcomes. Leaders actively use their energy to build and maintain their strong networks to achieve better results.
6. Constructive confrontation
Leaders challenge, clarify and resolve disagreements.
Leaders are known for challenging those around them and having the necessary but difficult conversations that others avoid or are slow to have. They know what they want and are not afraid of confrontation or conflict.
They are not conflict-seeking or conflict-averse, but have a sure sense of when to react promptly and when something is below the threshold and/or the people involved can and should handle a situation themselves.
When they get involved in a critical disagreement, they do it properly: they engage with the arguments, try to understand the causes of the conflict and find solutions where neither side loses face or motivation.
7. Clarified authority
Leaders demonstrate clarity and are loyal to their personal values.
Leaders are often described by their employees and colleagues as decent, fair, authentic, open, loyal and trustworthy. They are driven by fundamental values such as equality and respect, which they always stay true to in their role as leaders.
Leaders demonstrate clarity and have the final say in decisions, but at the same time, they stand firm on their values and principles. Leaders' integrity and firm grounding in their values gives them a strong position, even when the going gets tough, and this is respected by employees and partners alike.
The responsibility for leadership development does not only lie with the organization
"However, an organizational focus on leadership development is not enough - the individual leader must also see a need to develop and have the desire to develop if the good intentions of better leadership are to be put into practice." says Christian Nyvang Qvick, Chief Consultant, LEAD in this article about leaders' need for self-awareness as a prerequisite for developing in their role.
It is an important part of the leadership role to want to develop - and take responsibility for your own development. As the above quote from Christian Nyvang Qvick says, this is not only an organizational task, but also a question of personal development from the individual leader.
Personal leadership focuses on developing the leader's personal qualities and abilities, such as self-awareness, empathy and communication. By working with personal leadership, you can become better at handling different situations and challenges in your leadership role and achieve better results. Personal management can therefore be an important part of developing your leadership skills. When you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses and know what drives you, you can act much more effectively and achieve better results in your leadership role.
