Leadership is not just about titles or positions. It is about cultivating essential skills and mindsets to inspire, motivate, and empower employees towards success. Unfortunately, based on a survey conducted by LinkedIn and a leadership expert, many managers and executives have a considerable gap in perception regarding their leadership skills and mindsets. In this article, we will dive deeper into the importance of bridging this gap and what leaders can do to improve their leadership skills.
Defining Leadership: The Importance of Filters
Leadership is a subjective term that can vary from one organization to another. Defining what leadership means and who can be considered a leader is crucial in setting the filters for promoting leaders within an organization. It is essential to ensure that the filters set by the company align with the values and principles of effective leadership.
Identifying Essential Skills and Mindsets
The survey conducted by LinkedIn and the leadership expert identified nine essential skills and mindsets that all leaders should possess: visionary, servant, coach, mentor, listener, communicator, challenger, problem-solver, and explorer. However, the gap in perception between managers and employees revealed that not all leaders are practicing these skills and mindsets effectively.
Practicing Leadership Skills Daily
Improving leadership skills is not a one-time activity but a continuous effort. Leaders can begin by reflecting on their current leadership skills and having discussions with their teams about their perceptions of their leadership. Leaders can also commit to improving their skills by practicing small actions daily, such as giving constructive feedback, showing gratitude, and learning something new daily.
Avoiding a Typical Day
Leaders should avoid having a typical day to keep themselves engaged and open to fresh ideas and perspectives. Leaders can mix up their daily routines by exploring new projects or being with different teams, attending different meetings, or spending time learning about new things in their space.
Closing the Gap
Leadership is not only about what leaders think of their skills, but it is also about how employees perceive their leaders’ skills. Leaders should work on closing the gap in perception by practicing effective leadership skills daily, keeping an open mind, and being receptive to feedback from their employees.
In conclusion, perception matters in leadership. Leaders must ensure that their perception of their skills aligns with their employees’ perception of their skills. By bridging this gap in perception, leaders can create an environment that promotes growth, engagement, and success.
I talk about this more in the video below which was taken from one of my keynotes.
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