Business Leadership Skills

Being deputed as the boss definitely reflects the fact that you are good at your work. You are given a group of skilled individuals to help you deliver your task. However, ask those who have successfully headed various departments and teams, and they would say that having good leadership qualities is just as much important as being adept at one's job.

Business is about challenges, it's about changing market scenarios and an important component of business leadership is to be able to adapt to these changes. This quality is displayed by those who are able to resolve the challenges by thinking out of the box.

Effective leadership contains flexibility and innovation. Effective leaders are always aware of the business environment and hence, are able to take the right decision that helps them overcome difficult situations while maintaining profits.

One has to make maximum of the opportunity that one gets in business. Some challenges may actually be an opportunity in disguise. The only thing that stands in between the challenge and success is to take the right decision at the right time.

Decisiveness is a key corporate leadership skill. Good opportunities may be lost in the absence of quick decisions and this can be achieved under the guidance of a leader who is well informed and has sound judgment.

True, a leader is one who every member of the team looks up to. Does that mean that he is always expected to deliver? Well, theoretically that is what he is supposed to do although we know that showing sound judgment every time is not possible.

You lead by example and this example is not just about success. It is also about showing readiness to take responsibility for one's decisions. Not only does this earn a leader the respect of his team, but it also builds their trust in him. They know that their team leader would be there for them always and this faith in team leadership ensures better output.

It is important to let every member know what value his contribution has in the whole picture. Other than just explaining one's role, it is the leader's responsibility to communicate success to his team members.

This aspect has two dimensions. The first is about knowing the skills of every team member. The other is about familiarizing oneself with the temperament of each team player.

Business is all about teamwork and leading a team of people coming from different backgrounds with different attributes is one of the most difficult leadership challenges. Knowing each one's skill would help a leader to give responsibility of a job to the person most suitable for it.

A knowledge about one's temperament helps leaders to avoid and be prepared for behavioral problems that may crop within the organization. It also helps to inquire about the employee's personal and family life.

This does not mean that a leader has to become buddies with his employees. However, an occasional question about an employee's family would definitely earn a boss his employee's loyalty and trust.

These were just a few of the key leadership qualities in business. Besides these other qualities of a successful leader are:

• Being organized
• Proper delegation of work
• Learning from one's mistakes

It's not that one is born with leadership skills. It's true that some have quite a few traits that make others look up to them. However, there are others that can be developed. There are many leadership programs that would teach us different styles and also help us realize and hone some of our business skills.

However, the best training comes from the concise effort of rising above the rest and to put collective interests before personal gains.