In today’s competitive job market, demonstrating leadership skills is a great way to set yourself apart. Even if you don’t have a lengthy leadership resume, that doesn’t mean leadership is out of reach.
Ready to build leadership skills and take your career to a new level? We’ve got four easy tips to help you get started. Read on, future leader!
1. Keep learning to build leadership skills.
A recent study found professionals undergoing leadership training boosted their productivity by 20% and learning capacity went up 25%!
Constant learning yields multiple benefits, and when it comes to leadership, it can be the vehicle that helps you stand out from the competition.
How can you make leadership training part of your development? It’s easy. Look for opportunities in:
- organizational learning
- mentorship programs
- creativity and entrepreneurial thinking
- building relationships with current leadership
If you’re not sure of your options, talk to your manager. They may have access to resources for training you can utilize. If not, take the initiative to create or collaborate with your company on these opportunities.
2. Identify leadership traits you want to emulate.
Do you have a team leader or boss you look up to? What good qualities of a leader do they exhibit that help them accomplish their goals? You should value and strive to acquire these qualities within your own career. Your leaders may have received their positions based on those qualities.
Gallup identified some traits common to successful leaders, and possibly skills your leadership role models possess as well. These include:
- being assertive
- creating a culture of accountability
- building trust and transparency
- making decisions based on productivity, not politics
Take time to understand how and why this person developed those skills. Discuss their achievements with them and ask for advice. They could provide mentorship, meeting with you regularly to discuss goal-setting and aspirations.
3. Find new avenues for leading in the workplace.
Until a formalized leadership opportunity emerges, lead from your current position. How can your manager recognize your readiness if you don’t display those leadership traits?
Within the workplace, plenty of scenarios exist that allow you to take charge, setting yourself up for recommendations for future openings. As a young professional, you can offer to take the lead during:
- volunteer events
- team outings
- party planning
- team projects
- meetings
Spearheading other types of opportunities not only shows initiative, but helps you gain experience needed for potential management positions. Trust me: Your employer will notice.
4. Ask for help.
Identifying gaps within your skill set is crucial to becoming a well-rounded leader. Even the best bosses have flaws; it’s how they address them that separates the good from the great. Asking for help is something every great leader should do, disregarding doubts associated with pride or perception.
According to The Great Work Study conducted by the O.C. Tanner Institute, “72% of people who receive awards for their work ask for advice, help, insights and opinions from people outside of their inner circle. In doing so, those workers generate fresh ideas and perspectives on how to solve problems that they otherwise wouldn’t have imagined. In essence, asking for help and advice creates better, stronger, more successful results than not asking for help.”
In other words, aspiring for greatness is admirable, but asking for help will get you there faster. One way Paycom helps facilitate opportunities to request help is through regular one-on-one meetings between employees and their supervisors.
Are you ready to make your first moves toward a leadership role? Be sure to follow the tips above, and when you’re ready, check out the job openings at Paycom!
