I have been in the military and business world for forty years and I often get asked about what it takes to have effective leadership skills. My experience led me to select Sheryl Sandberg’s effective leadership to this 10 core skills that most successful leaders all share.
Leaders should be reliable without being predictable.
They should be consistent without being anticipated.
Mike Krzyzewski
Check out our thoughts on team leverage.
If you want to be a better leader, work on developing these skills like Sandberg:
Sandberg’s effective leadership … optimism
People want to follow an optimist, a person always looking to prioritize and solve problems.
Critical thinking
You should assess the core issues of situations and quickly be deciding on a course of action.
Sandberg’s effective leadership … courage
Making tough decisions, knowing that bad decisions will be penalized. Remember that doing nothing is always an option.
Relentless preparation
Preparation makes you confident. Answer the question why shouldn’t I take this action? Sandburg does this well.
Inspire and motivate
Always get the most from each team member and succeed based on your ability to work with others.
Her team depends on her.
Related posts: How to Create the Best Leadership Accountability
Communications
Sandberg makes both written and oral skills that are clear, concise, and to the point.
Effective leadership styles … listening
Focus on hearing everything that’s being said so you can make the most informed decisions. Sandberg listens first then acts.
Sandberg’s effective leadership … creative thinking
You should be stepping out of rigid mindsets to explore new ideas outside of your comfort zone.
Evolving
Be adapting quickly to the success of the team. This is the most difficult skill to master, but the most powerful.
Sandberg effective leadership skills: strong beliefs
Knowing who you are, what you believe in, and where you are going.
A simple reminder … leadership, like swimming, cannot be learned by reading about it … it takes lots of consistent practice. Sandberg stands by this.
What do you think? Do you have the skills to add to this list?
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Mike Schoultz is the founder of Digital Spark Marketing, a digital marketing and customer service agency. With 40 years of business experience, he blogs on topics that relate to improving the performance of a business. Find him on G+, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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More leadership material from Digital Spark Marketing’s Library:
Leadership Characteristics that Improve Influence
10 Leadership Competencies You Should Not Live Without
Building Collaboration and Sharing Skills in your Staff
How to Create the Best Leadership Accountability
The Zen of Abraham Lincolns Leadership Lessons
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10 of Sheryl Sandberg’s Effective Leadership Traits