Every employee in a company is working hard to get promoted, but that's precisely the problem. No one stands out enough to get the promotion, except maybe those who have these leadership skills. Read on to find out what they are.
Photo credit: master1305
Most employees in any company will assume that working hard is the best way to climb the career ladder. But the truth is everyone in the company is also working hard to get a promotion, so the chances of being noticed might be very slim unless you're doing something special. Your work progress, accomplishments, and output just may be too similar to that of your co-workers. The determining factor is your skills and qualities.
There are specific leadership skills that employers value when looking for an employee to promote. You could have star qualities, making you a very competent and high-performing employee, but you lack the necessary skills to excel in a leadership role.
We have all heard the phrase "leaders are born, not made," which may lead you (see what I did there?) to think that you don't have what it takes to get promoted at work. Fortunately, this is not the case. You can develop the leadership skills needed to climb up the career ladder with the proper training and the right attitude.
Here are the 10 leadership skills that employers look for when considering employees for a promotion
1. Communication
The value of excellent verbal and written skills cannot be emphasized enough. Effective communication helps to build strong relationships, leads to positive negotiation results, and reduces conflict within the organization. When you are in a senior leadership role, you need to clearly and effectively communicate details on specific projects and goals for the company. So your communication skills have to be on point, whether it is on social media, email, phone calls, interpersonally, or in writing.
This is actually one of the most challenging skills for employers to find when looking to promote from in-house. So when they notice that an employee has exceptional communication skills, they know that this person might be on the fast track to promotion.
2. Problem-solving
Any role in a company has its challenges, meaning high-level positions have even more complex problems that require the necessary skills to solve them. Demonstrating that you have strong problem-solving skills will always work in your favor. Try to step in whenever you can and offer reasonable solutions to any internal and external problems for the company. Soon enough, your superiors will definitely notice your growth potential.
3. Decision-making
If you have ever watched the TV show "The Office," which is one of my personal favorites, then you probably remember the episode aptly titled "The Promotion."
In it, co-managers, Michael and recently-promoted Jim, have to decide which employees will get raises since there is not enough money for everyone to get one. Jim decides to give raises to the sales department since they bring in money to the company. However, the rest of the staff complain that his decision is unfair and biased because his wife is on the sales team. Long story short, both managers end up caving in and are obligated to find another solution.
Similarly, making decisions, especially tough ones, is never easy. Leaders are constantly faced with various situations in their operations, requiring them to make multiple decisions. Your decisions will define your success and that of the organization. When making decisions, you will not always have all the information necessary to help you decide, but this cannot slow you down. You have to be confident in your decisions and stand behind them, especially the unpopular ones. To be a leader and grow in your career, you have to master the art of decisiveness, which is uncomfortable, pays off in the long run.
4. Organization and planning
Organization involves establishing goals, planning the implementation, and seeing it through, then assessing the results to determine any improvements needed. It also includes going back to the drawing board to set new goals. The workplace is already a stressful environment for most people. Now imagine going into things without an organized plan. This is why planning and organization are essential leadership skills. These skills help to streamline workflow and determine any problems that need solving.
5. Delegation
This skill is a vital part of competent leadership. Delegation is not about dumping work you do not want to do onto other employees to reduce your burden as a leader. Successful delegation involves developing the leadership skills of other employees with potential. Proper delegation of tasks to your team members means you trust them to do more than what is expected of them through mentorship. It is an informal way of training people by assigning them duties above their pay grade. So if you can demonstrate practical delegation skills in your current role, it can improve your chances of getting promoted.
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6. Time management
Businesses are highly-competitive and fast-paced environments. Employers are looking for people who can effectively manage their time. Workloads can pile up, and you will be overwhelmed trying to think of the amount of time you need to finish it. When you have good time-management skills, it shows that you can achieve goals in a timely manner and effectively handle fast-paced roles.
Photo credit: pch.vector
7. Teamwork
Being able to work well with others is always a given in any role. An effective team player can motivate and support others to work together and cooperate. Employers value someone who finds ways to bring their team together to work on problems or goals. This also applies to employees who offer to help those who are struggling on the job. The ability to work seamlessly within a team is a critical skill that can help the company thrive. So if this is something you are good at, it will definitely help to build your case for a promotion.
8. Relationship-building
Any successful business revolves around relationships, and a good leader works passionately to build them internally and externally. The ability to create reliable and strong relationships makes an effective leader. You have to maintain honesty, integrity, and trust to establish good relationships with people. This shows that you can develop a sense of community within the company and that you bring value to the table, which you can apply in a high-level role.
9. Critical thinking
A critical thinker is someone rational, highly analytical, and exceptional at decision-making. These qualities are vital for leading any organization towards its goal and success. As a critical thinker, any decision you make must be impartially assessed and well-researched, with all the possible results analyzed. You'll also need to be able to analyze situations carefully before responding and find efficient solutions to problems. Sharpening your critical-thinking skills is a great way to get noticed for a promotion.
10. Taking initiative
A strong leader grabs the reins and takes the initiative to do what nobody else wants to, regardless of how menial the task is. Whether it is your first day on the job or you are the company's CEO, taking the lead on a task or a project shows that you are a leader. It also puts you on management's radar by showing you can bring value to the company.
Bonus: Social Skills
Gone are the days of having leaders that people fear. An approachable leader who people can come to with their questions and concerns is definitely a plus. Employees who organize fun activities at work or are social during company events might also show their leadership potential. Showing appreciation for people's work and motivating people to work from respect instead of fear is a practical leadership skill to have. So try to mingle with others professionally and offer help or motivation wherever you can to increase your chances for a promotion at work.
Leadership is a practice with no endpoint or finish line. Anyone can learn these skills with the right resources and attitude. You just have to recognize whether you want to grow in your career and do what's necessary to achieve that. As long as you take the initiative and put in the work to get these leadership skills, that promotion you've been eyeing will be yours soon enough.
