The most important skill that leaders should master
As leaders, we are taught to have many distinct skills when managing a group of people. These general traits include dependability, decisiveness, integrity, and more. You’ve heard them all, but you may not have thought about a highly overlooked skill that some may call the most important.
In a recent Lolly Daskal article, she emphasizes the “secret sauce” of great leadership: connection. Some of her reasons for why and what happens when you connect with those in your organization include:
- you get involved by diving into the details of the projects and goals that your organization is working on;
- you hear better through thoughtful listening and following up with thought-provoking questions;
- you value and appreciate those in your organization by seeing people’s strengths firsthand;
- you show care by creating an environment that fosters loyalty and encourages retention;
- you make it personal by creating an environment of mutual respect and understanding; and
- you get curious with the insights gained from truly connecting with others.
As leaders, the ability to connect with those around you will help to foster a healthy and happy environment that embraces innovation, collaboration, and passion. When you’re genuinely interested in connecting with others, your employees will start to feel that they can approach you with anything knowing that they are seen and that their voices are heard.