I came across this HBR Article – “The Skills Leaders Need at Every Level“, and I love taking these articles and taking a Strengths Angle on it.
According to Gallup’s Research:
- People follow Leaders because of these 4 qualities – Trust, Stability, Compassion, Hope
- Managers need to do 4 things well – Select for Talent, Set Clear Outcomes, Motivate, Develop
How does this compare with the survey results from HBR for leadership competency skills:
Personally, I can see some relationships between Gallup’s research and HBR’s findings. Some are more apparent such as “Inspires and motivates others”, “Develops others”, and “Displays high integrity and honesty”.
Some others may not be as apparent to me, such as “Displays technical or professional expertise”. But if we dig somewhat deeper, and ask “What does that do for you?” You may find that the answer is because having technical or professional expertise gives people the confidence to trust the leader. This is what I see some of these skills are – a means towards something a little deeper.
Application from the HBR Article
Knowledge without action doesn’t really amount to much, so let’s look at how we can apply this.
- Identify 3 leadership skills that you are already good at
In what ways are you good at these skills, and how do your StrengthsFinder Talents contribute to it?
In what situations can you apply more of these skills to improve your effectiveness? - Identify 3 leadership skills that you need to further develop
How can you leverage on your StrengthsFinder Talents to develop these skills?
Are some of these skills in your blindspot? Who can you partner with to give you further insight in these areas?
Identify 1 or 2 situations where you can apply your Talents to develop your leadership skills, and PRACTICE
Take the time to observe how your skills are developing. Remember that growth is always intentional, so be intentional about it, and see how things change in the next couple of months.
