How can developing emotional intelligence help you secure a leadership role faster?

Which leadership style fits your personality: Visionary, Servant, or Autocrat?

Unlock your potential with Indeed career coach Jennifer Herrity’s guide to leadership. Discover the four main management styles, learn to diagnose your skill gaps, and find out how to position yourself for promotion today. Ready to lead with confidence? Explore Herrity’s step-by-step roadmap for developing your unique leadership style below, and start building the skills that get you noticed.

Recommendation

Jennifer Herrity, a leadership coach at Indeed, provides a detailed overview of primary leadership styles. She helps new leaders understand why they should prioritize the needs of their teams ahead of making their own big contributions. She also gives step-by-step guidance on how to evaluate your leadership readiness and acquire the right skills to become an effective leader. Herrity describes four types of leaders and team coaches: visionary, servant leader, autocrat, or democrat. But no matter what type you are, be strategic about targeting the leadership role you want to attain.

Take-Aways

• Diagnose which leadership skills you already have and where you need to grow.
• Consider the wider perspectives of your team, company, and industry to select the leadership style that works best in your case.
• Outline the areas where you can step into a leading role at your workplace.
• Identify where you can become certified in leadership and include that experience in your resume.

Summary

Diagnose which leadership skills you already have and where you need to grow.

Leadership is a skill you can acquire. In your quest to become a good leader, think about the specific skills all leaders must have and the particular skills you’ll need. Which of your current skills do you need to work on and which ones have you already mastered?Start by looking at leadership competencies in these areas:

1. “Communication” – Leadership requires being a good listener, building a common vision, making sure all team members can contribute to the conversation, and steering the creative process.
2. “Team building” – Leaders are skilled at facilitating cooperation. They are role models who expand their employees’ learning opportunities and motivate people to grow.
3. “Problem-solving” – Leaders remove roadblocks, establish processes that work, and teach their teams how to obtain the resources they need.
4. “Emotional intelligence” – Leaders should work on developing trust and stronger emotional connections inside their teams. They should practice empathy and self-awareness and be inclusive.

People commonly think of leaders as charismatic people who make a big contribution at work. But if you look at the range of leadership skills, you’ll see they go beyond eloquence and charm. Leaders also have the ability to be attuned to other people’s perspectives and needs.

“The characteristic behaviors of leaders – active listening, soliciting ideas, and empowering individuals with resources and support — can enable your team to do its best work.”

Leaders continuously support their team members, and they have the capacity to motivate others to move toward common goals. And leaders are always aware of their team’s difficulties and challenges.

Consider the wider perspectives of your team, company, and industry to select the leadership style that works best in your case.

Your coaching style is the way you work when you’re providing your team members with individualized guidance. Some styles that work well for small teams that prioritize personal development might not be as applicable in fast-paced environments.

A visionary style is inspirational and unifies team members around common goals and long-range results. Visionary leaders set high, aspirational goals and are future oriented. They pay attention to the big, long-term picture and often aren’t focused enough for teams that need constant oversight and short feedback loops.

Servant leaders concentrate their efforts on how they can best serve their people. Engagement and morale get a boost, but trying to manage a large team this way may deplete the leader. Servant leaders should always be mindful of burning out, especially when working in complex teams.

“Once you’ve identified your leadership skills and the leadership style best suited for success at your company, put that information to use by identifying ways to lead at work.”

Autocratic leaders focus on results. They like increased oversight and make fast decisions. The autocratic leader needs to stay in control at all times. Teams that require creativity and cooperation don’t necessarily thrive under such management.

A democratic style coach and leader seeks consensus and increased cooperation. Democratic leaders engage in intense discussions before making decisions. This approach increases employee engagement and satisfaction, but it requires flexibility, coordination, and an investment in time that big teams or fast-moving companies can’t always afford.

Outline the areas where you can step into a leading role at your workplace.

Outline the areas in your current work environment where you can exercise your leadership skills. For example, take the initiative to onboard a new employee or mentor a colleague. Look for avenues for growth inside the company, perhaps by joining a working group or taking responsibility for delivering a project in a timely and cost-effective way.

“Remember that leadership manifests when you’re solving a problem or cultivating an opportunity. Just look for ways to remove barriers and create benefits when possible.”

Even in the absence of clear opportunities, behave like a leader by looking for ways to remove roadblocks and create better ways of doing things. Leaders should enhance their workplace culture and adopt a positive mindset that sends an upbeat message to their coworkers and managerial colleagues.

Identify where you can become certified in leadership and include that experience in your resume.

If you’re a student, see if you can add some leadership courses to your curriculum. Prospective graduate students can look into degrees connected to leadership. If you’re employed, join professional groups and associations that offer leadership training. Taking inexpensive, high-quality online courses that offer certification is also an option.

Continuously implement what you are learning to signal to your team members and managers that you’re mastering the skills you need to step into a leadership role. List your leadership work achievements and learning experiences on your resume for your current – or future – employer.

About the Speaker

Jennifer Herrity is a Career Coach and Senior Content Marketing Manager at Indeed.