There is a huge need for skills in the workforce. In a recent survey, 70% of leaders in the US identified significant skills gaps in their workforce. The most in-demand skills are ones that directly link to leadership. In addition, every leader needs to have a plan for how to best upskill their teams. Any leader who doesn’t have a plan for their own and team’s development will be falling behind. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), four out of five businesses are expecting to implement new strategies to improve learning to address workforce and skills challenges over the next five years.

The most in-demand leadership skills are cognitive

The research has shown an overwhelming demand for cognitive skills because, with the rapid pace of change, technical competency, on its own, is not enough. Employees at every level need to be flexible, quick learning and able to adapt to change. Therefore, the most in-demand skills for leaders, and employees in general, are:

The 11 Top In-Demand Leadership and Employee Qualities

1. Strategic and critical thinking
2. Problem-solving and decision-making
3. Communication (oral and written)
4. Flexibility and adaptability 
5. Emotional intelligence and interpersonal relationships
6. Leadership and management
7. Time management
8. Creativity
9. Collaboration (including remote and hybrid work)
10. Cultural competence and inclusion
11. Storytelling

The Most In-Demand Leadership Skills Explored

Strategic and Critical Thinking

Strategic and critical thinking enables leaders to assess situations, identify potential challenges, make informed decisions and develop effective plans. It’s about thinking ahead and anticipating the needs of the organization. Leaders who excel in critical thinking can evaluate complex scenarios, weigh risks, and develop strategic solutions that align with organizational goals. This skill is essential for innovation and long-term success.

Problem-solving and Decision-Making

Effective leaders need well-honed problem-solving and decision-making skills. They need to be able to properly identify the type of problem being faced in order to select the right strategy or approach for solving it. They need an understanding of the psychology of decision-making and of decision-making processes so that they can be not only be decisive but make the best choices in a given situation.

Communication

Effective communication is paramount. Leaders must be able to articulate their vision, provide clear instructions, and foster open dialogue among team members. This involves not only speaking but also active listening, ensuring that all voices are heard and valued. By creating an environment where open communication is encouraged, leaders can build trust and promote collaboration.

Emotional Intelligence and Interpersonal Skills

Emotional intelligence involves recognizing, understanding, and managing your emotions and those of others. It’s crucial for building strong relationships and creating a positive work environment. Leaders with high emotional intelligence can navigate interpersonal dynamics, resolve conflicts, and foster a culture of empathy and respect. Good interpersonal skills build on emotional intelligence, allowing people to effectively build rapport, have meaningful social engagements and, where necessary, to resolve conflict.

Leadership and Management

Leadership and management often overlap, but they are not the same. Understanding the nuances between these roles can enhance the effectiveness of both leaders and managers within an organization. Here are some key characteristics that differentiate the two:

Leadership

1. Visionary Thinking: Leaders look beyond the immediate tasks and see the bigger picture. They set long-term goals and inspire their teams to work towards a shared vision that aligns with organizational values.
2. Influence and Inspiration: Rather than commanding, leaders inspire their team. They motivate by example, harnessing the strengths of their team members and empowering them to achieve their full potential.
3. Innovation: Leaders encourage creativity and new ideas. They foster a culture of innovation, where team members feel safe to experiment and challenge the status quo, driving continuous improvement.

Management

1. Planning and Organizing: Managers focus on setting goals and creating a structured plan to achieve them. They ensure resources are allocated effectively, and processes are in place to meet objectives efficiently.
2. Directing and Controlling: Managers ensure that tasks are completed efficiently and effectively. They oversee operations, monitor performance, and implement corrective actions when necessary to maintain productivity.
3. Stability: Managers work to maintain order and consistency within the organization. They establish policies and processes that provide a framework for operations, ensuring a stable and predictable environment.

Both roles are essential, but effective leadership often requires a balance of these characteristics. A successful organization benefits from leaders who can manage effectively and managers who can lead with vision and inspiration.

Time Management

Good time management, particularly for leaders, comes down to effective prioritisation. There are always more opportunities than there is time and more work than there are employees, so every member of a team needs to know what their priorities are and then how to manage their time to achieve the most important tasks.

Storytelling

Storytelling might be a surprise for some in this list of skills. It is not what we often think about when we think of work, but this would be a mistake. Humans are storytellers, and whether at work or not, it is stories that we most connect with. So whether we are creating a sales pitch, giving a presentation or preparing for a public-speaking engagement, storytelling is at the core of ensuring we effectively engage our audiences.

The Most In-Demand Traits for Leaders and Employees

Some of the items listed in the survey are traits rather than skills, but they can also be developed through training and gaining relevant experience. As the research has shown, these traits are often the distinguishing factors that contribute to effectiveness and success.

Flexibility and Adaptability

Flexibility and adaptability are vital in a fast-changing world and workplace. Leaders and other employees need to be comfortable with change, not only in their situation but in their need to change and develop. We no longer live in a situation where the majority of people can expect to remain doing the same job or trade for their whole career. The most successful people will be the ones who can adapt the best to change.

Creativity

To find new ways to deal with change and overcome challenges we need creativity. Creativity is where innovation starts, and the organisation that can keep innovating is the team that will stay ahead of the competition. Creativity is a trait but there are skills and techniques that can be learned to develop creativity, such as lateral thought and brainstorming techniques along with facilitation of workshops for team innovation.

Collaboration

Leaders must work well with others, encouraging participation and valuing diverse perspectives. They facilitate teamwork by creating an inclusive environment where all contributions are recognised and leveraged. Effective collaboration leads to innovative solutions and a shared sense of purpose among team members.

Cultural competence and Inclusivity

Cultural competence is not just about understanding different national cultures, it is about a deep understanding of all manifestations of culture, including workplace culture. Understanding organisational culture is vital for encouraging the right team behaviours and linking them to core values.

As seen above, inclusivity is linked to collaboration. It means that we are encouraging the right people into the organisation to maximise effectiveness. Every team needs a variety of personalities and competencies to fill the vital range of team roles. Diversity of thought is critical for innovation and creativity.

Leadership Skill Development Next Steps

Leadership is a dynamic skill set that requires continuous development and application. Whether you are an aspiring leader or an established manager, developing these essential, in-demand leadership skills will enhance your effectiveness and contribute to the success of your organisation.

To maximise your development as a leader, you need to understand where you are on your journey and which skills you most need to work on. To help you further, click on the link below for resources to support your self-improvement and for those in your teams:

Leadership Development: Master the Top Leadership and Life Skills

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What are seven ways to be a better leader? What skills, approaches and types of leadership can help you lead more effectively?

Whether you are leading a small team or a large organisation, the ability to inspire, motivate, and guide others is crucial for success. And, no matter our experience or senority, we can all improve our leadership in one way or another. But what does it take to be a better leader? Which leadership skills are most in demand? Here, we outline seven practical ways to enhance your leadership level and skills and make a positive impact on your team.

1. Communicate Clearly and Effectively

Communication is at the heart of leadership. A good leader knows how to convey ideas and information clearly and concisely. This means not only speaking well but also listening actively. By understanding the needs and concerns of your team, you can address issues more effectively and build stronger relationships.

“Communication – the human connection – is the key to personal and career success.” – Paul J. Meyer

The Importance of Active Listening

Active listening goes beyond hearing words; it involves understanding the context and emotions behind them. By giving your full attention to the speaker, you show respect and value their input. This fosters an environment of trust and openness, encouraging team members to share their thoughts without fear of judgment.

Crafting Clear Messages

Using simple and direct language helps prevent misunderstandings. Avoid jargon and overly complex terms that might confuse your audience. Instead, focus on clarity and brevity (such as using the Rule of 3) to ensure your message is understood as intended. This approach not only improves communication but also enhances your credibility as a leader.

Encouraging Open Dialogue

Creating a safe space for team members to express their thoughts and ideas is crucial. Encourage questions and discussions during meetings, and show appreciation for diverse perspectives. By promoting a thinking environment, you empower your team to contribute actively, leading to more innovative solutions and a more cohesive team dynamic.

2. Lead by Example

A true leader sets the standard for others to follow. By demonstrating integrity, accountability, and dedication, you inspire your team to emulate these qualities. Leading by example means being consistent in your actions and showing commitment to the team’s goals.

“Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing.” – Albert Schweitzer.

Demonstrating Integrity and Accountability

Exhibiting the behaviour and work ethic you expect from your team builds trust and respect. When you take responsibility for your actions and decisions, you demonstrate accountability, which in turn encourages your team to do the same. This creates a good culture of honesty and transparency within your organisation.

Commitment to Continuous Learning

A leader who is committed to continuous learning and improvement sets a powerful example. Show your team that you are open to new ideas and willing to adapt by seeking out educational opportunities. By prioritising your own development, you inspire your team to pursue growth and excellence as well.

Consistency in Actions and Values

Consistency in your actions and adherence to your values reinforces your credibility. When your team sees that you consistently uphold the organisation’s values, they are more likely to align their efforts with those values. This alignment fosters a unified direction and strengthens the team’s overall effectiveness.

3. Foster a Collaborative Environment

Collaboration is key to achieving success in any team. Encourage your team members to work together, share ideas, and support one another. By fostering a collaborative environment, you promote creativity and innovation, leading to better problem-solving and decision-making.

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success” — Henry Ford 

Strengthening Team Relationships

Organise regular team-building activities to strengthen relationships and build trust. Challenging activities, that encourage communication and cooperation, help team members understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses. As these relationships grow, so does the team’s ability to collaborate effectively.

Encouraging Cross-Functional Projects

Cross-functional projects bring diverse perspectives together, leading to lateral thinking and more innovative solutions. By encouraging collaboration between different departments, you not only enhance creativity but also broaden the skill sets of your team members. This synergy can lead to more comprehensive and effective problem-solving.

Recognizing and Rewarding Teamwork

Recognise and reward teamwork and collaboration efforts to motivate your team. Publicly acknowledging collaborative successes reinforces the importance of working together. Offering rewards or incentives for collaborative achievements can further encourage your team to engage in cooperative efforts.

Remember the old leadership adage: “Praise in public, reprimand in private.”

4. Invest in Leadership Development

Leadership skills can be developed and refined over time. Investing in your own growth as a leader and providing opportunities for your team to develop their leadership skills is essential. Consider enrolling in leadership coaching programs, attending workshops, and seeking mentorship.

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” – John F. Kennedy 

Expanding Leadership Knowledge

Enrolling in leadership training courses and workshops is an excellent way to expand your leadership knowledge. These programs offer valuable insights and strategies that can enhance your effectiveness as a leader. By continually updating your skills, you remain equipped to handle new challenges and opportunities.

Seeking Mentorship and Guidance

Finding a mentor can provide guidance and support as you navigate your leadership journey. A mentor offers a different perspective and shares experiences that can inform your decisions. Their insights can help you avoid common pitfalls and develop a more nuanced understanding of leadership.

Empowering Your Team’s Development

Provide opportunities for your team to develop their leadership skills by offering training and development programs. Encouraging your team to pursue growth not only benefits them individually but also strengthens the organization as a whole. A team that is empowered to lead is more resilient and adaptable to change.

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5. Be Adaptable and Open to Change

The ability to adapt to new situations and embrace change is a vital leadership skill. In a rapidly changing world, leaders must be flexible and open-minded. By being adaptable, you can guide your team through transitions and seize new opportunities.

“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” — John C. Maxwell

Staying Informed About Industry Trends

Stay informed about industry trends and developments to anticipate changes and adapt accordingly. Regularly consuming relevant publications, attending industry events, and networking with peers can provide valuable insights. This knowledge enables you to make informed choices and prepare your team for upcoming challenges.

Cultivating a Culture of Learning

Encourage a culture of continuous learning and experimentation within your team to foster adaptability. Promote the idea that mistakes are learning opportunities and support team members in trying new approaches. This culture of continuous improvement empowers your team to innovate and remain competitive in a changing landscape.

Embracing Feedback and Adjusting Strategies

Be open to feedback and willing to adjust your approach when necessary. Encourage your team to provide honest feedback and use it as a tool for growth. By demonstrating a willingness to adapt based on feedback, you show that you value input and are committed to optimizing team performance.

6. Build Trust and Credibility

Trust is the foundation of any successful team. A leader who is trustworthy and credible can create a positive and supportive work environment. Building trust requires honesty, transparency, and consistency in your actions and decisions.

“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” – Stephen Covey

Being Transparent and Honest

Be transparent about your intentions and decision-making processes to build trust. Openly sharing information with your team demonstrates honesty and fosters a culture of transparency. When team members understand the reasoning behind decisions, they are more likely to support and trust your leadership.

Following Through on Commitments

Follow through on your commitments and promises to reinforce your credibility. Consistently delivering on what you say builds confidence in your leadership. This reliability reassures your team that they can depend on you, which strengthens their trust in your abilities.

Treating Team Members with Respect

Treat all team members with respect and fairness to cultivate a supportive work environment. Acknowledge their contributions and value their input, regardless of their position. This respect fosters a sense of belonging and encourages team members to invest in the team’s success.

7. Recognize and Celebrate Achievements

Acknowledging and celebrating the accomplishments of your team is a powerful way to boost morale and motivation. Recognising individual and team achievements shows that you value their contributions and encourages continued excellence.

“Celebrate what you want to see more of.” – Tom Peters

Publicly Acknowledging Achievements

Publicly acknowledge achievements in team meetings or newsletters to highlight successes. Sharing these accomplishments not only boosts morale but also sets a benchmark for others to strive towards. This recognition motivates team members to continue delivering their best work.

Organising Celebratory Events

Organise events or outings to celebrate milestones and successes, fostering team camaraderie. These events provide an opportunity for team members to relax and bond outside of work, strengthening relationships. Celebrating achievements together reinforces a shared sense of purpose and accomplishment.

Providing Meaningful Rewards

Provide meaningful rewards or incentives for outstanding performance to encourage excellence. Tailor these rewards to individual preferences to show genuine appreciation. This personalised recognition demonstrates that you value each team member’s unique contributions and inspires them to maintain high standards.

The Journey to Better Leadership

Becoming a better leader is a continuous journey that requires dedication and self-reflection. By focusing on clear communication, leading by example, fostering collaboration, investing in leadership development, being adaptable, building trust, and recognising achievements, you can enhance your leadership skills and create a positive impact on your team. Remember, effective leadership is not about holding a position of authority; it’s about influence, and this involves inspiring and empowering others to reach their full potential.

Incorporate these seven ways into your leadership approach, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a more effective and respected leader. With practice and commitment, you can develop the skills needed to guide your team to success.

Good luck – and drop me a line via the Contact Page if there is any way I can help!

How good a leader are you? What are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader? How can you do effective self-analysis to work out where you need to develop the most?

Whether you are an established leader or an aspiring one, understanding your strengths and areas for improvement is essential for personal and professional growth. Leadership self-analysis tools are invaluable resources that help individuals gain insights into their leadership styles, competencies, and readiness for advancement. By leveraging these tools, leaders can better align their personal goals with organizational objectives, thus driving both personal and business success.

As leadership expectations evolve, so do the tools designed to assess and enhance leadership capabilities. These tools have become sophisticated, incorporating data analytics and feedback mechanisms that provide a comprehensive view of one’s leadership potential. They empower leaders to introspect and recalibrate their approaches, ensuring their leadership style remains relevant and effective in today’s dynamic environment. Moreover, in a world where remote work and digital communication are becoming the norm, understanding one’s leadership traits through self-analysis tools can lead to improved virtual team management and communication.

Understanding Leadership Self-Assessment

Leadership self-assessment tools are designed to evaluate your leadership skills and competencies. They provide a structured way to reflect on your leadership abilities, identify areas for improvement, and set goals for development. These tools come in various forms, including questionnaires, surveys, and interactive online platforms. They are often grounded in psychological theories and leadership frameworks, ensuring they provide reliable and valid insights into one’s leadership capabilities.

Why Use Leadership Self-Analysis Tools?

1. Self-Awareness: These tools help you gain a deeper understanding of your leadership style and how it impacts others. Self-awareness is the first step toward becoming a more effective leader. By recognizing how your behaviors and decisions affect your team, you can make informed adjustments to enhance team dynamics and performance.
2. Identify Strengths and Weaknesses: By identifying your strengths and areas for improvement, you can focus on enhancing your skills and addressing any gaps. This targeted approach to development ensures that you are investing your time and energy in areas that will yield the most significant returns, both personally and professionally.
3. Professional Development: Leadership assessments provide a roadmap for personal and professional development, helping you set achievable goals. With clear objectives, you can chart a course for career advancement and personal growth, ensuring you remain competitive in your field.
4. Feedback and Improvement: Many tools offer feedback from peers or mentors, providing valuable insights into how others perceive your leadership abilities. This external perspective is crucial for identifying blind spots and reinforcing positive behaviors, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

How to Choose the Right Leadership Self-Analysis Tool

With so many options available, choosing the right leadership self-analysis tool can be overwhelming. Here are some factors to consider when making your decision:

1. Purpose: Determine the specific goals you want to achieve with the assessment. Are you looking to improve specific skills, gain feedback, or identify potential for growth? Clarifying your objectives will help you select a tool that aligns with your development needs.
2. Format: Consider whether you prefer a self-assessment questionnaire, a comprehensive 360-degree assessment, or an interactive online tool. Each format offers different advantages, so choose one that suits your learning style and availability.
3. Feedback Options: Some tools offer the option to receive feedback from peers or mentors, which can provide valuable insights into your leadership abilities. Determine whether external feedback is essential for your development and choose a tool accordingly.
4. Cost: Leadership assessments can vary in cost, so consider your budget when choosing a tool. Some tools are free, while others require a subscription or a one-time fee. Ensure that the cost aligns with the value you expect to gain from the assessment.
5. Reputation: If using commercial tools, look for tools that have a strong reputation and positive reviews from other users. This can help ensure the tool’s reliability and effectiveness. Research the tool’s credibility and seek recommendations from trusted sources to make an informed choice.

Types of Leadership Self-Analysis Tools

As mentioned previously, there are various types of leadership self-analysis tools available, each with its unique approach and focus. Because there are so many, here I have recommended some of my favourites. These are tools that I have used personally and with clients over many years, so they are well tried and tested:

The Best Self-Analysis Tools for Self-Awareness

Personal Values Assessment

Values, whether they are personal or shared, are vitally important as they inform our choices and behaviours. Knowing our personal values supports our decision-making and gives us greater confidence, purpose and consistency. This makes us more attractive as leaders.

When we start to explore the values of other people and teams we work with, we gain a deeper understanding of organisational culture. This, as a leader, can help us build better environments, link principles to purpose, and manage conflict more effectively when it arises.

For all these reasons, this is why exploring values is one of the most important things I do with the leaders I work with.

The Big 5 (OCEAN) Personality Assessment

The Big Five, or OCEAN, model of personality is the most professionally regarded personality test by psychologists. It assesses your personality against five personality preferences, each on a spectrum. This sliding scale approach means it is more nuanced than personality tests that sort people into specific types (such as the Myers-Briggs MBTI test or DiSC assessment). There are free and paid versions of the Big 5 Personality Test available online.

The Best Self-Analysis Tool for Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses

Personal SWOT Analysis

One of the easiest and quickest self-awareness and situational awareness tools that you can use is the SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis was initially designed as an organisational model, but by putting the focus on ourselves, we can swiftly assess our top strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

I regularly use the SWOT analysis for myself and my teams as it is such a simple tool. It is a great way to take a quick snapshot of how you are doing in the now. I then find it useful to reflect on these assessments over time to see how things develop.

For a deep dive into strengths and weaknesses, the CliftonStrengths (previously known as StrengthsFinder) is another popular tool. The key to this and other tools is to recognise and leverage your strengths as a leader.

The Best Self-Analysis Tool for Personal Development

Leadership Skills and Five Level Competency Assessment

This type of assessment evaluates specific leadership competencies, such as communication, decision-making, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking. It helps you understand which competencies you excel in and which ones need improvement. By identifying these areas, you can tailor your development efforts to enhance your leadership profile and meet the demands of your role more effectively.

I favour a leadership skills framework that covers the five levels of leadership and the core competencies that need to be mastered at each stage of progression.

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The Best Self-Analysis Tool for Feedback and Improvement

360-Degree Leadership Assessment

A 360-degree leadership assessment collects feedback from multiple sources, including peers, subordinates, supervisors, and even external stakeholders. This comprehensive approach provides a well-rounded view of your leadership skills and behaviors. It helps in uncovering discrepancies between self-perception and how others perceive your leadership, offering a balanced perspective on your leadership effectiveness.

I have found 360-degree assessments invaluable as a leader. They quickly address the gap of how you perceive yourself versus how others perceive you. You can do these assessments relatively informally but I can recommend doing a more comprehensive assessment with the support of online surveys and a leadership coach for the best results.

Best Practices for Using Leadership Self-Analysis Tools

To get the most out of your leadership self-analysis, consider these best practices:

Be Honest and Objective

When completing assessments, be honest about your strengths and weaknesses. Objectivity is essential for gaining accurate insights into your leadership abilities. Avoid the temptation to present yourself in an overly favorable light, as this can skew results and impede meaningful development.

Seek Feedback

If the tool allows, seek feedback from peers, subordinates, or mentors. Their perspectives can provide valuable insights that you may not have considered. By incorporating diverse viewpoints, you can gain a holistic understanding of your leadership and identify areas for improvement.

Set Goals

Use the results of the assessment to set specific, achievable (SMART) goals for your leadership development. Focus on areas that need improvement and create a plan for growth. Establishing clear milestones and timelines will help you track your progress and maintain motivation.

Reflect and Take Action

Take the time to reflect on the assessment results and take action to improve your leadership skills. Continuous development is key to becoming a more effective leader. Regularly revisiting your goals and adjusting your strategies will ensure sustained growth and success.

The Importance of Self-Analysis for Leaders

Leadership self-analysis tools are invaluable resources for anyone looking to improve their leadership skills and advance their career. By gaining insights into your strengths, weaknesses, and leadership style, you can take proactive steps to become a more effective and impactful leader. Whether you’re an emerging leader or a seasoned executive, these tools can help you achieve your leadership goals and drive success in your organization.

Remember, the journey to becoming a better leader is ongoing, and these tools are just one part of the process. Continuous learning, reflection, and action are essential to your leadership development journey. Embrace the insights gained from these tools, commit to lifelong learning, and remain open to feedback and adaptation. In doing so, you will cultivate a leadership style that is both resilient and transformative, capable of navigating the challenges of today’s ever-evolving business landscape.

And if you would like any further help with self-analysis or support in your leadership development, please do drop me a line via the Contact Page.

Life goals (when chosen correctly) are beneficial as they give us a target with direction and focus. We use goals to initiate about change in ourselves and the world around us. They are a tangible measure of action, improvement, and achievement.

Goals are more than just a good productivity hack. Setting and achieving self-development goals supports good mental health by giving us a sense of purpose and then triggering the release of positive neurotransmitters such as dopamine when we succeed. What’s more, goal setting is related to having a growth mindset. We need to set and fulfil targets to remain in learning mode and continue our personal improvement.

“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes.” — Andrew Carnegie

How to select the big life goals

Setting and achieving goals can be highly beneficial, but we do have to set the right type of goals. We need to set ourselves targets that stretch us (forcing us to grow) but they do need to be achievable. Goals can be bold, such as the Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAG) advocated by Jim Collins (author of Good to Great), but however big the idea is, it still needs to be broken down into actionable steps.

Therefore, if we want to benefit from all the benefits of goals — the productivity gains of setting them as well as the positive effects of achieving them — then we need to set what I call Goldilocks goals. These are goals that are not too easy but are also not completely unrealistic.

These Goldilocks goals can be ambitious, right on the edge of what we might believe is even possible, but then we must employ the important next step, that of chunking the goal down to make it manageable. For example, we might set ourselves the goal of climbing Mount Everest but there are hundreds, if not thousands, of intermediate tasks we need to complete in order to succeed.

“I think goals should never be easy, they should force you to work, even if they are uncomfortable at the time.” Michael Phelps (Olympic Gold Medallist and World Champion Swimmer)

The need for focus when achieving personal growth goals

Achieving challenging goals takes focus, and here I can speak from experience. For example, I set myself the target of completing several arduous mountain races which required single minded application over the course of several years.

In 2017 my target was to complete the CCC race in the Alps, one of the Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc (UTMB) courses. The route is a partial circumnavigation of the Mont Blanc massive. The path goes continually up and down, traversing the steep mountain trails; up over high passes and then back down into deep valleys, only to start climbing once again.

By the time I got to the checkpoint at the 50 km mark, it was getting dark. I had been running all day and felt exhausted, but I was still less than halfway around the course. The start had been in Italy and the final destination was the town of Chamonix in France, but at that point, I was still in Switzerland. With so far to go it was very tempting to just give up. I needed real discipline and focus to keep going.

As I left the checkpoint, I switched on my headtorch and immediately a bright, comforting circle appeared before me. I used it to first check my map, identifying the next check point, and glancing again at the end point, my goal.

I willed my stiff legs into movement and started off. My torch created a pool of light that I was running into. My focus narrowed to that small, enlightened patch of path as I got into a rhythm, despite my protesting muscles, and I encouraged myself on. All I needed to do was to keeping running into that light and I would achieve my goal.

“I don’t care how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don’t harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there, you’re never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants.” — Zig Ziglar

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The Right Questions Torch Tool: Focussing on the self-development goal

If we want to achieve our big life goals then we need determination and focus. When it comes to The Right Questions Framework, and the conceptual tools that we pack in our bag, then we can think about the torch as something that helps us with that focus. A lamp has many uses, and is an essential item to pack for most adventures.

On our journey, just as like in my race, it is the metaphorical headtorch that helps to light our path, giving us the clarity to push towards our goal. To help gain that greater clarity there are some exercises we can work through.

Step 1: Clarify your life goals

Here are some questions to work through to help you hone your life goals. These questions are based on coaching tips from Michael Neill in his book Supercoach. They are questions that I have found particularly helpful, both for setting my own personal goals and for helping people I coach as they set their life goals.

Answer each one in turn, brainstorming as many goals as possible at this stage.

What things should you achieve?

In other words, what do you feel duty-bound to do? What do you feel is a responsibility or a necessity to achieve?

Which goals are logical?

Another way of asking this question would be, what is the rational thing to progress to? What would be a natural thing to achieve if you follow the course you are presently on?

Which goals give you déjà vu?

Which goals are always on your list and never seem to go away? What goal have you always wanted to do but never succeeded in?

What goals would somebody else set you?

If you asked your best friend or a family member, what sort of goal would they set for you? Think about your spouse or partner, what would they say should be your goal?

Which dreams express your deep wants?

Which goal reflects the deepest desires of your heart? What would give you the greatest satisfaction to achieve?

What would you ask for from your fairy godmother?

If you could wish for anything, what would that be? How about three wishes? What would you ask for?

What are your happy wants?

Which things do you want to achieve that will make you happy? Which ideas make you happy even just thinking about doing them?

What are your naughty wants?

Which goals do you have that you have never told anyone about? What would you like to achieve but have been too embarrassed to share with anyone or too scared to try?

What do you think “if only” I could have achieved?

When you look back in life, what do you wish you had achieved? If you could turn back the clock what would you have done differently?

Step 2: Prioritise your life objectives

After answering all the questions above you should have a long list of ideas and dreams. The next task is to prioritise these goals and work out which one you want to achieve first.

This is where the torch tool helps to spotlight the goals that are the most important so you can focus on them. We can use this tool in conjunction with other tools from our toolkit, combining the information we have from the other ‘why, where and what’ exercises.

Now answer these questions to help you narrow down your goal selection:

• Combine with the compass: Which goals are aligned with your personal values?
• Think about the photo: Which dream, if you did not achieve it, would you be most disappointed about?
• Consider your map: What target would best support your life purpose or overall vision?

Step 3: Focus on your most impactful goals

Finally, make the decision of which targets you are going to focus on. To do this, when considering large life goals, I would recommend that you pick no more than three big goals, and you also decide on which is the primary focus. As with a torch light, we can only focus on a certain amount with any clarity, so the more we concentrate our viewpoint, the more likely we are to achieve our objective.

“By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands — your own.” — Mark Victor Hansen

What are the most important life skills? How should we navigate work, survive challenges, and thrive in our relationships? What are the personal skills foundational to good leadership?

This is a question that United Nations organisations UNICEF and UNESCO, along with the World Health Organisation (WHO), sought to answer. The subsequent study identified 10 essential life skills, strategies, and techniques, common to the well-being of everyone, no matter their age, sex, colour, creed, or nationality. Therefore, we should all seek to develop these abilities in ourselves, our teams, and our children.

But what do we mean by life skills? How do these differ from academic learning? The WHO has defined life skills as,

“The abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life”.

In other words, these are attributes we need to navigate and thrive in life. They promote mental health and well-being, setting us up for success in the fullest sense of the word.

The Top 10 life skills according to the WHO, UNICEF, and UNESCO

This is the list of the ten most important life skills, as per the WHO, UNICEF, and UNESCO research:

1. Self-awareness
2. Empathy
3. Critical thinking
4. Creative thinking
5. Decision-making
6. Problem-solving
7. Effective communication
8. Interpersonal relationships
9. Coping with stress
10. Coping with emotions

This list is not all that surprising. These are generally skills we recognise as important and the same ones that many people pursue with their life coaches. As a leadership coach, I spend a lot of time working with people on these exact proficiencies. Again, there is little surprise that this list overlaps with skills lists for leaders such as those developed by Robert Katz.

These skills can also be grouped into three broad areas, referred to as components by the WHO. These three areas are:

• Critical thinking and decision-making skills
• Interpersonal and communication skills
• Coping and self-management skills

Now let’s look at a short explanation of each component area and individual skill and some pointers for personal development.

Critical thinking and decision-making skills

The first component area includes the foundational cognitive skills of critical thinking, creative thinking, decision making and problem skills. In neurological terms these deal with thinking dominated by the pre-frontal cortex.

Critical thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to think objectively and logically about things. This reflects the need to be able to analyse data, understand an argument (such as the Socratic approach) and come to a judgement about information. Knowing how to ask effective questions is also an important aspect of critical thinking.

Creative thinking

Creative thinking is taking the initiative, generating new ideas, and developing original perspectives. Creativity is frequently linked to the quality of the thinking environment. There needs to be time and space allocated to creation. Given the correct environment, developing associated skills such as lateral thinking and mind mapping can help with thinking outside the box and inventing novel solutions.

Decision-making

Being able to choose from alternative options is crucial for safety, productivity and taking responsibility for our lives. Knowing an effective process is important if we want to make better decisions. Equally, if you want to really develop your decision-making ability then it is helpful to understand some of the psychology relating to heuristics (the quick rules of thumb we employ to make choices) and the cognitive biases that impact our decisions.

Problem-solving

Problem-solving involves understanding a problem (knowing the sort of problem you are facing) and then coming up with a workable solution, with an appropriate strategy, plan, or set of steps to overcome the issue.

People often fall at the first hurdle in problem-solving; that being problem identification. Problem typology models such as the Cynefin Framework or Keith Grint’s problem classification can help with this.

Interpersonal and communication skills

The second component includes skills vital to establishing and maintaining successful relationships. These are empathy, interpersonal skills, and effective communication.

Empathy

Empathy allows us to build rapport with people and build relationships. Empathising is being able to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes; it is critical to understanding other people’s feelings, accepting their differences and overcoming conflict. Active listening and vulnerability are foundational to empathy. Empathy is also a vital component of Emotional Intelligence or EQ.

Interpersonal relationships

As noted above, having empathy is the start of building interpersonal relationships. To deepen our ability to have meaningful relationships, work in teams and influence others, we can layer on capabilities such as building rapport, social skills, negotiation skills, and managing difficult conversations.

Effective communication

Effective communication is the ability to convey our needs, thoughts, and feelings. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication. People often forget that constructive communication often starts with quality listening, which – as you will notice – makes listening an essential element of empathy, interpersonal relationships and effective communication. So, be sure you know how to improve your listening skills! Other forms of communication such as writing, storytelling, and public speaking can also be added here. The Rule of 3 is a good tool for both of these.

Coping and self-management skills

The third component area deals with managing ourselves, particularly our feelings. Whereas the first component was dealing with the pre-frontal cortex, here we are concerned with how we manage our limbic system; the emotional centre of the brain.

Self-awareness

Self-awareness is being cognisant of one’s own interests, feelings, strengths, and weaknesses. Doing a personal SWOT analysis is a great way to quickly assess your strengths and weaknesses. If you want a deeper delve into self then exploring your personal values (your core principles, priorities, and passions), is a very worthwhile exercise. This will also help inform your decision-making and help think about your purpose and vocation.

Coping with stress

Being able to cope with stress is vital. Stress is a natural part of life, but it can be overwhelming unless managed. We can build our resilience by facing and overcoming challenges, but understanding the neuroscience behind stress (and particularly amygdala hijack) can be very beneficial to creating effective coping strategies. Breathing techniques are one of the simplest and most effective ways of dealing with stress. Knowing and practising controlled breathing is a proven way to manage moments of anxiety. Constructing a healthy daily routine (with the right sleep, nutrition and exercise) is also vitally important.

Coping with emotions

Emotions, similarly to stress, can be overwhelming. Poor emotional management can lead to mental health problems and negatively impact our relationships. Emotional management strategies start with being able to identify and label emotions. Next, once the emotion is identified, it can be managed through exercise (such as going for a walk), distraction, expression (for example writing a journal) and improving self-talk (such as using positive affirmations to build self-confidence).

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Boost your skills with a new online personal leadership course

You can find out more about each life skill along with ways to improve and develop with my new online course. You can try out the initial lessons for free. Just click on the link below to sign up:

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Setting your life skills coaching goals

To take this theory into practice we can set a personal life skills development goal. When it comes to goal setting, habit creation or behaviour change it is worth focussing on one thing at a time, so we need to make a choice as well as a plan. We can do this in four steps:

1. Choose the skill

Which skill do you most want to work on? What would help you the most? When choosing something it could be a weakness that is holding you back. Equally, it could be a strength you want to hone. Thus, looking at the list below, which would you choose to develop?

• Self-awareness
• Empathy
• Critical thinking
• Creative thinking
• Decision-making
• Problem-solving
• Effective communication
• Interpersonal relationships
• Coping with stress
• Coping with emotions

2. Score your existing ability

Once you have identified the attribute you want to prioritise, ask yourself a question. How would you score yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 (a one being having no skill in that area, a ten being mastery of that competency)? Write your score down.

3. Identify what good looks like

Now, given your score (and assuming you are not a 10), think about what you might need to do to increase your score by 1 or 2 points. What would be different about your behaviour? What does better look like for you? If you are unsure, use the links in the related section above to do a little more reading and research on the area.

4. Plan small actions to help you improve

Finally, set yourself some small actions to experiment with and help you improve. These can be little things at first, just enough to nudge your confidence in these competencies.

For example, if you are wanting to improve your listening skills you might commit not to interrupting anyone in your next meeting. If you want to improve your ability to cope with stress, you could set aside 5 minutes a day to practice breathing techniques. Whatever you choose, make it achievable. You can then work on making it scalable, but the small steps will help to change behaviour and build new habits in your chosen area.

5. Get some help

To really help you focus and stay committed to your development it is great to have some help. A friend (one that can challenge you) is good, but (as research has shown) if you want to maximise your chances of success then get a coach.

If you would like any support in this manner then please do drop me a line via the contact page.

So, if you have not done it already, why not take a few minutes now to identify the life skill that you want to work on? After all, what are a few minutes when the impact could be a boost in happiness and effectiveness in your life, work, and relationships?

What do you want to achieve in life?

There are lots of approaches you can take to figure out life goals. You may already keep a bucket list of things you want to do but sometimes it is helpful to think about what we want to achieve using different tools. Each new approach can generate new ideas or give further insight into earlier thinking.

Your desire might be to unlock your purpose in life or just to generate ideas for goals you want to achieve. Either way, this set of questions can help you to create and explore your aims, desires, and dreams.

How to figure out life goals

These questions are based on coaching tips from Michael Neill in his book Supercoach. They are questions that I have found particularly helpful, both for setting my own personal goals and for helping people I coach as they set their life goals.

Go through each question in turn and write down as many ideas as you can against each one.

What things should you achieve?

In other words, what do you feel duty-bound to do? What do you feel is a responsibility or a necessity to achieve?

Which goals are logical?

Another way of asking this question would be, what is the rational thing to progress to? What would be a natural thing to achieve if you follow the course you are presently on?

Which goals give you déjà vu?

Which goals are always on your list and never seem to go away? What goal have you always wanted to do but never succeeded in?

What goals would somebody else set you?

If you asked your best friend or a family member, what sort of goal would they set for you? Think about your spouse or partner, what would they say should be your goal?

Which dreams express your deep wants?

Which goal reflects the deepest desires of your heart? What would give you the greatest satisfaction to achieve?

What would you ask for from your fairy godmother?

If you could wish for anything, what would that be? How about three wishes? What would you ask for?

What are your happy wants?

Which things do you want to achieve that will make you happy? Which ideas make you happy even just thinking about doing them?

What are your naughty wants?

Which goals do you have that you have never told anyone about? What would you like to achieve but have been too embarrassed to share with anyone or too scared to try?

What do you think “if only” I could have achieved?

When you look back in life, what do you wish you had achieved? If you could turn back the clock what would you have done differently?

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How to prioritise your life goals

After answering all the questions above you should have a long list of ideas and dreams. The next task is to prioritise these goals and work out which one you want to achieve first.

Here are some more questions to help you narrow down your selection:

• Which goals are aligned with your personal values?
• What aim would best support your life purpose?
• Which achievement would have the biggest positive impact on your life?
• Which dream, if you did not achieve it, would you be most disappointed about?

How to achieve life goals

Once you have prioritised your list of goals and chosen which one (or more) that you want to achieve, the next step is examining the goal in more detail and developing a plan to help you to succeed.

There are other tools that can help you with this such as stating your goal as a SMART task and making sure it is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound.

Another technique, common to coaching, is using the GROW model. Here you state your goal, then look at the reality of your situation and what your starting point is. Then you consider the options or obstacles that you face in achieving your mission, then work out the best way forward and commit your will to fulfil your dream.

Good luck with achieving your life goals!

How do we best learn? That may be a question you have not considered before, but it is certainly important. If we want to be in a growth mindset, we need to ensure we are developing effectively. It turns out that effective learning happens cyclically, in a continual loop, and that is what David Kolb’s learning cycle helps us to embrace.

I find Kolb’s learning cycle useful on several levels. Firstly, it gives insight into my preferred learning style. Secondly, it helps me as a leader and coach, supporting the development of others. Thirdly, it informs how I construct the leadership education programmes that I deliver at businesses, universities and in the military. You will soon see how you can apply it too.

What is the Kolb cycle of learning?

Kolb’s learning cycle is a conceptual model that explains learning from the perspective of experiential learning theory. As you would expect, experiential learning is education through experience and the application of knowledge. As Kolb himself puts it:

“Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience” – David Kolb

Kolb’s model is a four-stage learning cycle and has four associated learning styles. We will explore this in more detail a bit later.

Why is Kolb’s learning cycle important?

Following extensive research at the Weatherhead School of Management (Ohio), David A. Kolb published his learning cycle in 1984 as part of his influential book, ‘Experiential Learning: Experience As The Source Of Learning And Development’. Since then, Kolb’s learning cycle has become probably the best-known and most respected learning model among educators, academics, and laypeople alike.

Kolb’s experiential learning theory is based on psychology and approaches developed by the likes of Lewin, Jung, and Dewey. Kurt Lewin, the gestalt psychologist was an expert in mindset change. Carl Jung, the analytical psychologist, developed the ideas of personality type, and the concepts of introversion and extroversion, which both relate to learning styles. John Dewey, the philosopher, and educational reformer was also a proponent of experiential learning.

Beyond the field of educational psychology, there are other obvious influences and useful comparisons. Kolb’s learning cycle reflects a decision-making process and is almost synonymous with John Boyd’s OODA loop (Observe, Orientate, Decide, Act). There are also similarities with Eric Rees’s Lean Start-up model, as the Think, Make, Check process is a learning cycle too.

What are the 4 stages of Kolb’s learning cycle?

The four stages of Kolb’s learning cycle are:

1. Concrete Experience (CE)
2. Reflective Observation (RO)
3. Abstract Conceptualisation (AC)
4. Active Experimentation (AE)

Effective learning is only achieved when the loop is completed. But, the loop can be entered at any point, as long as the full cycle is accomplished.

Kolb’s 4-Stage Learning Cycle (by author)

Here is a further explanation of each stage.

Concrete experience

A concrete experience (CE) is a new experience or similar experience under new circumstances. The key element is some sort of novelty in the situation that promotes a learning opportunity.

Reflective observation

Reflective observation (RO) is the mental process of assessing the situation with existing knowledge and identifying gaps in understanding.

Abstract conceptualisation

The next stage is abstract conceptualisation (AC) where a new or modified idea is introduced to address the intellectual gap. This abstract concept takes the form of a mental model.

Active experimentation

The fourth stage is active experimentation (AE) where the new or modified mental model is implemented into the new situation. The approach is one of experimentation, where the learner observes what happens so that the cycle can start again, and further adaptations can be incorporated as needed.

What is an example of Kolb’s learning cycle?

We can illustrate how this cycle works by taking the example of playing a video game. I am a fan of many computer games but let us take the ever-popular Supercell app, Clash Royale, as a specific example in this case. For those who don’t know (and suffer an addition to) Clash Royale, then in simple terms, it is a strategy game where you battle other players in real-time online, with a limited deck of attack cards. Here is a simple application of the Kolb model in this scenario.

1. Concrete experience. I start a game and enter a battle with another player.

• Reflective observation. With my chosen deck I see the effect of the battle cards I chose and how they fare against the opposition. I think about when, where, and how I place the cards, drawing upon previous experience of playing the game or similar games.
• Abstract conceptualisation. Depending on how my strategy performs (but particularly if it goes badly) I will think about changing my deck to select other cards that might perform better in another match.
• Active experimentation. I will start a fresh match with my new deck and experiment with how the alternative cards perform as compared to my old deck. But inevitably this new experience will be against a new player with a slightly different deck to the last one played and so the cycle begins again.

Hopefully, you can see from this how easily the model can apply to everyday situations. Think about experiences you have had today; that could be commuting, cooking, practising a musical instrument, writing or one of a thousand other things. What novel circumstance promoted the learning loop for you in that experience and what was the outcome?

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What are Kolb’s 4 learning styles?

Four learning styles complement the four stages of the Kolb learning cycle. In my mind, these are less useful than the cycle, but they are still worth considering. The learning styles, as they relate to the learning cycle, are:

1. Diverging (CE/RO)
2. Assimilating (AC/RO)
3. Converging (AC/AE)
4. Accommodating (CE/AE)

These terms need unpacking a little more so here is each in turn:

Diverging – feel and watch

The Diverging preference is predominant in the CE and RO phases of the cycle. People with this preference are often sensitive, open to different perspectives, like idea generation and brainstorming, and are imaginative and in touch emotionally.

Assimilating – think and watch

Assimilators prefer the reflective observation and abstract conceptualisation stages. They tend to be concise, and logical, want a clear explanation, and access to a wide range of information. They have a tendency towards science, reading and analysis.

Converging – think and do

The Converging style concentrates on the abstract conceptualisation and active experimentation phases. People with this preference like practical issues, problem-solving, and taking a hands-on approach. They tend to be technically minded and gifted.

Accommodating – feel and do

Those with the Accommodating style particularly enjoy the active experimentation and concrete experience elements of the cycle. They use intuition rather than logic, relish new challenges and experiences and often prefer to rely on others for getting knowledge and data.

What is my preferred learning style?

According to Kolb, we all have a preferred learning style and after reading the descriptions above there is a good chance you will have an idea of which one best depicts you. For example, I tend to reflect before I do which makes assimilation my preference. By contrast, my wife loves to do and would be closer to the accommodating preference. Suffice to say, in any team (and there I include the family) it is good to have a range of preferences.

The four learning styles are based on the psychology of Carl Jung (as mentioned earlier) and his ideas on personality preferences for how we understand and interact with the world. You might recognise some of the terminologies if you have done a personality test such as the Myers-Briggs (MBTI) profile. Doing and watching relate to introversion and extraversion. Similarly, experience and conceptualisation relate to feeling and thinking. For those familiar with the work of Honey and Mumford (The Manual of Learning Styles, 1986) you will also see parallels with their ‘activist’, ‘reflector’, ‘theorist’, and ‘pragmatist’ typology.

I mentioned before that I feel that these preferences are – on balance – less useful than the cycle and that is because I don’t like to put people into boxes. Preferences are just that, preferences, not exact types. Styles relate to a rough spectrum that has flexibility, rather than a box with firm boundaries, but we often forget that when it comes to personality profiles. This can lead to unhelpful assumptions such as “I can’t learn that way because I am this particular type.” That would be a wrong assumption; we all have elements of each type and need to engage through each stage of the learning cycle.

Every day is a school day

I love the phrase, “every day is a school day” as it sums up the growth mindset. We should all seek to be in learning mode with every new day and new experience. But as John Dewey points out,

“The belief that all genuine education comes about through experience does not mean that all experiences are genuinely or equally educative.” –  John Dewey

Kolb’s learning cycle gives us a model to ensure that experiences can be educative. If we take the concrete experience, apply reflective observation, build our abstract concepts, and apply them in active experimentation, then we can be sure to learn, develop and educate ourselves effectively – whatever our preferred learning style.

So, what new thing can you learn today? Have fun!

What are the most important leadership skills? Which skills do you need to develop as a leader?

Being a leader means being a learner, no matter where we are on our leadership journey. Whether we are a CEO leading a multi-national business, an entrepreneur managing a start-up, or a freelancer just leading ourselves, we all have areas for development. That is why leaders need a growth mindset.

But we cannot improve everything at once so how do we identify where we need the most development as a leader? One of the easiest ways to identify areas for growth is by looking at leadership competencies; the essential skills we need as leaders and managers.

Over the years researchers have come up with extensive lists of leadership skills. We can use these as a guide to thinking about our strengths and weaknesses. Then we can think about whether those areas need personal development (where we need to improve), people to support us, or a process to ensure that work gets done effectively.

My own leadership skill development

I initially trained as a civil engineer. This gave me the technical skills, and some credibility, in early jobs in the military and then leading other engineers and tradespeople in industry. I progressed from engineer to team leader to project manager.

I put effort into developing my human, interpersonal skills, and as I gained further responsibility, my conceptual skills developed too. Being part of a start-up for a few years really helped this area of growth. All this allowed me to take on more general management roles at increasingly senior levels.

As I have developed as a leader and taken roles in senior management those initial technical skills have become less important. Most of my work now has very little to do with engineering as such. I now rely much more on my human and conceptual skills. For example, my work as a leadership coach relies heavily on my interpersonal skills whereas my strategy consulting work is very dependent upon my conceptual skills.

As you can see, my professional career followed quite a classic trajectory. It is a journey through different types and levels of competencies. This sort of progression, and the specific areas of skills, have been well studied and documented.

The essential types of leadership skills

One of the most well-known of these skill development frameworks comes from the research of Robert Katz. He divided leadership skills into 3 primary domains. These were:

• Technical
• Human
• Conceptual

You will notice these categories in my own story but now let’s look at each in more detail.

1. Technical skills

Technical skills relate to the competency and specialist knowledge of a worker or manager. These are primarily the trade skills you need to operate in your profession or industry. This framework recognises that professional knowledge and experience are the primary platforms for leading people at the lower levels of management.

For example, you might be a computer programmer. Over time, as you work and build competence, it is likely that you will be given responsibility for newer programmers. Even if you do not have an official management position, other less experienced programmers will seek you out for your knowledge. In both cases, you now have leadership influence based on your technical skills.

These technical skills are often considered alongside basic business and work skills. Putting these together you get the following list of foundational skills:

• Trade/industry knowledge and experience
• Professional qualifications
• Reading and writing skills
• Verbal communication skills
• Administration
• Budgeting
• Computer, electronic communication, and internet skills

2. Human skills

Technical skills are foundational but if we are going to work in a team then we need to overlay these with human skills. Human skills are the interpersonal skills needed to work effectively with others. These are often referred to a people skills or soft skills.

So, going back to the computer programmer example, having programming skills is not enough to make you an effective manager. You also need to get along with others. You need to learn to understand, communicate with and motivate them. Therefore, alongside the technical skills we can add these human or interpersonal skills:

• Active listening skills
• Speaking and presentation skills
• Negotiation, influence and handling conflict
• Empathy and emotional intelligence
• Coaching and mentoring
• Networking and rapport building
• Team and relationship building
• Identifying talent and people development

3. Conceptual skills

The third layer of leadership skills is conceptual skills. Conceptual skills are the cognitive competencies that give us the ability to develop ideas, solve problems and initiate strategies. These conceptual skills get more important as you gain responsibility and work with ever-larger teams.

As per the former example: if you were a programmer who worked up to become the CEO of a large tech firm, your conceptual skills now become of primary importance. You would be unlikely to spend much time writing code, so your technical skills would now be of secondary or tertiary importance. This is why very senior leaders can move to key positions in industries where they have little or no technical expertise. They are being employed for their conceptual skills.

Here are examples of a leader’s conceptual skills:

• Setting priorities
• Decision making (with understanding of bias, values and ethics)
• Vision setting
• Problem identification and problem solving
• Critical thinking
• Creative thinking
• Organisational change
• Strategic planning
• Financial planning and resource management

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Strengths and weaknesses

When I look at the lists of competencies above, I can quickly see skills that I am either stronger or weaker at. I am sure you can quickly do the same.

So how do we deal with our weaknesses? What is the most effective approach? Should we work more on our strengths or our weaknesses?

This is where we need to be self-aware but also strategic about our own development. We want to maximise our gifts but limit any downsides that could come from areas of weakness. We cannot improve everything at once, so we must prioritise our growth and yet ensure that we are still effective across the broad range of competencies.

To do this we can explore the skill sets, and how to address them, through the 3 Ps of personal growth, people, and process.

Personal Growth

As mentioned previously, leaders need to have a growth mindset. Leadership is a journey of learning and improvement. A lot of this learning is gained through experience but we also need to be proactive about our learning and set development goals.

It would be tempting to dive straight in at this point and start to work on our biggest weakness. But this would be a mistake. We can never be good at everything and that is why we consider people and processes before we go any further.

People

Leaders are nothing without the team. This is true in a very literal sense: a leader is defined by the group they are leading or influencing.

The leader is there for the team, but the team is also there for the leader. The best teams complement each other by bringing a diversity of thought and skill. In this way, as Meredith Belbin has shown, high performing teams embody all the required component parts of a team.

We do not need to excel at everything. This is actually great news. It ensures a leader remains humble and gives opportunities for every team member to contribute and shine.

A good leader can build, shape, and develop the team to ensure the right people are doing the right jobs and that there are strengths to balance out other people’s weaknesses (including their own).

For example, I am not motivated by finance and budgeting. I can budget and manage a cash flow, but I don’t enjoy it. So, I make sure I have people in my teams who can both help me with this and can keep me accountable. These are people with a passion for numbers and an eye for detail. I could spend more time working on this weakness, but I have found it more effective to find others who simply do it better than I ever will.

But what happens if you don’t get to choose your team or if there just aren’t enough people to cover all the bases?

Processes

This is where a process comes in. Put simply, a process is a system that helps people to do things. It is most useful when it is something they don’t do naturally.

For example, keeping things tidy is a strength of mine. Unfortunately, it is not a strength for everyone in my household and therefore we have a process (a shared rota and routine) to ensure that I am not left to fill and empty the dishwasher every time!

The same goes for a business, if there is something that people don’t do well naturally then institute a process. For example, many organisations employ particularly processes to run their meetings. The creation of agendas, actions and minutes support these structures.

But a word of warning: don’t let the process become the driver! The principle or the need should drive any process not the other way around. Bad behaviours creep in when people doggedly keep to a process, not willing to adapt as the situation evolves or the team changes. Build processes and use them as tools but hold them lightly.

Which skill do you most want to develop?

Now that we have identified strengths and weaknesses and considered the options of personal development, people and processes we can ask ourselves the following question: of the list of skills above, which one is the one you most need to develop, and which one do you most need to compensate for?

The first one, the skill to develop, could be a strength that you want to make your superpower or a weaker area that you just can’t ignore. The second skill, the one you need to compensate for, is probably a weakness, one that you have been able to ignore, but it is tripping you up. That is where another person or process could help.

So now set yourself two goals:

1. Skill development: Create a plan for how you are going to develop that first skill. What book, course or coach could help you? Give yourself a score of 1-10 for that skill. What would it take for you to increase your level by 1? Make that your goal.

• Skill Compensation. Find a person or create a process to help you with that. Who do you know who could help? Have you seen a system or tool that can help you? Try working with that person or process for a set time – maybe a week or month – then assess how you are doing.

I have had a fascination with philosophy, and particularly with Socrates, ever since winning the book, A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell, as a prize at school. As someone passionate about personal development, and as a professional coach, it continues to amaze me how many important themes, such as self-inquiry, question technique and ethical decision-making, can be traced back to the thinking of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

Socrates and the importance of self-improvement

Arguably, Socrates was the father of personal development as well as Western philosophy. He is most associated with the Greek aphorism, “know thyself” and is quoted as saying,

“To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom”

Socrates

This premise is echoed in personal development literature, such as Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which starts with mastery of self before moving onto success in the public field or in the leadership of others.

It is somewhat tautological to say that self-improvement should start with self, but it is a point that is often overlooked. All too often, when setting goals, we choose to focus on people around us. This might be in making unhealthy comparisons (a particular problem in the age of social media), blaming our situation on others, or endlessly seeking to fix everything around us, without doing any home maintenance.

To know that we have progressed – in whatever field we want to develop – we need to be able to manage a process of improvement. As the adage goes, “you can only manage what you can measure.” That being the case, when setting a goal, you need to define the start-state as well as the end-state. Self-examination should therefore be the first step of productive personal development. We start by working out where we are now. And the most important aspect of this self-examination is to identify the motivations, beliefs and ideals that inform our behaviours.

Socratic ethics, virtues, and values

Socrates, in his dialogues, sought to seek out and test the foundations on which people based their ideas and actions. He also believed there were right and wrong actions, good and bad decisions. In other words, he sought virtuous behaviour and ethical decision-making.

Socrates believed in an objective good, a standard of right and wrong. This contrasted with the Sophists who treated truth as relative. The Sophists were more concerned with eloquent debates and winning arguments; it was less important whether what they were arguing for was true or not. Today a Sophist might be compared to an unprincipled lawyer who is willing to defend anyone for the right price, or a rotten politician who is willing to say anything to bolster their position. Few of us would claim to know objective truth but fewer still are comfortable with such extremes of relativism. Most people prefer to have principles to live by.

Are there immutable and irrefutable principles? It is an excellent philosophical question and one that is still being asked. Socrates did not claim to know, or presume to dictate, the standard of absolute truth, but he always strove to find it. I think that is a great place to start. We can imitate the likes of Socrates by having the humility to admit we may not know the truth and that we are imperfect people. Add to this a curiosity to seek out the good and a determination to change, and we find ourselves describing what today we call a growth mindset.

We might not have thought of it in these terms before, but this search for truth is – in philosophical terms – about ethics. It is about making the right choices. If these choices are about acting beyond pure self-interest, then we are also talking about virtues. And there is the rub. A lot of what we desire might be purely selfish; it may even be base or wrong. Self-examination can require us to be brutally honest with ourselves about what we value and why.

Integrity and leadership

Leadership also starts with self. If you cannot lead yourself well, how can you expect others to follow you? That is why leadership itself is a development journey akin to broader self-improvement; it is a path of learning much more than it is a role or title. Which ones again leads us back to the need for self-inquiry and the need to ask some questions.

If you compare lists of leadership traits, probably the most common trait you will come across is integrity. In my military career, it was certainly considered the most important of leadership traits as a failure of integrity was the quickest way to lose credibility as a commander.

Integrity is about walking the talk; about acting in accordance with the standards that you set. But this begs the question, what is the right standard? In theory, a bad boss could have integrity of a sort if they acted in accordance with their ideals, even if bad ones. So, integrity must be coupled with the idea of good leadership, not just effective management. And hence we find ourselves back in the realms of ethics, virtues, and values again; as we need to know our principles to act in alignment with them, and the precepts we follow should be good ones.

Socratic questioning

Similarly, to Confucius and Buddha, Socrates’ style of pedagogy was through inquiry. In other words, he taught by asking questions. In this way, I like to think that Socrates is the grandfather of coaching as well as philosophy and self-improvement!

Socrates developed the elenchus or Socratic question technique. The aim of this technique was to clarify someone’s position on a subject and then question the foundational assumptions of the idea to test its logic. The technique has been adapted and used in diverse fields such as debating, legal cross-examination and coaching. If you are curious about the world and like to understand ideas and test beliefs, then it is an important tool – even if just to use in everyday conversation.

“The highest form of Human Excellence is to question oneself and others.” 

Socrates

In this context, we can use the same process to question ourselves. If we do not have someone to help us, such as a coach or counsellor, we can do some self-reflection. Using a journal or taking notes can be helpful in this process. Here is a simplified way to use the Socratic method when using it for self-examination:

Reflect

Reflect upon a statement or a decision that you have made. Some of the most insightful statements and decisions to investigate are the more negative ones. For example, we might choose not to do something, saying “I can’t do that!” Hold that thought or write it down.

Refine

The next step is to refine. Here the context of the word refine is like that of refining precious metal; the aim here is to expose our thinking to the flame, to burn away untruths and remove the impurities from our thinking.

To do this we must examine the assumptions that have informed our words and actions. If we don’t think we can do something, why is that? What is the belief or feeling that underpins this? Some assumptions are reasonable, some are simply false. The purpose of this stage is to sift what is true from what is not.

Re-state

Once we have examined the thinking behind our statement or decision, we can re-state it, bringing in our new knowledge. If there was a false assumption identified, it might be we can turn the statement on its head. We might be saying “I can” instead of “I can’t”.

Repeat

The next step is to further examine the new statement. Are there further assumptions that need to be identified and tested? In this way the process is like the 5 Whys interrogative technique; we keep on asking the questions until we get to the fundamental issue. As we delve ever further into our thinking, we should be able to identify the core beliefs that shape our thinking, the standards that drive our behaviour and the values that inform our decisions.

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Know thyself

Socrates commitment to enquiry, truth and ethics got him into trouble. He was nicknamed the gadfly; an annoying biting insect, by self-important and self-proclaimed wise people. They did not like to be exposed by Socrates as his questioning revealed their fallacies and undermined their position. He so challenged the beliefs and norms of his day that he was sentenced to death. His integrity was amply demonstrated in his unwillingness to back down in his search for truth.

Revealing the truth can be uncomfortable and maintaining our integrity often comes at personal cost. Self-inquiry can be a humbling process, but it is a vital one if we truly want to be happy in who we are and successful in what we do.

So, be prepared to be confronted with some brutal facts as you begin your self-examination. And don’t just make it a one-off, instead, develop a habit of challenging your own thinking. For all of us, whether in leadership positions or not, this process of reflection is a vital part of self-improvement.

Be like Socrates and seek to know thyself.