Communicating at Work - Developing Leadership Skills and Management Communication Skills

Leaders and managers or supervisors require different skills. A description or list of management and leadership skills may have some overlapping qualities but they are distinct proficiencies. Leaders require the ability to see the big picture and make decisions about missions and goals. Supervisors and managers need to excel at efficiency and productivity to carry out goals.

Both supervisors and leaders require excellent communication skills. Excellent communication skills include speaking, presenting, listening, selling, and persuading.

Leaders also need to develop:

1. Vision-and the ability to enroll the team in the mission.

2. Courage-and the conviction to carry out intentions and tough decisions.

3. Clarity of intention-and self-awareness.

4. Humor-and humility, they often travel hand-in-hand. A humorless leader is often a tyrant but one without humility is undoubtedly one.

5. Empathy-and having a deep understanding of priorities. Understanding priorities means being able to distinguish what is important now, a few months from now and a few years from now with regard to a decision and its impact on others.

6. Inspirational abilities-to make others feel enthusiastic and confident. Motivated employees who believe in themselves, their product or service and their leader will do everything to support the mission.

7. Confidence--not arrogance but faith in one's ability to lead

8. Extreme listening and communication skills - it's worth repeating for emphasis

9.Trustworthiness and Moral Fortitude. Honesty and knowing right from wrong are qualities expected of servant leaders

10. Servant leadership-and the wisdom to know that means serving for others not for power.

Supervisors and managers also need to develop:

1. Self-management and the skill to establish priorities based on the big picture.

2. Collaboration skills-getting others working together to achieve goals.

3. Planning and organization-the logistics, planning and implementation of tasks to be done.

4. Decision making skills.

5. Composure and confidence in all circumstances.

6. Conflict resolution abilities

7. Self-discipline-and the ability to keep commitments made to ourselves. Much like a dieter who chooses to honor their vow to lose weight, self-discipline comes from within.

8. Self-development-a commitment to improving your knowledge and abilities.

9. Flexibility-and the ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances.

10. Delegation-and the confidence to develop others and then let them do their jobs.

These are just a few of the qualities and skills needed to develop good managers and leaders but excellent communication skills still top the list for both.

Communicating the vision, presenting the vision and persuading others to see the vision are communication skills leaders need to master.

Conflict resolution, active listening, assertiveness and selling are the communication skills supervisors need to master.