Skills Developed in the Overall Leadership Process

 

 

The Leadership Series

 

 

At this point, we have taken a deep dive into the mechanics of this particular leadership style; namely, The 4 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader – and we explored the various skills that are associated with each. Indeed, this is one of the more prominent features that distinguishes this exploration of leadership over others: we don’t just name those skills – we explore scenarios and how they are obtained/developed along the way.

However, there are some skills that you, the aspiring leader, will learn/develop throughout the whole leadership process – and that is what this article explores. Before we begin, let’s recap The 4 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader and the skills associated with each:

 

1. The Art of Intentionality – Associated skills: Focus, Discipline, Strategy, Optimism, Decisiveness, Resilience, and Innovation.
2. Emotional Intelligence – Associated skills: Positivity, Empathy, Good Communication, Collaboration, Delegation, and Creativity.
3. Humility – Associated skills: Courage, Gratitude, Loyalty, Accountability, and Integrity.
4. Listening to Understand and Not to Respond – Associated skills: Active Listening, Respect, Self-Awareness, Adaptability, and Curiosity.

 

I won’t go into particulars here – you can click on any of the articles below for more information:

 

NOTE: This article is part 12 of a series on Leadership here at The Wealthy Ironworker

1. Foundational Leadership Truths
2. Leadership and the Three Areas of Your Life
3. Personal & Professional Development in a Leadership Context
4. Leadership, Management, and The Skilled Trades
5. The 4 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader
6. Leadership and The Task-Oriented Trades
7. Situational Leadership and the Skilled Trades
8. Leadership and The Art of Intentionality
   1. Skills Developed From The Art of Intentionality
9. Leadership and Emotional Intelligence
   1. Skills Developed From Emotional Intelligence
10. Leadership and Humility
    1. Skills Developed From Humility
11. Leadership and Listening to Understand and Not to Respond
    1. Skills Developed From Listening to Understand and Not to Respond
12. Skills Developed Overall in the Leadership Process
13. Mentored & Mentoring in Leadership
14. Influence Vs. Inspiration
15. Inspiration – Going Beyond Influence

***The above is subject to change as this series expands***

 

The skills this article explores are Learning, Problem-Solving, and Confidence.

One last note before we explore each. You might be asking why they aren’t associated with a particular quality like the rest; after all, every skill up to this point is. The answer is that these skills cannot be isolated to a specific quality; instead, they are developed during each of the qualities and throughout the overall process. That is to say, each of these skills is developed throughout the entire leadership model, which is why they have their own article. Below, we explore each of them in greater detail.

 

The Leadership Process and Learning

 

This should be fairly straightforward: As authentic leaders, we embark with The Art of Intentionality, seeking to develop our Emotional Intelligence, which then allows Humility to manifest and ultimately leads us to be able to Listen to Understand and Not to Respond. And, during each of these steps, you are learning.

What do we call it when we develop each of the skills associated with a quality, if not learning? Precisely. This wide-scale learning is the reason it is the first skill associated with the whole process in this article.

What’s more, it’s also listed first for two other reasons. First, the importance of Learning shouldn’t be ignored. In an age of mass compliance, the love of learning we had when young is stamped out and smothered. This is the reality for millions of people across the world – especially here in the United States. We don’t foster creativity after a certain age – we eradicate it instead.

Second – and more important to this particular model – your level of problem-solving is directly connected to your level of learning. I’ve said this numerous times before, but you can only address a problem you understand. If you do not know, are unwilling to acknowledge, or outright refuse to understand a problem, your solution will reflect that. However, the inverse is true, also: As you learn, the more you know. The more you know, the more your ability to address problems increases.

There’s no two ways about it: You WILL refine learning with every step – and this is why it has been included here.

 

The Leadership Process and Problem Solving

 

Problem-solving is one of those skills that people like to say they have – until the struggle is on – and then watch evasive maneuvers begin.

Why?

Because to solve problems – to REALLY solve problems – you must have the authority to address it and the responsibility for its outcome. Otherwise, you are just complaining – and people LOVE to complain. Let’s take a look at this further.

Suppose an issue needs to be dealt with – but for some reason, only the leader on the job (think foreman or above) has the authority to address it. When this happens (and it happens often), most people have their opinions about why the problem exists, how it became one, what should be done to address it, and they share all of this willingly. Press them to accept responsibility for the outcome and accountability for their actions/decisions, however, and most won’t. Not wanting responsibility and accountability is so rampant that they are listed as Foundational Leadership Truths.

If you can’t be held accountable and responsible for YOUR solutions to a problem, then you aren’t really enhancing your problem-solving skills. You may think you are, but what you are really doing is offering advice. Intentional leaders think about the outcome because they are responsible for it.

 

Consequently, scenarios like this illustrate why many in leadership – who know they have all of the responsibility and accountability – decide to “do things my way.” What’s more, it’s hard to fault their thinking, here: Most receive little to no leadership training or mentoring, have all the responsibility, and no one remembers/appreciates you until there are mistakes. What incentive is there to do anything different from “my way?”

Precisely.

If you have, work around, work for, or are the type of leader who understands and accepts the accountability and responsibility for your problem-solving – AND still seeks to grow and develop others – realize that person is RARE.

 

The Leadership Process and Confidence

 

I don’t know who needs to read this, but success breeds confidence. If you are an intentional leader following along in this leadership model, you will see success in each of The 4 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader – The Art of Intentionality, Emotional Intelligence, Humility, and Listening to Understand and Not to Respond. Moreover, the whole intentional leadership process builds on each step of success – and with each one comes increased confidence.

Think back on a time in your life when you were successful at something. You likely didn’t start out good at first. Instead, you had a passion for it, and you rejoiced in the little victories – the small successes, if you will. And with that, you found the energy to continue on – despite the setbacks, the shortcomings, and the failures. With each little success, you built up your confidence – and the same is true for this leadership model, too.

Starting out, when you are intentional about being a good leader, you put energy into that. You study this model. You pay attention to your personal development. You are focused on growing and developing your leadership skills. With each little step you take, your confidence level increases.

When you begin to explore, develop, and increase Emotional Intelligence, you see the outcome of all that effort – something that builds up your confidence.

Once you’ve developed Emotional Intelligence enough to really develop Humility, your confidence level increases significantly. The reason for the increase is the level of difficulty; the more difficult the quality (in this case, Humility), the higher the confidence when you see success.

Finally, once you are able to Listen to Understand and Not to Respond, your confidence level has increased all the more.

Now, just because you have reached this point in the intentional leadership process, skills developed in leadership in tow, does not mean your confidence growth stops. Instead, it shifts. As you begin to take a look at the remaining articles in The Leadership Series, you’ll see an interesting pattern emerge: You are developing this (and, more importantly, you) to then turn around and pour into others. Oh, to be sure, you will continue to grow – it will simply be from another source, i.e., developing others.

 

Putting It All Together

 

I want to congratulate you – The Intentional Leader – as you read the end of this article. You’ve come a long way since you started: You’ve learned, developed, and fostered a leadership mentality, and everyone benefits from being around you.

Those you work for certainly benefit – they get to reap your expanding leadership style with confidence.

Those you work around benefit – knowing you have personal responsibility means less work they have to do, ultimately.

And – those who work for you also benefit – IF you mentor, that is. 

Every article up until now was written with the intent of developing YOU; the rest will have a focus on how you can help OTHERS.

If your focus is only on you – your development, growth, achievements, etc. – then you only see half the picture. There is only so far you can go if your focus isn’t on others. The converse is also true, though: IF you focus on developing those who work for you, THEN you will continue to develop in a way that you cannot get when you only focus on yourself.

To that end, I want to encourage you to continue exploring this leadership model. Some of you may be tempted to stop here, but if you REALLY want to take your leadership to the next level, make sure you don’t skip the next several articles.

Yes – they are that important.

Skills developed in leadership should not remain stagnant; they should be passed down through mentoring channels.

 

 

NOTE: This article is part 12 of a series on Leadership here at The Wealthy Ironworker

1. Foundational Leadership Truths
2. Leadership and the Three Areas of Your Life
3. Personal & Professional Development in a Leadership Context
4. Leadership, Management, and The Skilled Trades
5. The 4 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader
6. Leadership and The Task-Oriented Trades
7. Situational Leadership and the Skilled Trades
8. Leadership and The Art of Intentionality
   1. Skills Developed From The Art of Intentionality
9. Leadership and Emotional Intelligence
   1. Skills Developed From Emotional Intelligence
10. Leadership and Humility
    1. Skills Developed From Humility
11. Leadership and Listening to Understand and Not to Respond
    1. Skills Developed From Listening to Understand and Not to Respond
12. Skills Developed Overall in the Leadership Process
13. Mentored & Mentoring in Leadership
14. Influence Vs. Inspiration
15. Inspiration – Going Beyond Influence

***The above is subject to change as this series expands***