Skill Set or Art Form?

You can learn leadership skills, but that doesn’t make you a leader.

I once had a manager who told me she was trained to be a good listener, but I believed otherwise.

Leadership skills are beneficial for anyone to learn (even if you don’t aspire for a leadership role).

Why?

Because you need to learn how to lead yourself before you can even think about leading others.

So when does leadership become an art form?

Leadership skills are the tools that can equip you for certain situations.

Yet there are many situations where your playbook or manual won’t be applicable to the challenge currently facing you.

This is where the concept of leadership as an art form comes forth.

Think of the visual of a conductor of an orchestra.

Managing musicians is one thing, but how do you handle it when something goes wrong?

So often in leadership things go wrong and you’re left to make a quick decision on the fly.

• In that moment you may not have the luxury of being able to call upon your skills.

• Or you may not have been “trained” for that scenario.

• The weight of the responsibility in the midst of an impactful decision can be overwhelming.

What do you do when there’s no proven way to respond effectively?

It’s time to become Picasso at work.

That’s why most leadership programs, classes or certification courses don’t prepare you for the role.

• So much of what makes a leader effective is learning through trail and error, mentorship and coaching.

• You need real-time feedback, accountability and hands-on applications.

Here are 3 ways to improve your leadership as an artist:

1. Inspire Others - leaders help others be the best version of themselves. It’s not about how great you are, but how great you help others become. Do this by understanding what their personal strengths are and put people in situations where they can be leveraged in their role.

2. Be Adaptable - a fail to plan is a plan to fail, BUT how often do things go the way you intend them? Make plans, but hold them loosely. Discern whether implementing your solution or another teammate’s solution is the best choice for the company. You’re the leader, but if you want buy-in from your team it can’t always be your way or the highway.

3. Create Community - everyone wants to be part of something bigger than themselves. Bond your team around a shared vision and provide opportunities to facilitate relationships. This is most evident from the stat: 70% of people leave their job because of a poor manager. When leaders don’t build rapport with their people, turnover is the natural result.

Being a leader is much more than just learning the skills.

It’s about managing tasks, managing relationships and managing your time and energy.

The art form part is why most leaders struggle.

It’s something you learn through experience, self-regulation and self-awareness.

So if you agree that leadership is an art form AND a skill set, reply to this email and let’s start working on helping you become a leadership artist!

God Bless,

Scott

P.S. Looking for a keynote talk on why soft skills are crucial for higher retention and lower turnover rates at your company?👇