Seeking promotions is tricky. Most employers don’t say, “Want to move up? Do this, this, and this.” You’ve got to figure it out on your own. One of the most important factors employers look for is leadership skills — a crucial though intangible skill set that you need to master to get ahead.
In this article, we look at five ways you can increase your leadership potential.
Table of Contents
Be a Leader Every Day
No, that doesn’t mean you should start bossing folks around. It won’t make you very popular around the office to say the very least. But you can make a point of being the most helpful person in the office. In terms of riding the promotion track, you want to be the person others call when something goes wrong. The person who can dependably be counted on to give it one hundred and ten percent at everything they do.
Promotions don’t come to you. You go to them. So make a point of standing out. Take initiative on every project you can. Make, clear, tangible contributions to your workplace every day that demonstrates in no uncertain terms your potential as a leader.
They say to dress for the job you want. That’s fine, but in the age of remote work, where folks often only see you from the chest up, what you look like doesn’t have the influence it used to. Focus instead on living out the job you want every day. Make it as easy as possible for people management to see you as a leader.
Communicate
True leadership is often largely a communications job. You communicate with the client, the people above you, and the people below you. You stand as a go-between for all of them, making sure that productivity is where it needs to be, and also ensuring that everyone’s interests are being met.
You can’t start phoning up the C-suite, but you can demonstrate your communication skills in other ways. Be clear and effective in all your workplace interactions.
Listen Actively
Leadership isn’t just about exerting your will on others. You need to be able to listen just as well as you speak. Be a team player. Even though you have your ambitions, the goal is still to make sure that the best ideas come through strong. Businesses want a leader who is more than happy to accept and celebrate their coworker’s contributions.
Active listening is a really simple skill that so many people struggle with. It involves mindfulness. When other people are speaking, don’t think about what you want to say. Hear them out and then respond accordingly. Once you start trying to practice active listening, you’ll likely find that it’s a more elusive skill than you ever imagined.
Upskill
Upskilling is a soft way to refresh your skills every few years. It’s less intensive than a degree program but can keep you up to date on the latest practices in your industry. Sometimes the programs are a little like boot camp. You signup for a really rigorous program that lasts a few weeks.
You don’t necessarily go in-depth but you receive a surface-level understanding of what is going on in your field. Your business will likely contribute to some or all of the costs for you to participate in professional development programs, and they will certainly take notice of your interest in improving yourself.
When it comes time to hand out promotions, your business will certainly remember that you have consistently prioritized self-improvement.
Continue Your Education
Sometimes, upskilling isn’t quite enough. To be considered for leadership positions, it’s a great idea to get a graduate degree. There are a few reasons for this. The most obvious, of course, is that it vastly expands your professional knowledge.
It’s also true that people with graduate degrees are eligible for raises and promotions that literally aren’t open to people with undergraduate degrees alone.
The less tangible benefit is that your degree gives you leverage. The company you work for currently is dragging its feet on handing you a promotion? Well, maybe a different business will see things differently.
You become a hot commodity with a graduate degree. Use that to your advantage. Apply for other jobs. Bring those offers to your current employer. This let’s the make the terms. If you want to keep me around, this is what it will take.
Not a bad position to be in, right? It’s also worth mentioning that your employer will probably be willing to pay for some or all of the costs of your advanced degree. That fact may make it a little awkward when you use that degree for leverage, but hey. Business is business.
