According to Gallup, only 10% of individuals are natural-born leaders. So, what makes a good leader, and what leadership skills are the most important? Is it integrity, approachability, or decisiveness? Since we all use different leadership styles to boost team engagement, it’s difficult to pinpoint just one answer; however, there are certain leadership skills that all successful managers have in common.
Today we explore some of those essential leadership qualities and how they can be used to motivate employees, build strong relationships, boost employee retention, and drive performance.
1) Communication Skills
Tony Robbins, renowned author, coach, and motivational speaker, teaches that “to effectively communicate, we must realise that we are different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” While we may not naturally align with every individual’s preferred communication style, great leaders learn to adapt and connect with each team member, regardless of their own leadership approach.
A survey by Inc. found that 91% of employees believe their leaders lack communication skills, highlighting the challenges of effective leadership communication. Regular one-on-one meetings, check-ins, and performance reviews significantly enhance employee engagement and sense of value. Leaders who practice active listening, communicate goals and expectations clearly, ask open-ended questions, and encourage feedback, cultivate trust and connection. By facilitating two-way conversations that promote honest upward feedback, leaders create a supportive environment that inspires collaboration and innovation, ultimately driving productivity and job satisfaction.
2) Drive & Positive Attitude
Staying positive might appear effortless or natural to others but it does require perseverance, determination, and resilience. Even when dealing with personal or health challenges, managing heavy workloads, and navigating difficult relationships with colleagues, leaders must stay committed to maintaining a positive outlook. After all, if a leader lacks motivation, how can they expect their employees to stay motivated? While maintaining positivity every day can be challenging, it remains one of the most valuable leadership qualities. Teams led by highly engaged leaders have been shown to be 21% more productive than those with disengaged management.
3) Approachability
According to a recent study, approachability is the third most valued leadership quality for UK workers. However, developing this quality takes time and effort. To be approachable, it is essential to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas, expressing concerns and offering suggestions, with a willingness to challenge and encourage one another. Being unapproachable however, can significantly damage team engagement, with the same study identifying it as the number one worst leadership trait.
4) Recognition & Appreciation
Never underestimate the power of employee recognition. Employees who feel valued and respected are highly motivated and much more likely to feel loyalty to their team and company. It’s also one of the easier leadership skills to implement on a regular basis, and helps to reinforce positive behaviours, as well as dramatically increasing team morale and reducing employee conflict.
Chris Knight, Sales Director at emPerform UK, highlights the importance of helping employees connect their daily work with the company’s broader goals. By acknowledging individual contributions and offering regular praise, leaders can promote a strong sense of belonging; an essential factor in driving team engagement and adds to establishing a culture where individual efforts are seen as vital part to the company’s success.
Looking to upgrade your rewards process? At emPerform, our bespoke performance management software is designed to support a culture of recognition with features such as ongoing feedback, compensation management software, and more.
5) Adaptability
As the workplace continues to evolve in today’s dynamic landscape, adaptability remains an essential leadership skill. Effective leaders anticipate change, remain open to new ideas, and adjust their approach to keep their teams engaged and motivated in response to shifting circumstances. They are flexible with changing schedules and leadership styles, ensuring they support a diverse team with varying backgrounds, skills, and learning styles.
Flexibility in leadership not only helps overcome challenges but also enables leaders to identify and seize new opportunities. Gathering insights through employee surveys and 360-degree feedback provides a broader understanding of perspectives across all levels of the organisation. By embracing change and maintaining alignment with OKRs, leaders can keep teams focused, resilient, and prepared to navigate future uncertainties with confidence, particularly in fast-paced environments.
6) Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is one of the most challenging leadership skills to develop, yet it plays a vital role in boosting team engagement and supporting employee wellbeing. Leaders define and shape the tone of an organisation, making emotional intelligence essential for effective leadership. Research by Travis Bradberry, a leading expert on the subject, suggests that only 36% of people possess this key ability. Having a high level of emotional intelligence strengthens relationship management and enables leaders to better understand their employees and provide the necessary support for both personal and professional growth. It also builds relationships beyond the immediate team, improving collaboration across the organisation. Managers with strong emotional intelligence are more effective at resolving conflicts, a critical leadership skill, considering that half of leaders find this challenging.
7) Integrity
In a time when authenticity is often in question, integrity remains a crucial leadership skill. Irma Becerra, President of Marymount University, emphasises that leaders must consistently show integrity to earn the respect of their teams. Integrity is foundational. Even small acts of honesty and consideration or thoughtfulness can significantly impact and shape a leader’s reputation and influence how employees perceive and respond to them. It’s no surprise that 44% of workers consider honesty the most important leadership quality. One of the strongest ways to demonstrate integrity is through transparency and accountability. Encouraging upward feedback and acting on employees’ input shows a leader’s commitment to listening, learning and continuous improvement; reinforcing a culture of trust, honesty, fairness and respect within the team.
8) Problem Solving
Challenges are an inevitable part of both business and personal life, making problem-solving vital leadership skill. Effective leaders must think critically, analyse and evaluate situations, identify root causes, and make informed decisions to inspire, influence, and lead others toward common goal. Strong problem-solving abilities are essential for leaders to identify and solve complex challenges and guide teams toward success.
Problem-solving often relies on a collaborative effort, which is why teamwork goes hand in hand with this essential skill. By arranging training days and team-building activities, leaders can help strengthen collaboration, ensuring employees work together effectively to tackle challenges and find solutions as a cohesive team.
9) Decision Making
A key trait of a great leader is the ability to make important decisions efficiently and effectively. Confidence in decisions enables leaders to provide clear guidance, keeping teams focused and aligned with SMART goals and company OKRs. Strong decision-making skills also reduce uncertainty and eliminate distractions that could impact or hinder performance. To make informed choices, leaders need accurate and reliable data. Utilising comprehensive reporting and dashboards offer valuable insights into organisational performance, ensuring decisions are based on a transparent and fair assessment of the business.
10) Empowerment & Vision
Effective leaders thrive by providing a clear and compelling vision for the future, establishing long-term goals that guide the organisation’s direction. They align their team’s efforts with these objectives by effectively communicating the vision and outlining a strategic path forward. Employees value leaders who empower them to take ownership of their work, developing a sense of responsibility and purpose. At the same time, they expect their company to support and invest in their personal development, reinforcing their commitment and engagement. As Tim Segers, UK Director of GoodHabitz, points out, “Employees want to feel valued and heard, but most importantly, they want their employers to invest time in them and their personal development path.” This highlights the importance of providing employees with the opportunities to grow, as 76% of UK employees believe their employers should take responsibility for their development.
Boosting team engagement is no easy task, especially with the rise in remote work. However, by developing these key leadership skills, you can create a positive workplace culture that motivates and inspires employees, boosts job satisfaction, and builds strong, lasting professional relationships.
Managers who embody these leadership qualities stand out in a landscape often marred by poor management, improve employee retention, and attract a wider talent pool when hiring. For business owners, investing in leadership development is essential for achieving long-term organisational success.
Incorporating tools like emPerform into your HR toolkit can help set clear goals, track performance, and manage development plans, ensuring your leaders have the support they need to keep your workforce aligned and focused on shared objectives. For more tips on optimising talent management, be sure to explore our resource library.
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