Leadership competencies help businesses determine which level of management requires certain skills. When selecting and developing management professionals, organisations should consider a candidate’s competencies and compare these with the skills that need further development in order to succeed within a leadership role. Approaching leadership competencies in this manner can help businesses make accurate decisions about recruiting, developing and promoting the highest quality candidates.
1. Strategic Management
All businesses need to be managed effectively to succeed. A strategic management competency relates to the coordination of business operations to achieve and maintain an advantage over the competition. Strategic management is about reviewing multiple business areas and evaluating data, systems and processes to make informed decisions.
Examples include:
Evaluating data to gain business insight
The ability to analyse multiple processes and systems simultaneously
2. Future Planning
All successful managers need to be able to plan effectively. There will be a number of business areas which require careful planning from finance through to marketing and general operations. You will need to demonstrate your capacity to meticulously plan business activities and implement projects successfully.
Examples include:
Identifying industry trends and developments in advance of planning
Anticipating stumbling blocks and developing contingency plans
3. Persuading and Influencing Staff
As a manager you will be expected to influence and persuade a wide range of people in a variety of situations. This may include influencing budget managers to take greater control of their finances, or persuading a member of the team to change an approach or behaviour that is negatively impacting on performance.
If you want to effectively persuade and influence people in a business, you should clearly define what you expect, plan ahead and listen carefully to those you are communicating with.
Examples include:
Using audience-specific language and examples to best illustrate your point
Presenting multiple arguments in support of your position
4. Change Management
As a management professional there will be occasions where you will have to undergo a period of organisational change. This may relate to streamlining services, cutting budgets or improving performance. To drive change initiatives, you need to be receptive to change occurring within the workplace. You also need to demonstrate strong people skills and define a clear direction for the organisation so employees understand what is expected.
Examples include:
Helping others to manage the emotional impact of change
Embracing change and proposing more effective ways of working