Why Developing Leadership Skills is More Accessible and Necessary Than Ever

In the world of business, whatever the sector, leadership teams need to be effective for the rest of the company to be productive. 

Why leadership is vital

Leadership skills are essential in any workplace to provide focus for the team and drive everyone forward. Leaders define the goals that will keep the business on track and they set and enforce deadlines so that everyone not only knows what they’re working on but what they’re striving to achieve. Effective leaders are there to check in on staff, help them overcome challenges and issues and empower everyone to work to their full potential — something that’s vital to keep a business productive and efficient.

As we overcome old challenges and face new ones, leadership styles need to be flexible to adapt, something that’s to be expected at any time in business. Leading with calmness, open communication and empathy is the way that companies will succeed and come out the other side of difficulties. During tough times, employees want a leader who can lead with vulnerability and humility, but still provide strength and clear communication when it’s needed.

Throughout history, great leaders have guided people through difficulties with kindness, consistency and strength, and helping executives and leaders within your business learn how to do the same offers so many advantages for the growth of your business and helps to build trust in your company.

5 benefits of leadership skills

1. Businesses need strong communicators

A good leader knows how to communicate effectively and encourages others to do the same, keeping the business working seamlessly and building stronger relationships within the company. When a team is unable to make a decision, a strong leader will be there to take control of the situation and make decisions based on the goals of the business and time constraints.

Given the challenges we’ve all faced in the past few years, from economic struggles to the pandemic and supply chain issues, having a strong leader who can adapt swiftly and take responsibility for decision-making has been proven to be vital. It’s led to business owners appreciating that they need to think differently about what leadership development looks like and the role it plays in the future of their organization.

2. Leaders have a knock-on effect on performance

There’s real power in developing leadership skills, because they have a huge influence on the performance and culture of a company. As one leading coaching specialist explains, we need to consider “the number of relationships, direct and indirect, executives and leaders have in the workplace; how many people’s everyday is affected by their output in some way. If executives and leaders are working uneconomically or unhelpfully, the exponential fallout greatly reduces the overall performance of the business”.

3. Creates a supportive work culture

Creating a supportive, creative and innovative work culture is the goal for every business, but creating the right culture requires the right team at the top. If staff are unable to try something new because they fear being blamed or failing, or feeling judged by other people in the organization, it stifles creativity and develops a culture of fear and resentment. Strong leadership is crucial to developing the right culture for the team, building a culture of trust and accountability but also innovation and empathy so that everyone feels supported and able to try new things.

4. The ability to adapt quickly

Change is essential for a business to improve, and a commitment to evolve should form part of any corporate culture. But studies have shown that 86% of businesses with formal leadership were able to react rapidly to changing market conditions, while just 52% of those without could achieve the same level of agility. For a business to achieve its goals and move with constantly-changing trends, whether that’s customer demand, economic dips and rises, or industry developments, businesses need to have strong leaders in place with the confidence to change direction when necessary.

5. Attracting and retaining top talent

Leadership development provides a way to develop staff within your team, so they can grow with the business rather than feel like they need to move to a different role elsewhere in order to grow their career. Prioritizing internal development develops high performing employees and also helps you to retain the best talent within your organization. It also shows interested applicants that you’re a business willing to invest in its staff.

According to the CBI:

Organizations which value leadership development tend to be better at placing people in the right roles, which in turn helps to drive more effective innovation and stronger financial performance. With businesses working increasingly disparately and staff spread out across multiple locations, the accessibility of skill-building and training has never been more desirable.

Closing thoughts

Being able to develop leadership skills with online courses, virtual one-to-ones and digital mentorship makes instilling the all-important qualities easier and more accessible to businesses than ever before. And as we’ve seen, having strong leadership offers countless benefits for any organization, large or small. From creating a culture you can be proud of to being able to switch direction quickly when trends crop up that haven’t been planned for, developing leaders and executives to provide them with the skills they need to work effectively is always beneficial.