Leadership Skills: Can they be Learnt or are they Innate?

Change management courses are very popular with those people looking to get ahead in their career with the hope of promotion. However, many people are promoted to management and leadership positions within the workplace without actually having taken any kind of formal training. Some of these people take up the challenge of their new role and flourish whilst others struggle. The big question that is often asked in these circumstances if whether the necessary skills that are needed in order to thrive in a position of leadership are something that people can learn or are, they simply innate?

Selecting someone for a leadership role

Those who make the decisions in a company often assume that individuals who perform well at their role and demonstrate a good level of competency would make a good leader. In some cases, this might very well be true, but these skills alone do not make a good leader and the package as a whole is what should be looked at. 

As any change management expert will tell you the key skills that are vital to this type of role are the ability to communicate and listen effectively. A good manager is only as good as the team that they lead and if they are not able to communicate effectively with their team then they run the risk of encountering a break down within the team where employees will feel undervalued and contribute less. 

Whilst the skills of listening and communication is very much innate it is entirely possible for someone to learn how to be a better communicator. Learning how better to listen to the ideas that your team might how and communicating with members of your team in order to get the best out of them are such vital skills that it is always worth taking the time to learn new ways in which you can improve them.

You are never too old, or too good at your job, to learn new skills and techniques that will help you to be even better at what you do. 

Are you willing to work at it?

These skills may to a certain extent be innate. Some people are simply better leaders than others as they are naturally more confident, without being arrogant, and are good at communicating with people on a number of different levels. However, those that are not naturally blessed with great communication skills shouldn’t give up hope of attaining a position in leadership. 

Desire and drive to improve your skillset will help significantly and if you are willing to put the time and effort into attending the right type of training courses, asking the right questions and then, of course, putting into practice what you have learned then there is no reason why you shouldn’t be considered for a management role. 

Employers may even look favorably on someone who has made the effort to improve their skill set to be more “management material” than someone who appears to have the natural ability. It is always worth taking the chance to progress.