Career Readiness Competency - Leadership
Recognize and capitalize on personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals.
SAMPLE BEHAVIORS
- Inspire, persuade, and motivate self and others under a shared vision.
- Seek out and leverage diverse resources and feedback from others to inform direction.
- Use innovative thinking to go beyond traditional methods.
- Serve as a role model to others by approaching tasks with confidence and a positive attitude.
- Motivate and inspire others by encouraging them and by building mutual trust.
- Plan, initiate, manage, complete and evaluate projects.
Engage in activities to develop your Leadership Skills
- Facilitate Discussions
- Leadership Training
- Discussion/Group Lead
- Athletic/Intramural Activities
- Club Involvement
- Teaching/Learning/Internships
How to develop your leadership skills
You can practice good leadership skills in any role, at any level. For example, showing up on time to meetings and turning in work on schedule shows dependability. Offering support and coaching to less experienced colleagues is also an example of leadership. If it seems like a good fit for you, you might consider seeking out leadership roles to develop and practice your leadership skills.
Here are some examples of additional ways you can develop your leadership skills:
Find resources like books or podcasts about leadership.
A self-study on leadership may help you get a better understanding of how to develop your leadership skills. Many books on the subject exist, including the 1937 Dale Carnegie book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, which has been a favorite among many business leaders for decades. There are also many podcasts and video workshops you can find offered at no cost online.
Find leadership activities at school and outside of work.
Join the Hostos Leadership Academy
If you have trouble finding leadership opportunities on the job, you may be able to find them outside of your workplace. This can include taking the lead in organizing activities or outings with your classmate. In college and in the workplace, there are several leadership-building activities you can try to help you build your skills.
To develop your leadership skills, you can:
Become a leader of an existing group
You might belong to a church group, book club, student club, sports team or another hobby or club. Are you the leader? If not, determine if they need one. The best way to bolster leadership skills is by leading.
Start a new group or team
If you have an interest in a particular hobby or sport and your community doesn’t have one, start your own. Planning, initiating and managing a new group that has short- and long-term goals will not only teach you valuable leadership experience but also, enrich your life and develop a hobby.
Study leadership styles you admire.
When you see leaders you admire whether they are at your job or in your community, take note of the specific qualities they have that make them a great leader. Focus on ways you can develop those qualities and apply them to your work. It might also be helpful to set specific goals toward developing one practice at a time.
Find a mentor
The best way to learn is by studying under those you admire most. If possible, ask a leader you respect to mentor you on a weekly or monthly basis. They can help you set goals toward becoming a better leader by developing skills and using them.
Top 8 Leadership Styles Video
Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, and Indeed.com