{"id":7812,"date":"2020-10-23T10:00:20","date_gmt":"2020-10-23T14:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/?p=7812"},"modified":"2024-12-17T16:39:42","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T21:39:42","slug":"how-to-become-a-great-leader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodwin.edu\/enews\/how-to-become-a-great-leader\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Become a Great Leader (Online!)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Leadership comes in many forms. Like any kind of management ^mdash; whether that means parenting, budgeting your personal finances, or running HR at a company \u2013 there is no universal definition or \u201cstyle\u201d of business leadership that\u2019s correct. Rather, the way that you lead and manage others in a professional setting is ultimately a reflection of three things:<\/p>\n

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  1. The business goals or organization\u2019s mission<\/li>\n
  2. The personality types and skillsets of employees at the organization<\/li>\n
  3. Your interpretation of 1 and 2 above, which must then influence your choices in developing and delivering leadership in a given scenario.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The kaleidoscope of businesses and organizations out there makes leadership not a one-size-fits-all tactic. The goals or mission at hand change the company culture and affect who is hired. Each business also takes either an implicit or explicit approach to encouraging or discouraging leadership amongst employees. Where the employee role exists within the business hierarchy may affect whether leadership potential is encouraged. These complicated facets will shape the expectations for your leadership role. They will also shape how you are evaluated.<\/p>\n

    So, is there one way to become a great leader? Not exactly! However, there are a few areas which you can focus on growing. These will help you demonstrate leadership competency and potential regardless of the setting.<\/p>\n

    1. Achieve an Advanced Education<\/h2>\n

    According to an article in The Executive Education Navigator<\/a>, which features global career advice and resources for aspiring executives, a bachelor\u2019s degree continues to be an assumed requirement of business professionals. Yet, it is increasingly not enough<\/em><\/strong> for aspiring leaders. One of the reasons for this, as CareerBuilder explains, is that so many people today have the bachelor\u2019s degree credential. Therefore, job candidates now must bring more to the table to stand out. In fact, between 2012 and 2017, 38% of employers raised educational requirements<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Earning a Master\u2019s degree that relates to business leadership, such as a Master\u2019s of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL)<\/a>, offers aspiring leaders a boost when applying to executive roles. If you\u2019re already a working professional, it\u2019s possible that you\u2019ve considered (and maybe ruled out) going back to school. Maybe you\u2019ve asked yourself, \u201cWho has time for that?<\/em>\u201d Well, you would be doing yourself a great disservice to not acknowledge your inner growth potential, given the right educational program. Many adult learners select an online leadership program<\/a>, which means that they can study when it\u2019s convenient! Put together lunch breaks, after work, and some time on weekends, and in as few as 20 months of part-time learning online, you could be a master of the leadership caste.<\/p>\n

    2. Gain Key Leadership Skills<\/h2>\n

    Employers will expect that top candidates have certain leadership skills. Usually a combination of experience and education will help you demonstrate your knowledge and provide examples. Organizational leadership skills<\/a> include a mixture of practiced communication and persuasive techniques, hard skills like knowing how to leverage data and performance metrics, as well as natural soft skills that enhance those learned behaviors.<\/p>\n

    According to the major job search engine, Indeed.com<\/a>, some general skills that strong leaders possess include patience, empathy, active listening, reliability, dependability, creativity, positivity, effective feedback, timely communication, team building, flexibility, risk-taking, and the ability to teach and mentor. However, the six most valuable<\/em><\/strong> skills are decisiveness, integrity, team building, problem-solving, dependability, and ability to teach and mentor.<\/p>\n

    The following graduate leadership classes<\/a> will help you grow your value and show that you are more than ready to take on real challenges in the field:<\/p>\n