What skills does a leader need? If you observe toxic leaders and think of the opposite qualities, you’re on the right track.
If a toxic leader is someone who’s not a good mentor, then a great leader needs to be a good mentor. If the toxic leader is a bad listener, the good one is a great listener.
Those are classic leadership skills that we’re all aware of, more or less. But extraordinary leaders have something special.
If you observe some of the best leaders today, you’ll notice they are skilled in both leadership and technology.
Even if you’re not in the tech industry, you still need these skills to prove yourself as a successful leader. But if you are, you need them even more.
What skills, exactly?
1. Data Analytics
Big data changed everything. It revolutionized the way companies do marketing.
It changed the way they plan and develop new services. It shifted the HR departments, too. Data analytics became one of the most important leadership skills at this point.
According to a survey conducted by State Street Corporation, 22% of institutional investors say that data and analytics are the most important competitive advantage they have.
Leaders can survive without this technical skill. They can hire data scientists across departments and only read the reports when they need to make decisions.
But does that make them the best leaders they could be? No. The leader has to keep up with the latest technology news and trends. They should be familiar with the process of collecting and analyzing data, so they can make the safest decisions for their organizations.
2. Communication System Management
How good is your organization? As good as the communication within it. As a leader, you could give motivational speeches and lead by example, telling everyone they should communicate well and often.
But if you want to be very effective, you have to introduce technology that improves communication.
You can invest in software and systems that will connect team members with their teams and the teams with each other.
Each team will be connected to higher management, and you’ll be at the top of the communication pyramid.
This is a great way to get informed about everything that’s going on in the organization.
3. Instagramming
When you think about being social media savvy as one of the most important leadership skills, LinkedIn is the only platform that comes to mind. But Instagram has its advantages, too.
Instagram is not a network just for food and selfies. It’s a platform that connects people on a deeper level. Users often express opinions through lengthy captions, and the community discusses their ideas.
Instagram influencers are leaders within this community. They have millions of followers. So gaining a following by showing off your work and skills via Instagram can help.
4. Project Management
To some extent, project management is a tech skill as well. What tools do you use to observe the development of a project? Do you expect reports and act after you get them? That’s not enough.
You need a collaborative tool where you’ll distribute all tasks and get daily progress updates.
This puts you in charge of the whole process. You can make the needed corrections along the way, so you won’t have to wait for the occasional reports to act on more serious mistakes.
5. Technical Writing
Even if you’re not a leader in this particular industry, you still need to follow the technology news. It’s important to implement the latest trends in your organization.
You’ll encounter a lot of tech slang as you read these publications. Maybe you won’t understand everything at first, but keep reading.
Do you know why it’s important to understand this slang? You’ll deal with it often, that’s why! You’ll correspond with the IT department quite often.
You don’t want them to give you a definition for each word they use. You want to understand them, but you also want to write in a way that’s close to their way of expression.
6. Digital Literacy
Is everyone in your industry using social media? Then you need to start using it, too. Can you understand what the IT professional says when they explain the latest changes in website maintenance? Can you perform basic website maintenance tasks yourself? Are you aware of the latest technology news and trends?
As you become more literate in terms of digital skills, you’ll start implementing tools that make your organization better.
7. Quick Learning
Elite organizations use the latest technology all the time. As a leader, you’ll constantly get offers to try new software or gadgets that would make your company better.
Before implementing any technology, you have to learn how those tools work.
Whether we’re talking about new communication software or a customer support system, you have to learn how it works before you get the team to work with it.
A Good Leader Is a Tech-Savvy Leader
Who is considered to be a successful leader nowadays? If you look at team coaches in IT companies, you’ll recognize great leaders there. Instagram influencers are also community leaders, and some of them are immensely successful in creating public opinion.
What most of today’s good leaders have in common is the use of technology. They know how to use the right tool at the right time, so they will reach out to their teams and audiences.
If you’re wondering what skills you should work on, getting tech-savvy is a vital goal.
Related Articles
Which Leadership Skills Are Needed for Tech?
If you have ideas you feel like sharing that might be helpful to readers, share them in the comments section below. Thanks!
Would you like to contribute a post?
