Leadership skill means more than just steering your own career effectively. You should also be able to recognize, inspire and develop the best in others. For a CEO or business owner, that means setting high standards in leadership excellence for employees and contractors, then making sure they have the tools to meet those standards.

Making the most of leadership qualities and skills means putting the right people with the right leadership qualities in the right place at the right time. This, in turn, demands that you:

1. Understand the difference between management and leadership.

2. Find ways to evaluate whether a given employee has the skills needed for leadership.

3. Recognize that leaders are made and give your employees a chance to focus on improving leadership skills.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Recognize that all managers may not have leadership skill

Managers handle things as they come and make sure the company and its employees can 'manage' or get by. Leaders, on the other hand, actively visualize, seek to improve and find ways of getting others involved in and invested in a shared vision of excellence. Make sure that you know the difference between what it means to cope or to excel, then pass that knowledge on to your employees.

I recommend: Learn about the difference between managing crises and leading a company into success from the Free Management Library and Leadersdirect.

Learn how to measure the qualities and skills for effective leadership

'Leadership ability' may seem like an ephemeral quality that's hard to pin down, but using professional evaluation tools can help you to quantify what you're looking for and, over time, evaluate employee progress in areas like staying focused, honesty and reliability.

I recommend: The Kent State University Center for Student Involvement lists the qualities an exemplary leader must possess or you could have your employees take the Janssen Peak Performance team leadership self-evaluation.

Encourage employees to develop latent leadership talents into effective leadership qualities

Leaders must be given the opportunities and support they need to bloom. Look for potential business leadership qualities, like the ability to visualize and to measure progress, in your prospective employees. Then make sure to give them the chance to develop into effective team leaders.

I recommend: Learn to recognize potential qualities of leadership in those you hire with free educational materials from LeaderValues. Next, learn about the high points of leadership development programs, then put those same concepts to work in your own business, from sources like the Harvard University Center for Public Leadership Executive Program.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't forget the very best way of inspiring leadership qualities in others is to model them yourself. Lead by example and you'll find that employees in all ranks of the company will be inspired to, not just follow you, but take an active interest in their own performance and the company's well being.

Successful leaders share many important interpersonal skills. It takes more than a knowledge of your particular industry to run a thriving and efficient business. The qualities of leadership that separate the wheat from the chaff can be learned and perfected.

A good manager inspires others and makes working for them exhilarating, educational, and fulfilling. An effective leader works with employees to attain a common goal, inspires by example and deals with problems in a decisive but compassionate way. Anyone can manage a company or department, but it truly takes a special skill set to lead. Some effective leadership qualities include:

1. Clear, flexible communication skills;
2. Ability to focus on making decisions quickly and then follow through;
3. Empathy for others so that you can understand where they’re coming from;
4. Ability to project a great passion for your work and inspire others to share it;
5. An unwavering sense of honesty and integrity in your leadership skills; and
6. Drive to sharpen leadership qualities and skills on a regular basis.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Develop clear, flexible communication skills

Communicating with employees, clients and vendors is the basis of all effective leadership qualities. Adapt your style to coincide with the matter and personalities at hand.

I recommend: Attend programs that improve your leadership qualities and skills including communication techniques, such as a corporate communications seminar like My Word Power. This seminar teaches persuasive speech, emphatic listening and fosters the basic building block of all leadership qualities. Find self-study courses and training programs in communication at MindTools and increase your effective leadership qualities by increasing the clarity and power of your words.

Focus on making decisions quickly and then follow through

A decisive leader or manager instills confidence in his or her employees and clients. People like to work for fast thinkers; it inspires confidence in management.

I recommend: Locate business consultants in your community like Change Management Consulting for courses and advice on how to improve this vital leadership quality. Consult the American Management Association for a variety of information about leadership skills.

Experience empathy for others

One of the underrated and often ignored qualities of leadership, empathy for others involves effective use of and response to non-verbal signals, honest praise for a job well done, and the habit of being fully attentive when employees and others speak.

I recommend: Check out Say Leadership Coaching to read about available coaching sessions about this skill. Explore issues of trust, which relates to empathy in leadership qualities at Learning Center .

Project a great passion for your work and inspire others to share it

Successful leaders inspire others with their passion for getting the job done. They offer positive incentives for team cooperation and set the basis for other leadership qualities. A boss who's liked and respected by his peers and employees accomplishes his goals.

I recommend:
Explore the writings of motivational coach Stephen Covey , whose book "The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People" clearly defined attributes and attitudes behind personal success and leadership skills. Attend a seminar by goal-setting master Tony Robbins. The advice in his books about personal power and goal setting work on both a personal and business level and can produce the leadership qualities and skills necessary to run a successful company.

Exude an unwavering sense of honesty and integrity in your leadership skills.

When we read stories in the news about successful businesses with happy employees, the leadership skills that typify these companies include the practice of integrity and honesty, two important qualities of leadership.

I recommend: Learn about integrity and honesty as leadership qualities at Proud to Be Your Wing Man, motivational and informative seminars detailing integrity and honesty (among other traits) as effective leadership qualities.

Sharpen leadership qualities and skills on a regular basis

Improve leadership qualities and skills and business knowledge regularly. This includes working on the above-mentioned qualities of leadership and developing your knowledge of your specific industry, whether its finance, technology, medical or manufacturing. Learning and growing skills, including leadership qualities and skills continues, no matter how successful you've been in the past.

I recommend: Contact The Crawford Group to brush up on qualities of leadership. They offer courses in individual development, team building, and other aspects of running and leading a business.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Practice these leadership skills everyday. Post a reminder on your desk or computer as motivation to keep your leadership qualities sharp.

Some leaders are born naturally. Others need a bit of training to help them realize their full potential. With training for leadership qualities and skills, you can create the leaders you want.

There are a variety of ways a person can get training for leadership quality and skills. The method that works best may depend on the education budget, the amount of time a person can contribute to training and the learning style of the person. Some businesses benefit by offering to pay for training, but some individuals might prefer to take training in the hope of advancing their income.

1. Look for online seminars or tutorials that focus on qualities of leadership.

2. Host trainings for leadership skills to develop effective leadership qualities.

3. Learn how to improve leadership qualities by attending a college or university.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn business leadership qualities at your own pace

Online seminars and tutorials often allow the person using them to set the pace for learning. A person can often review the information more than one time, allowing better retention of the material provided. Some online tutorials provide the information for free, but it might be beneficial to pay for a more advanced seminar.

I recommend: HRTrainingCenter.com provides a variety of online leadership courses divided by level. It also offers a blog and other information on the skills needed for leadership. Find out the meaning of leadership and the qualities needed to be a leader at Mind Tools.

Offer on-site development for qualities and skills for effective leadership

As a business, the entire organization can benefit from an on-site training. This often costs less than paying for select individuals to receive training, can take less time and can allow everyone to work on the same page.

I recommend: Dale Carnegie offers corporate solutions for businesses including its leadership development program. The National Post provides an article on how leadership training can help a company's bottom line. Performance Based Results offers on-site leadership development programs. You can customize the program to fit your business ideals.

Advance your career with education in leadership skills

While you don't have to attend a college or a university, companies often search for candidates with a college education. A degree in business can include many useful courses designed to teach the qualities of effective leadership.

I recommend: Consider the Leadership Academy at Fitchburg State College. It incorporates courses focused on six themes including communication, computerization and ethics and diversity. Thomas Edison State College offers a variety of leadership courses. NotreDameOnline.com offers distance learning through the college's Mendoza College of Business.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When one person exhibits the qualities of a team leader, the entire organization can benefit, especially if other employees respond and implement the qualities they see.