Critical Skills Every Emerging Leader Must Develop in Their Career to Reach the Next Level

daniel
November 8, 2021

To be successful in your career, you need to be self-aware and intentional about your journey. No matter where you’re at—on the precipice of a promotion to executive, eyeing an entry-level management role, or taking the first step to bring your entrepreneurial vision to life—it all starts with understanding what skills you have and where you need to grow to get to where you want to be. Today the world of work looks a little different as we remain in flux in terms of virtual and hybrid work environments. And with that, comes the necessity of greater soft skill building to thrive and guide your career in the direction you want. The skills necessary to advance your career in a virtual and hybrid workforce are vast. So where do you even begin? After coaching many young professionals to reach the next step in their career journey, here are a few skills our NimblyWise team thinks are most critical to success.

Soft Skills to Polish That Will Help You Reach Your Next Career Milestone

Everyone’s career goals are unique, as are everyone’s skills. So while not all these may apply to the next step in your career, they are important to think about as you walk towards further growth on your own career journey.

Adaptability

Are you stuck in your ways? Is it your way or the highway? If there is anything the past year and a half has taught us, it is that unpredictability and change are a part of life and a part of work. They’re inevitable. And unless you can roll with the punches and adapt to pivot quickly and effectively, you’ll be left behind.

Proactive Problem Solving

Leaders are able to see a problem and are willing to tackle it head on and don’t wait for instruction or guidance. Part of effective problem solving is also the ability to make informed decisions and trust your gut with confidence. It’s all intertwined and every time you’re faced with difficult situations in a leadership role, this will be tested. Don’t sit back while others take action. Let your expertise guide you in the right direction confidently! And don’t be afraid to reverse course if your initial direction proves to be wrong.

Effective Body Language

Communication is key and conversation isn’t the only form of communication. Experts have found that about 70% of communication is actually non-verbal. The blessing (and curse) of Zoom is that you can see someone’s reactions and body language during meetings and presentations. If you’re disinterested or wear your disapproval on your face, it will be difficult to build trusting relationships with colleagues and employees. Set your camera up in a way that you can maintain eye contact, don’t fidget or do other things during meetings, nod in agreement when on mute to show engagement. These actions will go a long way in developing virtual relationships and mutual respect!

Stress Management

Burnout is becoming an epidemic of its own with over 75% of individuals reporting they’ve felt burnout in their current role and 75% of people think that today the world of work is more stressful than ever before. So, how are you managing your stress? Because to rise to challenges effectively, you need to be prepared and able to master your mindset to reduce your on-the-job stress levels. Responsibility can bring much more pressure, which oftentimes leads to greater stress levels. If you have a healthy way of managing your stress, like exercise, mentor relationships, effective communication, expectations setting and problem solving skills to avoid stressful situations, all this will only help you down the line.

Prepare Yourself for the Next Chapter with Personalized Coaching

These are only a handful of the skills you must polish to become an effective, respected leader and reach the next step in your professional journey. Where do you think you have the most work to do? We challenge you to really spend some time thinking about your shortcomings—be honest with yourself. This is where real change, progress, and success begins! NimblyWise’s personalized coaching program helps you determine where your skills gaps lie with expertly developed behavioral and skill assessments. Then, through moderated cohorts and one-on-one coaching with a business coach you’ll learn how to close those gaps and apply your new skills in real time. If you want to take control of your career path and find the fulfillment you’re searching for, it starts with being intentional about your learning and skill building. Let’s chat about how NimblyWise programs can help you do just that!