Leadership skills are always at the top of a hiring manager’s priority list.
It doesn’t matter how experienced you are or what function you work in, making things happen with others is central to most roles. Demonstrating these leadership skills on your resume and cover letter is therefore an important step to securing that interview.
You bring value if you have a top skill set, but you multiply that value if you are able to level up the performance of those around you. Great leaders raise the output of the collective. That is a valuable commodity indeed.
With the variety and nuance of leadership skills that you could mention, how do you decide which are most important and how you might include them in your resume? What are the leadership needs of those that will be around you? What would make the most difference to the company? Let’s consider the following:
Developing your leadership skills will make a difference to you, your employer, and those around you. Leaders are not born; they are made. Tell your future boss the story of how you became the leader that you are today. Leadership is a journey, and they will hope that you will grow further in your leadership abilities with them. They will be keen to nurture you in this endeavor.
I’m not a manager. Why are leadership skills important for me?
You don’t have to be a manager to be a leader. If your colleagues look to you for guidance, you are a leader. If you make a decision that other people respect, you are a leader. If you volunteer for a difficult task and set an example, you are a leader. If you can talk through such situations in your resume and during your job search, your future employer may see you as a leader too.
Great leaders take their people with them on a journey of personal development and business success. Both the challenges and makeup of their teams will vary, so the suite of leadership skills that any leader will be required to deploy at any one time will change with the demands of the situation that they face.
Each leadership skill (as with any behavior) comprises a great deal of nuance and its effectiveness will greatly depend on how it is delivered.
Delegating a task politely, while offering a reason and making sure that there is a benefit for the person doing it is likely to be successful. Bluntly telling someone to do it may not be.
Every leader is different and there are certain aspects of leadership that you will naturally gravitate towards. As with cultural fit, if the leadership fit is right between you and your future employer, your chances of getting the job will increase significantly.
Which leadership skills do employers value most?
Every employer will place a different value onto each leadership skill. Some cultures will be strong on creativity and vision, while others will center around planning and change management. If you do your homework, you will be able to write a leadership-led resume that reflects the sort of qualities that your future employer values. Great resumes get down to this granular level of detail.
One of the simplest signposts to your leadership capabilities on your resume comes in your job title. In terms of how future employers will perceive you, having the word manager or team leader at the end of your title will create a favorable impression. It is well worth negotiating impressive sounding titles with employers for exactly this reason, but you should resist the temptation to make them up on your resume. It is not hard to check.
Surprisingly, the place where you should never list your leadership skills is in the resume skills section. You need to be able to show off the behaviors and impacts of your leadership, so a brief “influencing skills” description won’t cut it. Resume skills should be reserved for the harder technical skills that will make you stand out from your competition.
The best places to organically weave leadership skills into your career story are in the resume summary and employment history section. Your future employer will know what is involved with your various achievements, so although you may not be explicit about the skills that you utilized, they will be able to read between the lines.
What is the most important leadership skill?
If a leader is not proficient in written and oral communication, then all the other skills are suddenly so much less effective. Creativity is no use if you cannot translate your vision to others. Planning is pointless if no one understands their role. Change management will fall at the first hurdle, as there won’t be a clear direction. Communication underpins everything about leadership.
These top ten leadership skills form a part of every leader’s interpersonal toolkit.
When people have a leader who is happy to hear their diverse ideas and give them a chance to prove their validity, they will be more creative in their decisions and push the boundaries further than the competition. Varied perspectives bring unexpected solutions in a creative team—you never know when the next bright idea will come along.
This leadership skill makes you someone to follow for breakthrough ideas. Encouraging creativity also involves creating a safe environment where team members feel comfortable experimenting and taking risks without fear of failure. By championing creativity, leaders can drive continuous improvement and keep the organization ahead of the curve.
“Developed a totally new way of recruiting customer service staff by advertising to our loyal customers. People love the brand—45% increase in applications.”
Leaders who excel in planning are adept at setting clear goals, outlining actionable steps, and anticipating potential obstacles. This skill ensures that the team has a clear direction and roadmap to follow, which enhances productivity and focus. A well-structured plan also allows for better resource allocation and time management.
Additionally, planning involves regular monitoring and adjusting strategies as needed to stay aligned with objectives. Leaders who plan well can manage resources optimally, avoid bottlenecks, and ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget.
“Facilitated a planning session for a project with over 30 internal and 10 external contributors. Managed the critical path and finished 15% ahead of schedule.”
Great leaders recognize individual talents and align them with the right tasks. They also foster a positive work environment where employees feel valued and motivated. By providing constructive feedback, addressing concerns, and supporting professional growth, leaders can build a cohesive and high-performing team.
Effective people management also includes conflict resolution, building trust, and promoting a culture of collaboration and inclusivity. Leaders who excel in this area can inspire loyalty and drive higher levels of engagement and productivity within their teams.
“Developed a group of young graduates into the most successful sales team in the company’s history. 70% of them have now been promoted and moved on.”
Adaptability in leadership means being flexible and open to change. In today's fast-paced and ever-changing business landscape, leaders must be able to quickly pivot strategies and approaches. Adaptable leaders can manage unexpected challenges effectively and turn potential setbacks into opportunities.
Moreover, adaptable leaders are better equipped to handle diverse team dynamics and shifting market demands. They can foresee trends and prepare their teams to meet future challenges, ensuring long-term success and sustainability for the organization.
“Realizing that our project was not achieving our goals, so we reset our ambitions, changed scope and sourced a new partner to eventually hit our budget target.”
Clear and effective communication is crucial for successful leadership. Leaders who communicate well can convey their vision, expectations, and feedback in a way that is easily understood and actionable. Good communication also involves active listening, which helps leaders understand their team's needs and concerns.
By fostering open and transparent dialogue, leaders build trust and ensure that everyone is aligned and working towards common objectives. Effective communication also means being able to tailor your message to different audiences and contexts, ensuring clarity and reducing misunderstandings.
“I was the go-to bid writer for our procurement team, winning over 60% of tenders. 2,000 words can make the difference—if they are the right words.”
Visionary leaders can see the big picture and set long-term goals that inspire and motivate their team. They communicate this vision with passion and clarity, making it easy for team members to understand and buy into the future direction. A strong vision provides a sense of purpose and direction, guiding the team through challenges and driving sustained success.
Visionary leaders also encourage innovation and strategic thinking, enabling their teams to anticipate and capitalize on future opportunities. By continuously reinforcing the vision, leaders can keep their teams focused and aligned with the organization’s long-term objectives.
“Spotted a client management trend in the FinTech area that allowed us to increase our marketing touch points with clients by 75%”
Decisiveness is a key leadership trait that involves making timely and informed decisions. Effective leaders analyze available information, weigh the pros and cons, and make confident choices that move the team forward. Decisiveness helps to avoid delays and keeps projects on track. It also demonstrates a leader's confidence and commitment, instilling trust and respect within the team.
Additionally, decisive leaders are capable of managing risks and uncertainties, making adjustments as needed to navigate complex situations. This ability to make quick and well-informed decisions ensures that the team remains agile and responsive to changing circumstances, maintaining momentum towards achieving their goals.
“Facing a deadline of a week to decide on the final brand direction, we worked nights to enable us to make the best possible decision.”
Leaders who excel in change management can guide their team through new initiatives, processes, or organizational shifts smoothly. They communicate the reasons for change, provide the necessary resources and support, and address any resistance or concerns.
Effective change management minimizes disruptions and ensures that changes are implemented successfully and sustainably. Leaders skilled in change management also engage and involve team members in the change process, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment. By managing change effectively, leaders can help their teams quickly adapt and maintain high levels of performance during periods of transformation.
“Having 60% of the team change after a business merger was no simple proposition, but we recovered and were beating our budget within 4 months.”
Delegation is about entrusting team members with responsibilities and tasks that match their skills and strengths. Leaders who delegate effectively empower their team, foster trust, and enhance productivity. Delegation also allows leaders to focus on strategic priorities while ensuring that day-to-day operations are efficiently handled.
By providing clear instructions and support, leaders can ensure that delegated tasks are successfully completed and contribute to overall team objectives. Effective delegation involves monitoring progress and providing feedback, ensuring accountability and continuous improvement. Leaders who master delegation can optimize team performance, develop future leaders, and create a more dynamic and capable organization.
“Needing to find $300k of cost savings before the budget round, we brought a procurement expert into the team who then worked with us to deliver $425k.”
Effective leaders use a combination of communication, empathy, and strategic thinking to gain buy-in from their team and stakeholders. By building strong relationships and demonstrating credibility, leaders can influence outcomes positively and drive collective action towards achieving goals.
This skill is essential for gaining support and navigating complex organizational dynamics. Leaders with strong influencing skills can create alignment and foster collaboration, ensuring that everyone works together towards common objectives. By effectively influencing others, leaders can drive change, achieve strategic goals, and enhance overall organizational effectiveness.
“Traditionally, the sales and marketing departments had not been close, so we did employee swaps for a three month period to appreciate a different perspective.”
8 more characteristics of a good leader
The free-flowing nature of a cover letter allows for more of a human aspect to your leadership story. While a resume is traditionally more factual, a cover letter covers more of the behavioral side.
The stories that you choose to tell should closely align with the types of leadership situations that you will face in your new role. Don’t hesitate to change your cover letter if you feel that certain types of behavior might not be common. There is nothing worse for a potential employer than reading a cover letter and thinking “Well, that sort of thing doesn’t happen here often.” Leadership skills are great if they are the right leadership skills.
Choose suitable action verbs to give your leadership stories some extra weight and make sure that you quantify your contribution as clearly as possible (at the same time as highlighting the role of those around you). True leaders don’t make it all about them.
Leadership skills are some of the abilities that hiring managers care about the most, so pay attention to where and how you include them in your application.
The resume skills section is ironically the least effective place to show leadership skills—try backing up your achievements in the employment history section instead.
Your cover letter allows you to go into even more detail regarding situations in which you demonstrated leadership skills.