Employee enablement is a critical factor for organizational success, and learning and development teams can play an important role in helping employees build their leadership skills. Here, we’ll take a look at six of the most important skills that are essential for any team member to have in order to be successful—not only for their own goals but for the team’s development, as well. From communication to coaching, these essential leadership skills can help your teams—and your organization—reach their goals and grow.

1. Communication

It may be a given, but good communication is key to successful teams, as it means that employees have the ability to clearly and effectively relay information and ideas to others—both within and outside of the organization. In general, individuals should be able to communicate in an organized and professional manner, understand different communication styles, and build trust with their team, and by doing so, they can create a culture of collaboration and understanding, which can then improve the learning and workplace experience for everyone.

2. Conflict Resolution

No workplace is free of disagreement or tension, and it is important for team members to be able to quickly recognize these issues and take the necessary steps to resolve them. 

The ability to resolve conflicts starts with strong communication skills, as we mentioned above, which help articulate the problem at hand and the desired outcome. All team members should also be able to listen to both sides of the argument, analyze all possible solutions, and come up with a plan for a resolution that everyone can agree on. 

Fortunately, corporate training can help employees develop the conflict resolution skills they need in order to be successful, by focusing on active listening, understanding different perspectives, and utilizing negotiation techniques are all invaluable tools that can be used in situations where a conflict arises. 

3. Coaching

Coaching is the process of helping an individual or team reach their goals through guidance and support, and is a skill that can be easily converted in a team scenario, where employees are empowered to educate and support each other. However, it requires empathy, clear communication, and active listening—all skills that if lacking, can negatively impact the overall effectiveness. 

Ideally, leadership teams would use coaching as a way to develop their workers’ skills and empower them to take ownership of their work. For example, a highly-technical employee working on a corporate training team may offer advice and guidance to help other team members master new software or understand the goals of the project, allowing them to move forward and make decisions with all the information available. But there’s another benefit: by taking the time to coach their employees, learning and development teams can create an environment of trust and understanding that will lead to greater collaboration and higher productivity.

4. Critical Thinking

Critical thinking—being able to think about a situation or problem in an objective and logical manner—is highly important for employees at all levels. This is not only because it allows employees to think objectively through situations as they arise, but also because it allows them to feel empowered to make the best decisions on behalf of the company. 

By understanding how each team member processes information and makes decisions, personnel can be more effective when it comes to resolving conflicts and motivating others on their teams. In addition, being able to evaluate situations and find creative solutions to problems can be a huge help in creating a successful and productive work environment.

To become better critical thinkers, employees should practice asking questions, staying open to new ideas, and challenging existing assumptions. They should also strive to look at all sides of an issue objectively and weigh the pros and cons before making decisions. Finally, reading widely and engaging in activities such as brainstorming can be a great way to improve critical thinking skills.

5. Problem Solving

Problem solving is an essential skill for all team members. It is not only a way to solve individual issues and problems that arise, but also an important way to think strategically and come up with creative solutions to large-scale projects. 

When it comes to leadership skills, problem-solving skills are even more important as they need to come up with innovative solutions and ideas quickly and efficiently. It’s essential that people be able to identify problems, determine the root cause of those problems, and come up with creative solutions in order to effectively work with their teams.

To start, there should be an environment that encourages open discussion and collaboration, which will allow team members to come together and discuss various solutions, ask questions, and brainstorm ideas. They should also focus on teaching their team members strategies such as data analysis and promote a culture of experimentation, where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities rather than failures. By teaching team members these problem-solving techniques, managers can help create a culture of innovation and encourage team members to take initiative.

6. Time Management

Because most employees in companies often have multiple tasks and projects to work on (or oversee) at the same time, being able to manage one’s time effectively is essential. Fortunately, there are many ways that employees can improve their time management skills:

• Establish daily, weekly, and monthly goals to ensure that team tasks are completed in a timely manner. 
• Create a master list of tasks that need to be done so that you can prioritize and track progress. 
• Break down large projects into smaller tasks so that they are easier to manage.
• Schedule specific times for completing specific tasks throughout the day or week.
• Learn to say no to non-essential tasks and focus on what matters most.
• Utilize technology tools such as training and assessment platforms, task management software or project management software to help you stay organized and keep track of team members’ progress and knowledge base.
• Regularly review team progress and adjust plans accordingly.

As we see here, leadership training requires an array of skills to ensure success. When learning and development teams understand the importance of these skills, they can provide invaluable support in training employees to become more effective and successful leaders. By investing in the development of these skills, teams can be better prepared to take on the challenges of leading themselves and others, and the company can be better positioned for growth.

Want to know more about how Bongo’s training and assessment platform can help you get your leadership skills up to speed? If you’d like to know more, visit bongolearn.com or schedule a demo to see how we can help you reach your corporate goals.