Being a leader in the business world isn’t just about being authoritative and using a strong tone from time to time. It’s also about soft skills, or interpersonal skills. To help you hone this part of your business-minded personality, review leadership soft skills examples below.
Staying Tactful
Skilled leaders understand that tact is often necessary, especially when delivering less-than-pleasant news. For example, say an employee is being put on probation for taking too many smoke breaks and getting behind on work. Rather than letting them know about the probation in an email or text message, a soft skill-savvy leader sits them down in a private setting. They provide the employee with the opportunity to react and perhaps say a few words in their defense, such as “While it’s not an excuse, I have recently been mourning the death of my beloved dog and have used smoking as a coping mechanism. I take this probation seriously and will not let my habit affect my work in the future.”
Saying No Without Being Harsh
Turning down projects, saying no to various ideas, and similar things in the “no” category are part of any business leader’s job. As unpleasant as it can be, there is a way to say no without offending or hurting the employee(s). Effective leaders empathize with their team, which helps the employees feel understood and respected. Say a team member wants to order pizza every Friday to help their fellow employees feel appreciated, but doing so isn’t in the budget right now. A leader with soft skills could reply with, “That is a great idea, and goodness knows I love pizza! Unfortunately, it’s not within the budget at the moment. I will put your idea on file and bring it up the minute we have more money for important extras like these. Thanks for your input!”
Finding Solutions That Work For Everyone
Leadership soft skill examples always include those concerning negotiations. These leaders are trained, talented negotiators who are always happy to provide multiple solutions and ensure everyone is satisfied with the result. For example, say a client wants to renegotiate their contract and enjoy more of the company’s services without paying extra. The team is naturally miffed as a result. A soft skill-friendly leader could respond with, “My team always exceeds my expectations, and it’s my job to ensure they are compensated accordingly. Our company offers numerous additional services that are within your budget and allow you to save money for other things. Would you like to discuss these services in detail and see what we can come up with?”
Providing Constructive Criticism in Private
Leaders with soft skills never criticize or berat their fellow managers or employees in front of others. Instead, they provide constructive, tactful criticism in a private environment, such as their office or a conference room. For example, say a fellow manager has been complained about numerous times for their harsh responses to questions. The leader could say something like, “I have worked with you long enough to know you always mean well and want the best for everyone in the company. However, some of the employees who don’t know you as well do not feel the same. They think you are being too harsh, even though I know you aren’t. What can we do to solve this issue? I would love your thoughts and will happily have a meeting with the employees about this problem if you want.”
These are just some of the leadership soft skills examples that help businesses thrive. For more about soft skills in leadership, please contact Peaceful Leaders Academy today!
