Few would disagree that self-awareness is unrelated to leadership success, but it rarely makes the top 10 list of key leadership competencies. Self-awareness is the starting point for authenticity and integrity. The more self-aware you are, the more successful you will be in the understanding, connecting with, and relating to others. This will help you play to your own strengths, and be aware of where you need improvement.

You need to be able to describe what you want to accomplish in a way that’s understood across a variety of media and by all of your employees.  

If you’re unable to connect with others, you’re probably not going to accomplish much as a leader. You need empathy to gain trust, fuel relationships, and understand reactions. Empathy is an awareness of the needs and feelings of others both individually and in groups, and being able to see things from the point of view of others. Understanding what matters most to the other person means asking more questions, listening more, and taking a genuine interest in him or her.  

The more you believe in the people around you and incorporate their ideas into your vision, the more they’ll believe in your ideas and incorporate them into their work habits. If you want to build up this kind of relationship with your co-workers and employees, you first have to listen. A good rule of thumb is encouraging them to speak 75% of the time and you, 25%. A key element of increasing listening and observing is “being in the moment.”  

Credible leaders attract enthusiastic and committed followers, and people want to work for them. Credibility is something that you have to earn. You need to be known as someone who does the right things for the right reasons.To get/gain trust, you must listen first. Only when a co-worker trusts you will he or she be open to your influence. You must do what you say you’re going to do.  

Influence, a key social intelligence skill. Influence is no longer about doing something to someone to get what you want. Real influence is about forging deep connections quickly, stepping into someone’s world authentically, and striving for consistent win/win outcomes.

The average person spends over an hour a day looking for emails, notes, “to-dos”, and often his or her list is longer at the end of the day. People look up to a well-organized person who has a simple system for tracking everything he or she needs to get done and details.

In today’s fast-paced and over-whelming environment, being able to get to the point quickly and clearly, with good tone is a very valuable skill (many do not have.) Getting things done means taking less time to write and getting faster responses to your communication. Writing for the reader, by understanding what matters most to your reader will immediately increase your results.  

Since most work seems to be accomplished in teams today, strong social awareness is key to cultivating the necessary relationships. Start by give more than you take, while still keeping your interests in view Focus on helping others achieve their aspirations, dreams, or goals. Respect where others are coming from, seek to understand rather than be understood. It’s all about developing relationships with others in different departments to get things done.

Show your peers and leaders your ability to adapt. Ask yourself, “How can I become more flexible and be able to change more quickly as the rules, priorities, and workload changes?” Work is changing at an ever-increasing pace so those who can adapt to changing circumstances, embrace new ideas, and are resourceful, are in demand.