Many of you have probably taken a leadership course at some point in your journey as a college student. The importance of leadership is immense as most every profession requires you to work with  other people or as a team, which takes a certain amount of understanding of leadership. Not only do we use leadership skills in our careers, but we also use certain leadership traits in our everyday lives as we communicate with family members or friends in deciding what activities to do and aligning certain interests with others. Leadership is a broad concept that is part of many careers and is taught in different departments across universities such as the department of Communications, Media, and Persuasion (CMP) at Idaho State University and in the College of Business. It is important to note that communication is at the forefront of developing good leadership skills.

 Many believe that leadership is a born trait that is assigned to a specific personality. For example, a person that is seen as an extrovert possesses the ability to have the best leadership qualities as they are naturally outgoing and are seen to have an energetic personality. However, a study conducted by Harvard Business found that introverted leaders delivered better results when handling proactive workers compared to extroverts. This draws the notion that good leaders are made and are not necessarily born with leadership skills. Many of us know that there are several different leadership styles such as a democratic, autocratic, transformational leader, etc. As in different team settings as you understand different people's strengths and weaknesses, a good leader is able to understand the specific leadership style that is suitable for those specific individuals in that team. This article will unravel the importance of four leadership skills that can help you be successful in a team setting, your future career and in different areas of your life. 

1. Motivation

A good leadership skill to embody in any leadership style is to have the ability to motivate each individual of your team to be able to meet certain goals and objectives. This is one of the most important leadership skills to have as some tasks may be challenging, however a good leader is able to bring a level of enthusiasm around certain tasks that individuals will be inspired to jump on board and tackle these tasks. 

2. Authenticity

Another important leadership skill is authenticity. Many leaders have studied and understand the different leadership styles, however embedding their own personality as a leader is important as people will notice that they are being authentic. Many people are able to pick-up if someone is not being authentic or they are trying to be something they are not. A good leader is true to their personal beliefs, values and interests. It is important that these factors come across in your leadership style as people appreciate authenticity. 

3. Communication

A pivotal leadership skill that is essential is the importance of communication in a team setting as the flow of communication can determine if people are on the same page. It is commonly known that a good leader is able to communicate effectively on a daily basis, and having this skill gives the leader a high level of confidence to be able to lead a group of people. A manager in a business is able to effectively communicate certain strategies effectively that are not misunderstood by any individual.

4. Tolerate mistakes 

Finally, a good manager understands that they have to tolerate mistakes so individuals can get to a certain level of comfortability and confidence that will help them perform at their highest level. A good level is able to turn a mistake into a positive and not criticize or show anger towards a certain individual. A good leader is able to work with individuals together to try and find solutions to mistakes that have occurred instead of focusing on the mistake itself. 

In summary, we have highlighted four key leadership skills that should be understood and practiced in order to become a good leader which include; Motivation, Authenticity, Communication, and Tolerating Mistakes. Practice these leadership skills by getting involved with clubs in the College of Business such as the marketing association, finance club, economics club, Graduate Association of Business Students (GABS), and more. There are many resources at Idaho State University that offer students the opportunity to get involved and improve their leadership skills. The student leadership and engagement center located in the Student Union Building is devoted to encouraging a sense of belonging to Idaho State  through leadership development. Student Leadership & Engagement Center | Idaho State University  Leadership also gives the opportunity to be a part of a community with similar interests and career aspirations.