Guest Post by Linda Hildebrant, Associate Director of Internet Marketing for Resume.com (learn more about Linda at the end of this article).
Working toward a promotion requires more than simply exception skills in your line of work. You may have a fantastic resume and be a master of task completion, but leadership skills play a huge role in landing a promotion. You need to look past the specific skills of your job and show the natural leadership you possess.
There are a few ways to improve your leadership skills and bring natural abilities to the surface. As you are working to show your abilities to complete job tasks, don’t forget to demonstrate leadership so you can snatch the promotion.
Physical Discipline
Stereotypically, many see woman as less disciplined than men in the work force. While working toward that promotion, as a woman, you must show physical discipline. Sure you may have the perfect resume layout, but working difficult hours and making those hours efficient can show leadership and dedication.
As a leader, you must be able to easily take charge. This job requires confidence. Displaying confidence, not arrogance, is a way to confirm you are capable of not only completing tasks, but leading others to do the same.
Emotional Discipline
Women are naturally more emotional than men. As a leader, emotions from your personal life must be left at home and not conflict with work. A leader does not bring emotions from personal issues to the office. It is true that women are emotional creatures; however, women are also capable of leading successfully without being swayed by emotion.
Showing that you can make decisions based on facts and not emotions will demonstrate leadership skills that deserve a promotion. As a woman, having discipline to overcome emotional decision making is a quality that will bring your employer to notice your natural leadership abilities.
Conflict Resolution
Conflicts inevitably arise at work. Conflict resolution is a large part of leadership. Being calm, respectful and non-defensive shows maturity and capability. Conflict can trigger emotions which, once again, must be controlled. Facing conflict and seeking compromise shows natural leadership.
A leader is constantly seeking compromise, rather than punishment. Team members may respond better and react in more beneficial and productive ways.
These different skills can be natural or something that you may need to gain. Either way, finely tuning these skills will help show your true potential and talent and help push you up the corporate ladder.
Author Bio: Linda Hildebrant is the Associate Director of Internet Marketing for Resume.com. She has had several years of experience teaching people how to build their resumes. When she is not writing about resume tips, she enjoys shopping and traveling.
Linda, I liked your article and the focus on discipline. I believe you also have to have a clear focus of what you are striving for – is it a new position within the same company or a completely different leadership role. Setting down the career plan in writing and implementing clear guidelines help you stay focused on your path to being viewed as a leader.
JJ