Soft skills are becoming increasingly important for every leader. Employers are beginning to recognize the value of interpersonal relationships in the workplace and look for those who already possess these skills to hire and promote. It is often easier to teach ‘hard’ skills in a work environment, so managers will naturally prioritize recruiting those with preexisting interpersonal skills. Here are some of the soft skills most likely to improve your leadership abilities and make you an invaluable member of your workplace.

Empathy and Compassion

Having empathy for others is one of the most important interpersonal skills you can have and helps make developing other soft skills easier. Leading with compassion and letting others know that you understand their point of view and consider their opinions will help you build trust within any team you work with. If you respond to people empathetically, whether they are talking about business or personal matters, it will make them more likely to come to you with any issues they are experiencing, potentially improving the work environment for everyone and helping avoid unnecessary setbacks brought about by miscommunication.

Communication

Communicating effectively with team members is an essential skill for every leader and arguably the bulk of their job. Good communication involves listening to everyone and being able to effectively synthesize and condense the information into a concise, understandable form. Leaders with good communication skills will also find it easier to communicate criticism or bad news to their team members in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelmingly negative. If a leader is a good communicator, it can drastically improve the atmosphere of the team and make group projects a smooth and enjoyable experience.

Creativity

It is a leader’s job to drive their team forward and inspire them to create innovative solutions to the everyday problems of their industry. Being creative yourself can help encourage others to think in unconventional ways and bring in different ideas from unexpected places. Approaching problems unconventionally can help create results that help your team adapt and excel in any environment.

While some people may discount soft leadership skills, they are becoming increasingly valued in the workplace for a reason and can improve your ability to relate to and manage your team effectively.