What are the "core" leadership skills?

The Four “Core” Leadership Skills (and Why They Matter)

Leadership development is something we talk a lot about here and in the world at large. It’s a topic that’s somewhat ethereal – a lot of people can talk about it at a surface level, but if you were to ask someone directly “what are the core skills required of a good leader?” you would likely end up with a lot of humming and hawing.

If you were to ask this question to 100 different people, you’d likely get (after the humming and hawing) close to a 100 different answers.

Although this post doesn’t won’t go super in-depth on the topic (we’re going to write a series of posts that will do just that, so stay tuned!), here is what we define as the core leadership skills needed to successfully influence others:

  • Self-Awareness
  • Relationship Development
  • Communication
  • Productivity and Personal Growth.
What Being Professional Really Means

What Being “Professional” Really Means

Being called a “professional” is usually taken as a compliment. It’s a strong word for a lot of people, evoking feelings of admiration, respect and trust when it’s directed at someone.

We often look up to people who work in “the professions” – fields such as medicine, law and academia. We give those people fancy name prefixes such as “Dr.” or “Prof.” Their expertise is typically quite valued, and a lot of the time these people carry themselves in very confident, assured ways. They show up in powerful ways, and as a product of this they tend to create meaningful results wherever they go.

Whether you’re a professional by title or not, being professional is something that anyone can achieve, regardless of the field they work in. It’s a desirable characteristic, but what’s really behind this attribute is often misunderstood. Here’s a dive into what professionalism really entails.

Public speaking tips for younger speakers

3 Public Speaking Tips That Will Improve Your Next Speech

Public speaking isn’t typically on most people’s list of favourite activities, and I don’t blame them! However, that doesn’t have to be your reality!

A bout of public speaking can be really tough to prepare for, get psyched up about, and deliver. Lots of people get stuck putting their message together, never get comfortable up on stage, or struggle to connect with their audience. This article will address these three main concerns.

Lisa Petkovsek of Career Balance Coaching

How Lisa Petkovsek (CPA, CMA, MBA) Pivoted from a Promising Finance Career and Became a Career Coach | A Leader’s Journey Interview

Lisa Petkovsek has a lot of letters after her name, especially for someone her age. She was building a strong career in a well-regarded and lucrative field. In the end, it wasn’t enough to make her stay.

Despite going down a long, challenging academic and professional path, she discovered that life was just too short to be unhappy at work. A couple of years ago, Lisa came to a stunning realization: what she really wanted to do was become a career coach. This massive shift would lead her to exchanging the world of money and numbers for that of personal growth, self-discovery, and helping others create careers they could be truly satisfied with.

Chris Do's video on making tough choices in life

A 4-Minute Video About Making Tough Choices in Life

I’ve had this video from Chris Do sitting open in a browser tab for over a month. It’s time that you saw it.

Chris Do is one of the most intriguing and influential people that I’ve come across online in the last year or so.

He’s an amazing artist and entrepreneur who teaches the “business of design” through his amazing education company, The Futur. His content is simply epic – it’s well-produced, engaging, selfless and meaningful on so many levels. I’m not a designer or graphic artist whatsoever, but find his insights on business and personal development to be incredibly valuable.