In his October 2013
Leading Thoughts column in ASSE's Professional Safety, Doug Gray highlights five key leadership competencies and asks readers to score their abilities in each area (1 = low; 5 = high):
- Be a great communicator, not an average communicator, and certainly not a poor communicator. Listen well. Speak well. Be able to connect with an audience, then motivate that audience. Be able to train others. Your score: ____
- Be smart. Know industry standards. Know where to find the answers. One leader may need skills in case management or workers’ compensation while another may need skills in risk management and compliance. Groups such as ASSE, National Safety Council, Institute of Nuclear Power Operations, Construction Industry Institute and Construction Users Roundtable are good places to start. Your score: _____
- Be a good problem solver. Actively seek data, ask great open-ended questions, listen openly and develop multiple solutions. Then share your recommendations factually, without emotion or judgment, without any modifiers, such as adverbs or adjectives. Your score: _____
- Demonstrate strong analytical skills. Interpret data, then share it in a meaningful way. Accept multiple points of view, including conflicting perspectives. Connect the dots. Stay focused on the big picture requirements to save money and minimize risk. Your score: _____
- Be committed to professional development, not merely as a job requirement for CEUs. Read professional journals such as Professional Safety. Be active in industry-specific associations. Discuss ideas openly. Seek mentors and coaches. Be flexible and coachable. Your score: _____
So, how do you fare in each area?
