Leadership Competencies Series
Through a connection found in coaching and leadership competencies, Martha shares insights on skills to master that create a solid foundation for effective leadership.
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Intro to The Leadership Competencies Series
This post kicks off a series on leadership competencies, each explored individually as they carry their own weight. While the insights I’ll share aren’t groundbreaking, they’ve been highly reflective for me as I continue my journey into professional coaching, leveraging my upper management experience in the business world. I hope it sparks that same reflection in you in support of becoming an increasingly effective leader — whether as an individual contributor or with personnel management responsibilities. Going through my coaching program, I recognized many parallels between coaching and leadership competencies — “aha” moments, if you will, where coaching concepts resonated…
In this series:
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#8 Feedback Matters at Every Level
Feedback isn’t just for early career growth — it’s a critical tool at every leadership level. Yet, the higher we go, the harder it becomes to receive it. This post explores the often-overlooked “feedback void” at senior levels, and how leaders can turn feedback into a powerful catalyst for self-awareness, alignment, and real change. Transformation…
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#7 Leadership Means Investing in You, Too
Great leaders grow others—but they invest in themselves, too. Whether you’re supporting your team or building your own path, development is a two-way street. This post explores how to model growth, why it matters, and how coaching can accelerate your next step.
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#6 Leadership Presence Starts with Actually Being Present
The best leaders aren’t just in the room — they’re fully present in the moment. Presence builds trust, deepens conversations, and drives better decisions. Learn more on how to develop this skill, and why it’s also an important skill in professional coaching.
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#5 Build Confidence and Momentum with Assertiveness
Discover why ‘assertiveness’ is the most common leadership skill clients work to strengthen in coaching. Building this skill leads to clearer communication, better decisions, and effective team leadership.
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#4 Take a Personalized Leadership Approach to Boost Collaboration, Productivity, and Retention
Great leaders, like great coaches, tailor their approach to each individual, fostering trust, productivity, and team satisfaction. Taking the time to understand your team’s strengths, motivations, and challenges ultimately saves time and reduces turnover.
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#2. Reading the Room: Leading More Effectively Through Awareness
‘Reading the room’ is a crucial leadership skill that goes beyond delivering a message — it’s about understanding your audience’s reactions and adapting in real-time. Anyone can improve their capacity to engage effectively by observing, interpreting, and adjusting based on the energy and cues around them.
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#1. Always seek opportunities to help others develop and learn vs. default to problem solving
High performers often jump straight to solving problems, but as a leader, it’s important to shift from doing it all yourself to empowering others to think through solutions. By recognizing growth opportunities in these moments, you not only develop your team’s problem-solving skills, but also free up your own time for more strategic leadership.