"Lead" Synonyms For A Resume: Importance, Examples And Tips

Updated 15 August 2023

When applying for leadership roles, submitting a resume that shows you have the skills to manage a team can impress potential employers. Emphasising your leadership skills helps demonstrate your ability to command, motivate and support others to achieve a successful workplace outcome. Learning how to use compelling keywords on your resume can differentiate you from other candidates. In this article, we provide several "lead" synonyms for a resume and explain the benefits of using them to increase your chances of employment.

What Are "Lead" Synonyms For A Resume?

"Lead" synonyms for a resume are action words that highlight your ability to manage, inspire and guide others. Including the words "lead" or "led" too many times on your resume may distract an employer from your intended meaning, and confuse what you are trying to say. When you use descriptive synonyms to highlight your abilities, employers know you have the right skills and qualities to approach leadership opportunities, and excel in a work environment.

Why Include "Leadership" Synonyms On Your Resume?

Employers often prefer candidates with natural leadership abilities who can handle and manage team members in multiple ways. Describing your leadership skills shows hiring managers how you have learnt new abilities and applied them to your work. The right synonyms can help you highlight your ability to create effective initiatives and maintain optimal standards at work.

7 "Leadership" Synonyms For A Resume

Here are seven "leadership" synonyms to consider using on your resume:

1. Fielded

"Fielded" refers to an employee's ability to deploy a process, procedure or policy into practical use, often in an operational environment. It means that you actively engaged with a task and took responsibility for it. Here are some ways to use this synonym on your resume:

Fielded and analysed market research data, and identified key trends, which improved customer satisfaction rates by 34%.
Fielded various construction-related project proposals and evaluated their feasibility.

2. Governed

"Governed" is another "leadership" synonym that means overseeing or managing the functioning, and conduct of a process, team or organisation. Using this word on your resume demonstrates your ability to set rules, make decisions and direct the actions of team members. Here are some ways to write "governed" on a resume:

Governed and monitored a portfolio of 40 business-to-business clients, resulting in a 12% increase in customer satisfaction.
Governed and managed a team of 12 employees, delivering 100% of projects on time.

3. Commanded

"Commanded" means you held a leadership role that empowered you to make decisions and provided clear direction to other team members. It might also mean that you exerted influence and inspired others to follow you. Here are some ways to use this synonym on a resume:

Commanded a project budget of ₹30 lakhs and optimised production expenses to achieve a 10% increase in revenue.
Commanded the supply chain process and increased its efficiency by 25% by implementing an artificial intelligence programme.

4. Managed

"Managed" refers to a person's ability to oversee, control and take responsibility for the direction, coordination and execution of projects. It shows that you are accountable for achieving workplace objectives. Here are some examples of the word "managed" on a resume:

Managed a team of 24 software testers and oversaw project timelines, resulting in a 45% increase in the timely completion of projects.
Managed the digital marketing campaign for new clients, creating strategies that increased their organic followers by 35% in less than two months.

5. Headed

Another excellent "leadership" synonym is "headed", which means taking charge of a project, department or organisation. Using this word on your resume gives employers the impression that you can lead and take responsibility for what you do. Here are some examples of the word "headed" on a resume:

Headed a team of 12 sales executives and helped develop a strategic sales campaign, which resulted in a 22% increase in sales in two months.
Headed a sustainability program in the college and reduced the company's carbon footprint, saving the company ₹10 lakhs annually.

6. Instructed

"Instructed" is another great synonym for "lead", which means to provide directions, guidance and knowledge to others, and help them understand a process, or task. It primarily means explaining information clearly and authoritatively. Here are some examples of using "instructed" on a resume:

Instructed a class of 45 post-graduate students and improved their finance grades by 45% in the final exams.
Instructed a group of 50 senior citizens on the benefits of taking the new health programme and increased subscriptions by 25% in three weeks.

7. Steered

"Steered" is another useful "leadership" synonym. It means guiding and directing people in a particular direction or encouraging them to take a definite course of action. It conveys the idea of taking responsibility for a situation, project or process. Here are some ways to include "steered" on a resume:

Steered a marketing team to success by implementing new marketing strategies.
Steered a cross-functional team of five data analysts to study the cost of implementing organisational changes.

Additional Synonyms For "Leadership" On A Resume

Using appropriate synonyms for your "leadership" skills can make your resume more interesting and ensure you convey the desired keywords to an employer. Here are some others to consider:

Conducted
Hosted
Ushered
Presided
Piloted
Planned
Captained
Directed
Resolved

Tips For Choosing The Right Synonyms For Your Resume

Here are some tips for choosing which "leadership" synonyms to use on your resume:

Choose relevant synonyms. Depending on your role and the job for which you are applying, consider using words such as "guided", "directed", "managed" or "fielded". Select synonyms that accurately reflect your management capabilities.
Be specific. Rather than using the words "lead" or "led" multiple times in your document, be specific and base your keyword selection upon the scope of your responsibilities. When using "leadership" synonyms, refer to the team size you managed, the project you led or the department you supervised to reflect your capabilities.
Review the job posting. When customising your resume, include keywords that the employer listed in the job posting. Read the job description, create a list of keywords and use them appropriately throughout your resume.

11 Additional "Leadership" Synonym Examples

Here are some additional examples demonstrating how to use synonyms in a resume for a leadership position:

Governed a budget of ₹50 lakhs and reduced the project cost by 25% by implementing the latest project management techniques.
Fielded customer calls and resolved more than 200 tickets per week with a 99% customer satisfaction rate.
Commanded a digital marketing campaign and generated a 40% rise in website traffic in two months.
Managed the key accounts of 15 clients and promptly resolved their issues, resulting in a customer satisfaction rate of 30%.
Instructed more than 50 sales executives on a new sales technique and increased sales performance by 35%.
Headed the business development team, increased key partnerships and secured contracts which generated a revenue of more than ₹50 lakhs in a single year.
Steered a team of sales executives to achieve a 40% increase in revenue within four months, implementing strategic initiatives and optimising sales processes.
Governed strategic partnerships with vendors, negotiated contracts and saved 15% through effective vendor management strategies.
Resolved 100 customer complaints promptly, maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction.
Hosted various industry events and conferences, built long-term relationships with partners and increased the company's revenue by 34% in three months.
Piloted innovative initiatives and designed processes, saving the company 20% yearly.