How To Highlight Leadership Skills On A Resume (With Template)

Updated 18 March 2023

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Leadership skills help individuals to bring people together and reach a common goal. Professionals in management positions or those leading projects require these skills to successfully complete a range of tasks. If you are applying for a leadership position, you can include your leadership skills in your resume to show the hiring manager that you can guide employees to success. In this article, we review the list of skills that are necessary to be a leader and explore the steps to highlight leadership skills on a resume.

Types of leadership skills to list on a resume

Here are some skills you may include in your resume:

Communication skills

When leaders in an organisation communicate effectively, their teams and departments are more likely to understand their role better in a project. This allows the staff to function efficiently and accomplish the common goals. Listening and responding to questions of the team members also allow leaders to learn how to better support their team members. A leader also praises their team members for their efforts and accomplishments, which may boost their morale and encourage them to maintain their productivity.

Organisational skills

There are times when leaders are responsible for handling several projects simultaneously. This makes it necessary for them to know how to prioritise work so that the team members complete critical or time-consuming tasks effectively. Leaders may also have a variety of other responsibilities, like supervising people, generating new ideas and ensuring that the team members are able to meet the deadlines. Managing time efficiently and paying attention to detail are some important aspects of organisational skills.

Problem-solving

Effective leaders use their problem-solving skills to quickly resolve conflicts in the workplace and maintain a positive work environment. Leaders solve problems by organising team meetings to research and brainstorm solutions. This fosters camaraderie among the team members, which enhances teamwork and the efficiency of the team.

Relationship-building

Building relationships with team members is an important part of being a leader. When leaders actively listen to their team members, motivate them, offer constructive feedback to them and create a safe and positive work environment, they are more likely to build productive relationships. By collaborating with team members, a leader gets the opportunity to connect with them and encourage them to work as a productive team.

Conflict resolution

The ability to resolve problems in a timely manner is an essential leadership skill. It helps in maintaining morale among the team members while enhancing productivity in the workplace. Good leaders employ conflict resolution techniques to listen to their team members' problems and try to understand the conflicts from several perspectives. They work with the team members to develop solutions that address the requirements of everyone.

Delegation

Leaders are responsible for carrying out multiple initiatives simultaneously, hence understanding how to delegate tasks helps them run the projects in an efficient manner. Delegation involves planning, scheduling and organisation of projects along with assigning particular duties to team members. It is helpful for leaders to understand the skills of each team member to aptly assign duties and keep the team productive.

Empathy

It is essential for a leader to be aware of how their team members feel about projects, choices, directions and the overall vision of the firm. Strong leaders show empathy by acknowledging and considering their staff's sentiments and requirements. They know how to be assertive and yet remain considerate towards their team members. Effective leaders also understand the importance of giving recognition to those who perform well.

Flexibility

Flexibility means adapting to changing circumstances and expectations on the job. The ability to make adjustments to complete tasks efficiently remains an important responsibility of a leader. A flexible leader is open to new ideas, given these ideas help the organisation accomplish its goals.

Transparency

When there is honesty and transparency between team members and the leaders, employees are more likely to complete the assigned tasks efficiently. Good leaders keep in mind the implications of their decisions and actions for both their teams and their customers and they serve as an example for their employees to follow. They reach out for help when they need it and also give honest feedback to their team.

Focus driven

A competent leader establishes a realistic vision along with listing attainable goals. They understand how to develop smart objectives, which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound in their approach. Using the smart goal framework instead of hard work framework helps them to develop a solid basis for attaining the company's many objectives.

Related: 10 Common Leadership Styles

How to highlight leadership skills on a resume

Here are some steps you may follow to highlight leadership skills on a resume:

1. Read the job description

Before applying for a position, it is important to review the job description thoroughly and ensure that you understand the leadership abilities that the company values. Various organisations use an application tracking system (ATS) to screen resumes for certain terms or phrases that are given in the job description, which makes this step even more important. Including these keywords in your own resume may increase your chances of being noticed by a hiring manager and having your resume reviewed.

2. Consider your experience

Consider evaluating your previous job experiences and mention the instances where you showed leadership skills. Mention examples of leadership skills clearly to impress the hiring managers and convince them that you are a good fit for leading a team in their organisation. Ask a friend or a coworker to help you identify your qualities as a leader if you are unsure of what leadership skills you possess.

3. Draft a summary

Including a short description of your leadership abilities under the professional description section of your resume allows you to communicate your capabilities to employers effectively. Describe your professional experiences in a few short sentences and emphasise some of the leadership characteristics that distinguish you as a competent candidate for the role. If you have received any certifications or letters of recognition for your leadership abilities in the past, you may include them in the summary.

4. Write about your achievements

In the work experience section of your resume, list a few examples of the job responsibilities that apply to your leadership abilities. Quantify your achievements, as facts, figures and statistics help you show the impact of your leadership in the past jobs. When describing your experiences, consider using verbs to highlight your experiences, like:

mentor
start
inspire
motivate
implement

5. List relevant skills

Include your leadership abilities in the skills section of your resume. This allows the companies to spot them quickly during the hiring process. Leadership qualities typically include soft skills, which refer to different personality traits or habits regarding how you work with others and by yourself. If you are applying for a corporate leadership role, consider adding strategic planning as a skill to your resume.

Template for a resume with leadership skills

Here is a template for a resume to highlight your leadership skills:

Contact Information

[Name]
[Location]
[Phone number]
[E-mail]

Professional Summary

[Briefly describe your leadership experiences along with relevant leadership skills in one to three sentences]

Work Experience

[Job title]
[Name of the company]
[Location]
[Start date and end date]

[Job responsibility or achievement]
[Job responsibility or achievement]
[Job responsibility or achievement]

Education

[Name of the school]
[Name of the degree or the diploma]
[Year of completing the programme]

Skills

[Leadership skill]
[Leadership skill]
[Leadership skill]

Certifications

[Use bullet points to mention any certification you have earned and membership you have signed up for]

Awards

[Scholarship or awards in competitive exams]

Example resume with leadership skills

Here is an example of a resume showcasing how to include leadership skills in various parts of the document: