America spends around $75 billion a year on training, and much of that training is soft skills and leadership development. With all that training, there remain some huge capability gaps. In fact, the last couple of years, many companies have focused on closing hard skill gaps rather that 
increasing soft skills. Personally, I would rather hire leaders who communicate well, know how collaborate, and to build relationships, rather than testing their technical abilities.
We know that true and lasting behavior change is difficult. We can learn tips on how to be a better leader, but in order to really change takes effort, accountability, cogitation and time. Here the 5 leadership qualities that are rarely trained (and need to be):
- There are nearly 18 million results on Google for listening skills, and yet, as an Executive coach, nearly all of my clients are working on it. Truly learning how to listening is one of the top leadership qualities a person needs. It can grow your team, keep your customers, diffuse tense situations, and make your relationships stronger.
- I’m not talking about the performance coaching where I tell you what you did wrong and that you should not to do it again. I’m talking about using your listening skills, combined with curiosity, to problem-solve with people not for people. Clients tell me that they are loathe to do this because it takes too much time. In the long run, it actually takes less time because you have less conversations!
- Networking is not just for entrepreneurs and job seekers.There are a hundred reasons why corporate leaders should have a strong network. Here are five. 1. To give back. 2. To have someone to affiliate with outside of your organization. 3. To share knowledge. 4. To increase your social capital. You never know when you will need to tap into it. 5. To learn trends about your industry outside of your organization.
- Political Acumen. Knowing when to push-back and when not to is an art. Understanding your organization’s culture is necessary in order to navigate proposals and people of any kind. Many self-proclaimed rebels consider themselves non-political; however, it’s necessary to understand the unwritten rules of your organization. When you do not make that effort, it can be an extremely tough work environment that drains your energy every day.
- Being interested in others. The outcome of a work relationship where you show genuine interest in the person or not, can be monumental. Let’s look at why this is important. Joe, a powerful head of department is fast-moving and quick witted. He “sizes-up” people quickly and decides if they can further his goals. If not, he silently dismisses them. In this case, Joe has ensured that those colleagues may not help him in the future if needed. He’s created a work agreement that says, “You don’t count.” Trust me, people feel this, and they don’t want to be around Joe. They don’t feel good being around him. Suspend what you “think” you know about people and keep an open mind. You never know what you will learn, or from whom you will receive help when you need it.
To be fair, maybe there is some training out there for these skills. Even so, why do so many leaders have difficulty with them? Perhaps, because they feel like they don’t have time and place to practice. Perhaps, these 5 leadership qualities are difficult to master, or implement. However, the result of creating and sustaining long-term work relationships by implementing these skills can be amazing. Leaders will get better buy-in, create more allies, and create huge social capital.