How To Become An Exceptional Leader: Cognitive Skills To Be An Exceptional Leader

Leadership is relieving in both times of great stress and even in the calmest of times. Being guided by a talented leader, whether through a hardship or otherwise, is extremely reassuring.

But how do people decide who will lead them? Well, who people tend to select as a leader is often the person who best demonstrates leadership qualities.

Sometimes, though, someone with excellent leadership skills is unfairly left out and not chosen as a leader. That’s fine. In the end, just because someone can be a leader doesn’t mean they will be chosen as one. The reality is how we choose leaders in situations that require them is often very complex.

The skilled leaders of the world may reach leadership positions and they may not. But having the traits of an exceptional leader can certainly help with the selection process. If you are looking to become a great leader because you already are in the position of one or if you simply want to have the foundation on which to become an exceptional leader, you’ve come to the right place.

I have pinpointed 7 excellent ways to become an exceptional leader. Take time to build and perfect these to become a true leader.

Ways to become an exceptional leader

Here are some cognitive skills that can help you be an exceptional leader.

1. Be an exceptional communicator

Communication is a huge part of leadership with some of the most exceptional leaders in the world being experts at using communication to their advantage. Learn to speak with confidence but calmness. A good leader shouldn’t be arrogant, they should be confident but humble. Communication is a key way by which a leader can connect with others and help guide them.

Word choice can impact perception. Consider expanding your vocabulary, if necessary. This can help you incorporate new and powerful words into your speech – ones that really resonate with the listener or reader.

But always remember that communication is not just verbal. The way you carry yourself and present your words contributes to your leadership style. Watch your body language to make sure it too exudes confidence. Make sure you have a relaxed facial expression that shows just the right amount of emotion (not too much) when the situation warrants it.

2. Be an exceptional listener

To be a great leader, avoid talking at people too often. Let others talk to you sometimes. Make sure you listen to your reports or anyone who you may be leading. Listen attentively and show people that you are genuinely receptive to feedback.

Even if you hear or read something you don’t fully approve of, it’s important not to let ego dictate your reaction. This doesn’t mean giving in to every demand, it simply means hearing requests and reflecting on them if they are reasonable.

Importantly, make yourself available to listen as best you can. This doesn’t mean dropping everything just to listen to every single opinion people have – although you can if you have a small enough team. Making yourself available and accessible is as simple as making sure people can communicate with you when needed. Try to make yourself available to others as best you can with your schedule.

3. Be an exceptional learner

Learning is an opportunity to pick up on new information that can help you lead yourself and a team. Learning can also form the foundation of creative ideas which can contribute to achieving success as a leader. When you learn, you give yourself an opportunity to leverage new information as is but also to use that information to form new ideas on your own.

A knowledgeable leader is a strong leader. You don’t have to know everything and you need not expect yourself to retain ridiculous amounts of information. Being an exceptional learner can be as simple as having great learning strategies which you use to educate yourself. It can mean just knowing how to find information when you don’t have it.

4. Be an exceptional reader

Reading is a great way to learn and you absolutely should take advantage of it. Make sure you read to retain information. Understand content, genuinely connect with it, and apply it to yourself.

5. Be an exceptional emotional regulator

This works in two ways. First, be an expert at understanding and communicating with others who are dealing with excessive emotionality. Don’t try to be everyone’s therapist, but when you interact with someone whose emotional make sure you do so in an emotionally intelligent manner.

You may not always know what someone is feeling, why someone is feeling something or even if they are even emotional to begin with. The focus of emotional intelligence is to try your best to understand the feelings of others and be as accommodating as you can. You don’t have to accommodate at the expense of other members of a team or at the expense of your own interests, but at least try to be able to negotiate with emotional people.

Second is dealing with your own emotions. While you don’t have control over the way others feel, you can have control over the way you feel. Being able to regulate your own emotions to handle even high pressure situations calmly is a sign of a skilled leader.

You don’t have to never feel emotions or never let them get to you. At the end of the day you should be accepting of emotions. Being emotionally regulated can be as simple as allowing yourself to feel emotions but not letting them get the better of you or fluster you. It can mean finding effective ways to control emotions and use them to your advantage. Do your best to keep your poise, especially in the face of adversity.

6. Be an exceptional time manager

A leader should understand the importance of time management because its importance spills over into many areas. Make sure that you schedule your time effectively so that you work on the right things at the right times. Be cognizant of how you are spending your time and how you should be spending it.

Time wasting would be a big problem here. Time management should be leveraged as a tool to not only do what you should but also to avoid wasting time (doing what you shouldn’t). This doesn’t mean you can’t schedule time for fun and leisure, it just means you should know when/if you are wasting time and have the time management skills to correct that. Scrolling on your phone for 2 hours when you originally intended to just check it for 1 minute, for example, is a major example of time wasting.

One way you can manage your time effectively is by trying to delegate tasks. If you can do so, get other people to do the things you cannot waste time on so that you can do what you should.

For example, if you know nothing about programming and part of your work or a project you’re leading is related to software coding, it is not logical for you to sit there learning how to code and then apply your knowledge. This could also lead to mistakes. Instead, consider delegating the coding. The idea is pretty much the same across many situations. Delegate when possible to make the most use of your time.

7. Be an exceptional salesperson

You don’t actually have to be in sales, but the skills that come with being an excellent salesperson can be applicable in leadership situations. Skills like listening, convincing, problem identification, negotiation, etc. can all be used in sales and for leadership.

Again, you don’t have to actually sell something, but view some tasks as analogous to selling. Pretend you are selling ideas, points, opinions, orders or whatever else. When someone follows your leadership or listens to you, it’s as though you made a “sale.”