Why do we need good leaders?
Our blog today is focused on the qualities of a good leader at work. But before we get into that, we need to understand why this is important. At LUBM, we offer our learners online MBA specialisations in the Middle East. And as you may be aware, an MBA graduate is trained to become a leader. Not just in their industry, but actively trained for leadership roles. Thus, over a decade of training students for leadership has instilled us with some insight. A good leader is not just a talented businessperson; they’re excellent at drawing the best out of people. Their presence should inspire others to believe in the business, their roles and its value. In today’s increasingly competitive business landscape, effective leadership is more important than ever. Leaders are not only expected to drive results but also to motivate, adapt, and foster inclusive environments.
We don’t think that leadership qualities should be limited to those in the C-Suite. It should be something all working professionals cultivate in themselves. Why? So that we’re ready to thrive when better opportunities come our way. Thus, we have crafted this article, which goes over the 9 Leadership Skills that Make a Good Leader. We all know about some leadership skills like strategising, self reflection, time management, and having a vision. However, there are a few that research suggests are pivotal to success in the upper echelons. These are some of the talents we impart to our learners in preparation for their future success.
The 9 Essential Leadership Skills
1. Ethics and Integrity
We’re sure that you inherently understand why a leader needs to have strong ethics and unimpeachable integrity. We want to believe that those who guide our professional futures have people’s interests in mind. However, in practice, there’s even more to it. As a Yale University article shares, managers who have the qualities encourage the same in their employees. Simply put, an ethical manager will encourage more workers to behave ethically in the workplace. Managers are inadvertently the role models that employees emulate within the organisation. Further, it promotes an employee’s trust that their boss will act in their (employees’) best interests. Thus, it instils a positive relationship between a leader’s trustworthiness and employee engagement.
2. Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognise the feelings of those around you. It also includes being able to manage and navigate your own emotions. Psychologist Daniel Goleman explained the value of emotional intelligence in leaders in a Harvard Business Review article. He explained that technical knowledge were a given in leadership roles, and emotional intelligence was where the difference lay.
While initial hiring at a company may be based on technical skills, higher positions demand another talent. Emotional intelligence becomes more relevant as a professional begins to climb the ranks. As they move into managerial and C Level roles, their leadership skills must include emotional intelligence. A CareerBuilder survey revealed that 71% of those hiring value emotional intelligence more than technical skills in candidates.
Further, emotional intelligence is tied to empathy and compassion. An empathetic leader will be better able to connect with their team and earn their trust and respect as people. And a Yale University article confirmed the same. It recommends that leaders ‘API’: assume positive intent. The article emphasised that most employees want to do well and be viewed positively. As anyone who has been gifted with an empathetic boss knows, feeling seen and understood matters. And it shows up in the work of employees working under good leaders.
3. Effective Communication
A good leader must be able to communicate well. There is a reason that it’s an important leadership skill. Communication shows up in almost all leadership functions and responsibilities. Be it in collaboration, effective delegation, or mediation. Additionally, it helps your team better understand their tasks and goals. It also encourages them to share challenges they need your help with. A 2024 Grammarly study revealed that 64% of leaders believe that strong communication increases team productivity. And part of effective communication is the talent of active listening.
While active listening is a soft skill that falls under the communication umbrella, we should all cultivate the skill. This talent is applicable both personally and professionally. However, we will now focus on it as a leadership skill. A successful leader who’s a gifted active listener can empower team members. When employees feel heard and listened to, they are more receptive to feedback. They are also more likely to give honest feedback for improvement to somebody who will genuinely consider their words. It builds stronger professional bonds and trust between a leader and her team. We suggest that you pay attention to non verbal cues and acquire clarity through summary confirmation.
4. Accountability
Some experts rank accountability as the most important among leadership skills. But before we dive in, ask yourself: what does ownership at work mean? What does it mean to take ownership of your work? It means to take absolute ownership of your professional duties. The work stops becoming anybody else’s responsibility but yours. It’s closely tied to accountability, which is to take responsibility for the outcomes of your choices. Why is it such a key leadership skill? As a leader, you are responsible for not just your performance, but your team’s, too. At its helm, you set the tone. If you want employees who take ownership of their work, you have to lead by example. Culture Partners’s 2025 Workplace Accountability Study revealed an interesting statistic. A stunning 84% of respondents stated that leader behaviour was the most important factor that influenced accountability in their companies.
5. Empowerment through Delegation
A Harvard Business Review article on delegation notes that many people new to leadership struggle with one thing. And that is: transitioning from doing to leading. It is hard to shake off the feeling that you need to execute tasks rather than assign them. However, delegation is a vital leadership skill. It makes sense when you consider it. Bill Gates does not personally handle the development of Microsoft’s new technology. He hires a team of trusted employees to handle it. Even industry experts and business leaders have 24 hours a day, like us. They cannot do every job, even if they wanted to. But that isn’t what makes delegation such an important leadership skill. Delegating tasks well can empower your team and encourage them to take ownership of their roles. Further, a Harvard Business Review article revealed something interesting. Teams with leaders who delegate well have a 33% increase in productivity. Further, senior leaders also rank delegation as an important leadership skill. A Center for Creative Leadership report stated that 87% of them think that delegation is an essential one.
6. Creativity and Critical Thought
We’ve all heard at least one tale of a business leader who navigated an organisational challenge through creativity. These moments have the potential to shape industries as they wrangle success in unexpected ways. Problem solving creatively is a valuable leadership skill. It’s not just business leaders who display it. Although they would be wise to encourage the same in their team. A good leader teaches by being an example and nurturing employee talents. For professionals in the UAE, this will come in handy soon. A Statista report suggests that over 70% of companies believe that creative and analytical problem solving will be valued more by 2027.
However, it’s not enough to simply be creative. You’ve probably experienced the emphasis placed on analytical problem solving while earning an MBA in Dubai. However, analytical problem solving as a leadership skill is closely connected with strategising. The ability to think clearly and create effective solutions after analysing the situation is a strong professional skill. It is valuable among all working professionals in the UAE. However, it is necessary for a leader who must chart a company’s path to success.
7. Team Building Capabilities
As a leadership skill, team building contains multitudes. Team building skills enable managers to cultivate interactive, supportive and collaborative teams. This does mean that the leader has to be aware of and implement team building training. A Stanford study discovered that teams that were strongly collaborative worked 64% longer. Additionally, they also experienced less burnout and had more success.
Closely tied to team building, conflict resolution starts becoming important from the earliest managerial promotions. As we mentioned above, leaders are expected to cultivate and nurture a strong, collaborative team spirit. Thus, they must also be able to mitigate and manage conflict in the workplace. Workplace conflicts can reduce productivity and teamwork. Simultaneously, it increases stress in the office and can be distracting. In fact, a CPP Global report revealed that workplace disputes can use around 2.8 hours per employee per week. This reveals why conflict management is an important leadership skill to cultivate.
Additionally, this also includes mentoring. Those who have had the gift of a mentor at work know the benefits of it. Similarly, a mentoring is a valuable leadership skill that can contribute to the improvement and growth of the team. There’s a reason that every Fortune 50 company has a mentorship program. Further, a stunning 84% of all Fortune 500 companies have them, too.
8. Cultural Competence
In the UAE, over 100 nationalities work and thrive together. The multicultural nature of the place makes it important to have leaders who are culturally versed. A culturally knowledgeable leader can help mitigate conflict with ease in a multicultural team. Further, the UAE is where most MNCs headquarter their regional branches. Thus, culturally sensitive and competent leaders have a better chance of building stronger, more cooperative teams.
9. Motivational Ability
When you think about the difference between a leader and a manager, what do you think of? Do you think managers require the same leadership skills? To put it simply, a leader is one whom people should want to follow. A manager’s duties end with getting tasks completed. But we would like to point out that it’s good for anyone interested in climbing the corporate ladder to cultivate the ability to motivate others. A good leader motivates their team to perform and take pride in their work. It’s about more than just reaching your goals; it’s about them knowing the value they add to the organisation. A good leader can tap into human nature and influence their team to do their best.
Wrapping Up
Mastering these 21 leadership skills is key to leading effectively in the UAE business world. By understanding and developing these competencies, leaders can reach their true potential. They can inspire their teams, drive innovation, and achieve organisational success.
Which of these leadership skills do you excel in? Are you aiming to develop some of them further? If you want to thrive professionally in UAE or the Middle East, consider getting an MBA. LUBM offers 100% online, flexible MBAs that cultivate strong leadership abilities in graduates. Access UK accredited courses tailored to local needs, and earn your MBA in just one year.