What Great Leaders Do – 10 Leadership Skills to Master (Part 1)

Leadership in many ways is the art of managing the grey. There are few, if any, black and white answers in the role of a leader. Business in general is that way. We’d all love to have the exact, right answer. They just don’t always exist. Leadership is about recognizing that, then managing the situation, the resources, the people, and the outcomes based on how you engaged with each of those. There are core skillsets though that will guide leaders to the results they are looking for. 

There’s no shortage of advice out there on leadership. Some of it’s helpful, some of it’s fluff, and a lot of it sounds good on paper but doesn’t hold up when the real work begins. So when people ask what it actually takes to be a great leader, I try to keep it simple and honest.

I hate buzzwords, even if I occasionally get sucked into using them. I don’t believe in shortcuts as the answer to problems. There are no ‘silver bullets’ in business or leadership. I do believe in developing skills, learning new things, and continuing to try, even in the face of adversity. So what does it take to be a great leader? There is no single way, but I do believe there are skills that can be learned and refined that will lead you down the right path. Whether you’re running a store, a district, or a region, these are the things that help you lead in a way that others want to follow.

This is Part 1 of a two-part series. I’ll share the first five essentials here, then pick up with the second five on Friday. Let’s get started.

1. Be Curious

The best leaders never stop learning. Curiosity might be the most important leadership skill there is. It’s what keeps you learning, listening, and growing. When leaders stop being curious, they stop improving. They fall into the trap of thinking they’ve seen it all or that they’re supposed to have all the answers. And that’s when they stop creating space for anyone else to contribute.

Curious leaders ask better questions, not to interrogate, but to discover. That’s an important distinction. Interrogation is about getting the right answer. Curiosity is about exploring possibilities. It’s a mindset that makes teams feel safe to offer ideas and speak up, even when their thoughts are different.

This shows up in coaching, too. Curious leaders help people think for themselves. Instead of giving quick answers, they ask questions like, “What do you think we should do?” or “What would you try next?” That helps people develop their own thinking. It turns day-to-day work into development.

When a leader stays curious, the team picks up on it. They become more curious, too. Teams learn more, share more, and improve faster. Curious leaders spark new thinking. And they create teams that bring ideas forward, not just answers they think the boss wants to hear.

2. Stay Humble

Humility keeps you grounded. It reminds you that you don’t have all the answers, and that’s a good thing. Leaders who stay humble make space for others to contribute. They don’t end up shutting others down, often without realizing it.

When a leader always jumps in first or needs to be the smartest one in the room, the team stops offering real ideas. People begin guessing what the leader wants to hear instead of saying what they truly think. That’s when innovation dies. People compete for approval instead of collaborating to solve problems.

Being humble doesn’t mean being quiet or soft. It means being open. It means recognizing that the best ideas can come from anywhere and being secure enough to let others shine. Humility helps you listen more, learn faster, and build real trust.

It also keeps the leader from slipping into “know-it-all” mode. Because once you believe you already know everything, you stop learning. And when you stop learning, you stop leading.

3. Be Intentional

There’s no shortage of distractions in leadership. Fires pop up. Priorities shift. Everyone wants something from you. The leaders who succeed are the ones who choose where to concentrate efforts, on purpose.

Being intentional means using your time, energy, and attention in a way that matches the needs of your team and business. It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing the right things, in the right order, for the right reasons. And staying with those decisions even when new things try to pull you off course.

There’s a reason the word priority is meant to be singular. Multitasking is a myth. You can work on many goals over time, but only one thing can get your full attention in the moment. Intentional leaders understand that and make deliberate choices.

This shows up in how they plan their time, how they guide their team, and how they protect their values. They don’t chase every new idea. They don’t spread themselves too thin. They stay clear, calm, and deliberate.

When you lead with intention, your team feels it. They know what matters, and they know what to do.

4. Know Your Business

You don’t need to be a financial analyst to be a great leader, but you do need to know your business. That means understanding what’s really happening, both on the floor and in the numbers. Are you beating plan? Are you trending better than last year? What are your key metrics telling you, and what can you do about them?

The best leaders don’t just know their Key Performance Indicators ( KPIs). They know how to use them. They understand what behaviors and actions lead to results, and they help their team connect the dots. They see the story behind the numbers and make decisions that move the business forward.

This doesn’t mean getting caught up in data overload. In fact, retail is full of too many metrics. Strong leaders narrow their focus to the handful that really matter and use those to guide the work. Knowing your business means more than knowing your numbers. It means understanding what’s working, what’s not, and what you can influence to get better. That’s how you turn insight into action.

5. Create Space for Diverse Thinking

Diverse thinking isn’t just about representation. Teams do better when different voices are invited into the conversation and given the space to be heard. This leads to better outcomes and results. The best leaders are purposeful about bringing in different perspectives. They ask for input from people with different backgrounds, experiences, and ways of thinking. It is not about checking a box; great leaders do this because they know it leads to better ideas. If everyone in the room has the same story, you’ll keep getting the same results.

But even the most experienced teams can become too comfortable. When people have been working together a long time, it’s easy to start thinking the same way. That’s when things stagnate. Great leaders shake that up. They introduce new ideas, ask better questions, and challenge their team to look at things from a new angle. The best leaders enable a culture where people feel safe to speak up, even if their idea is a little out there. Innovation doesn’t come from agreement. It comes from differences.

These first five skills get us started, and we’ll cover five more in the next article. Each of these needs to work together. While some may seem more important, and even I’ll state that curiosity may be the most important, it cannot stand on its own. Curiosity, while critical, is only as good as being humble enough to listen to the answer. Or, through the creation of a safe environment where people can answer honestly. These five, plus the next five, form a foundation for greatness; however, that foundation is only as strong as you allow it to be through your words and actions. Leadership is an ‘always on’ role. Everyone is watching. Everyone sees your every move. That is a privilege, not a negative. It is what opens the door to allow others to build trust and choose to follow your lead.

Which of these first five stood out most to you? Have you seen these in people you have identified as great leaders?

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