Why are Leadership Skills Important as a Freelancer?
Many people believe leadership isn’t a vital skill to have as a freelancer as you’re generally working on your own. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Leadership skills don’t only mean leading a group. It also indicates how effectively you can drive yourself.
Why is it important?
Leadership can clear your vision and help you to develop your freelancing skills. Clear vision is a leadership skill that is essential in freelancing work. With a clear vision, you can earn self-confidence, value, and love for your present or desired skills. Leadership can help you to deal with challenges and find prospects in the freelancing world. We typically think leaders are the people who advance with the help of other people, but real leaders are the people who can achieve a targeted goal alone because of their skills. Leaders don’t follow the crowd; they follow their own choices and are also ready to accept the consequences of that choice.
How to Become a Better Leader
Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses
We live in a world that celebrates self-belief, but it is far more important to have self-awareness. Often there is a conflict between the two. For instance, awareness of your limitations is incompatible with skyrocketing levels of self-belief, and the only reason to be utterly devoid of self-doubt and insecurities is delusion. Although women are not as insecure as we are portrayed to be in the self-help literature (and much of the popular media), studies do show that we are generally less overconfident than men. This is good news because it allows us to understand how people see us and gives us the capacity to spot gaps between where we want to be and where we actually are. People who see themselves more critically than others usually overprepare and analyse everything they do. Although at times this can be unhealthy, when done in small amounts, it’s a solid way to increase your competence and performance.
Communication is Key
Communication in freelancing is vital, especially for the majority of us who work remotely. A good leader can effectively communicate with other people. They also know how to talk their way through difficult conversations that can potentially lead to issues between the parties involved. Being an effective communicator means being able to actively listen to other people and clearly express yourself.
Here are some of the ways you can improve your communication skills:
Be straightforward and stay on the message. Simple language is better for getting your point across.
Engage your listeners and practice active listening. Effective communication skills go beyond just talking. Actively engage with the person you’re talking to. Asking follow-up questions and giving affirmative replies shows that you’re paying attention and understand what they’re saying.
Better understanding of nonverbal communication. Focusing on nonverbal cues and signals can help prevent miscommunication. It also signals interest to the people you’re talking to. Pay attention to your body language and facial expression when talking to someone, especially in a professional setting. Be sure to limit hand gestures, and maintain good posture and eye contact.
Ask for feedback. Ask for honest feedback on your communication skills from colleagues. This allows you to understand how your words come across your working environment.
Be Socially Aware
A good leader sees the bigger picture and preempts problems before they come up. This is an invaluable skill for freelancers who handle multiple projects with tight deadlines. Developing social awareness can also help you seize opportunities that other people overlook. This can be challenging to develop when working remotely, but you can become more attuned to your team members or clients with more practice. Academic studies show that women are more likely to lead through inspiration, transforming people’s attitudes and beliefs, and aligning people with meaning and purpose (rather than through carrots and sticks). Since transformational leadership is linked to higher levels of team engagement, performance, and productivity, it is a critical path to improving leaders’ performance. Leading with both EQ and IQ, as opposed to leaning more on the latter, and nurturing a change in beliefs rather than behaviors, helps motivate your team or those you work alongside.
Advice From Female Leaders:
"Know your 'true north' — the values and goals that motivate you to your position — and advocate for them consistently and relentlessly. Nurture your allies — those who share your true north and who want you to succeed. Let them help and support you. Before you can change something, you must first understand it. Listen to learn, not to reply. You won't learn much while you're talking."
– Moya Dodd, FIFA
“Take a deep breath, trust your instincts, and don’t overthink it. When you trust your instincts, your true self bubbles up in the most authentic way.”
- Suzy Monford, Group Vice President Merchandising, Kroger