Independent Thinking

• The ability to think of solutions to problems and come up with new and different ideas to increase sales or productivity is vital to a company's bottom line. Innovative, creative individuals who can think outside of the box can provide salvation for a struggling enterprise.
  
  

Ability to Delegate

• A take charge attitude combined with tact and strong listening skills will go far in helping leaders to delegate to subordinates. A strong leader will allow his employees to do the work for themselves as instructed even if it means making mistakes or repeating the process in order to learn.
  
  

Financial Savvy

• Knowledge of labor costs, basic budgeting skills and the ability to read a financial statement is a good start for a person training as a manager. With high costs of production and emphasis on a greater return per dollar, a person with these skills can quickly become indispensable to his employer.
  
  

Intuition

• Being able to foresee problems and solve them before they appear is a skill that not every manager possesses. This ability takes skill and experience plus a fine-tuned focus on the company structure and day-to-day operations.
  
  

Commitment

• Being on time, putting in extra hours, and going the extra mile is what makes the difference between a person with a "it's only a job" mindset and a career-oriented individual. Setting an example to your staff can also provide you with employees who emulate you and who may become leaders in the workplace.
  
  

Motivation

• Not only does an effective leader need to know how to motivate himself, he must also be able to motivate his subordinates. Being optimistic and encouraging when times are less than perfect can provide employees with the incentive to finish the job effectively and in a timely fashion.
  
  

Assertiveness

• A strong leader believes in himself and his workplace skills.Comstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  The confidence to believe in yourself and your management skills and the assertiveness to back this up will assist you in becoming a strong, forthright force in your company. A good manager will follow his instincts when making decisions and instructing staff, and will not waiver when questioned on his motives or methodology by either upper management or subordinates.
  
  

Communication Skills

• A manager can have every great quality of an effective leader, but if he does not know how to communicate with his staff or his own supervisors, then it is all for nothing. Communication is the bridge that binds the hourly staff to management and management to the goals of the company. Being able to listen and separate the good from the bad as well as the effective from the ineffective is what makes for a truly outstanding leader.
  
  

Team Player

• A good manager recognizes that he is only as good as his team.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  Leadership skills involve learning how to become a team player even when you are the person in charge of a project or department. Knowing when to roll up your sleeves and when to stand back and let the staff handle a situation is what will command the respect of your subordinates and make a difference in morale and production.