CAPs 101: Basic Competencies, Attributes and Practices of Leaders or Managers

Leadership is leadership. The basic skills needed to lead effectively haven't changed. It doesn’t matter if you are on the first or top rungs of the corporate ladder or a budding entrepreneur with a single employee. There are some identifiable skills that are inherent that can separate strong, effective leaders from weak and ineffective ones. If you study them thoroughly, practice implementing them, look for them in strong leaders within your circles of influence, and then put them into practice yourself, these CAPs (Competencies, Attributes, and Practices) will form a solid footing from which to succeed yourself. So the more knowledgeable you are regarding these foundational, proven skills, the more likely you set yourself up for success. CAPs 101 defines each one of the 19 qualities, offers a personal rating scale on which you are currently demonstrating each, and then suggests some ways to further improve or practice each.