While 83% of human resources organizations predict a marked increase in the need for new leadership capabilities by 2030, only 22% of HR organizations currently prioritize these key leadership skills: setting strategy, managing change, making decisions, and developing future talent, according to a report by Development Dimensions International (DDI). If you’re a mid-career professional aspiring to be in leadership within the next five years, now is a great time to seek out training and build skills to become a capable leader.
Being a leader today is more than just meeting goals – it’s about shaping the future of an organization and its people. Strong leadership skills can help you do your job more efficiently, and give you the confidence to succeed. In fact, when leaders are trained in future-focused skills, they’re nine times more likely to feel well-equipped in their roles, and nine times more likely to have time to actually maintain diligence in their role, DDI notes. Learning how to think critically, communicate effectively, affect change, and influence others in your organization or business can only accelerate your career progression.
Which Leadership Skills Matter the Most?
While there are many skills necessary to be a good leader, DDI’s Global Leadership Forecast 2025 specifically outlines these critical future-focused skills:
- Setting strategy. 64% of leaders identify it as essential, yet only 37% have received training.
- Managing change. 61% see it as critical, but just 36% have been developed in this area.
- Identifying and developing future talent. 61% cite it as crucial, yet only 32% have had relevant development.
- Decision making and prioritization. 60% deem it critical, but only 39% have received training.
While leadership skills are necessary for organizations to grow and innovate, they are more challenging to learn because they require leaders to plan for the long haul, instead of focusing on immediate needs. Frontline leaders especially struggle when they don’t have these skills.
“Without addressing these gaps, organizations risk stagnation and may struggle to adapt or thrive in an evolving business environment,” DDI says.
How Do I Go About Developing Leadership Skills?
To build leadership skills, DDI recommends that organizations engage in assessments to find out where employees are struggling the most, facilitate coaching exercises in which experienced leaders can help guide newer leaders, and provide staff with learning tools. But if your organization doesn’t offer these resources – or if you’re in the process of changing careers – you may need to seek out leadership training elsewhere.
Continuing education is one way you can take the initiative to learn leadership skills at your own pace. Many online master’s degree and graduate certificate programs include leadership development in their curriculum, with real-world examples and applications. The flexibility offered by these programs allows you to work full-time while taking courses as time allows.
For example, the Master of Science in Information Technology Management through UW Online Collaboratives prepares working professionals for leadership positions – and those already in them.
Amber Leibundgut-Peterson, who teaches ITM 705: Leading the IT Function helps a wide variety of students build their soft skills, like communicating information, collaborating and problem-solving with direct reports and others within the organization. While some students enrolled in the master’s degree program to prepare for leadership roles, others have already worked as managers for quite some time. Many are in new management roles – some were even blindsided by the promotions. In every case, students learn how to adjust to their environment with tools from Amber that they can immediately apply on the job.
“I’ve had people who are just starting in management. They got this role, and are very overwhelmed,” she says. “[Through the course] they get ways to deal with conflict. They have practical ways to communicate in meetings.”
Katy Johnson, social service director at Bethany St. Joseph’s Care Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Master of Science in Healthcare Administration, gained leadership skills she uses on the job regularly. The knowledge and skills she learned in the program allow her to be part of important decisions at her organization, such as Medicaid and Medicare physician reimbursement:
“I feel like the courses really prepared me for being a leader in healthcare,” she says.
Get Leadership Skills Through Continuing Education Programs Made for Working Adults
Whether you’re pursuing a career in healthcare, business, technology, or sustainability, and see yourself becoming a manager in the next couple of years, leadership skills are at the core of your success. And with the impending skills gap, it’s more important than ever to develop your abilities.
If you’re looking for an online degree or certificate program that allows you to work full-time while building key leadership skills, UW Online Collaboratives also offers master’s degrees in Sustainable Management and Health and Wellness Management. Available graduate certificates focused on leadership include:
Climate Leadership
Conservation Leadership, Policy, and Management
Digital Marketing Management
IT Leadership
Leading Fintech Transformations
Leadership in Health and Wellness
UW Flexible Option also offers an undergraduate microcredential in Interprofessional Leadership in Healthcare that’s perfect for those working in health-related fields.
Are you ready to develop your leadership skills? Connect with an enrollment adviser today to learn more about which programs might be the best fit for you. For more information, call 608-800-6762 or email learn@uwex.wisconsin.edu.