Executive Skills:
Which Skills Top the List?

What are the essential skills today’s leaders must have to rise to the top? What is the most important soft skill? Are analytical skills more important than creative skills? Find out now.

Executive Skills Infographic, IMPACT Group

Executive Skills Q&A

Executive skills come in all shapes and sizes. We laid out the most important in our Trends in Developing Leadership Study. Check out our findings below.

What is the most important soft skill?

Emotional intelligence, according to 60% of Human Resource leaders surveyed. These experts  believe a lack of emotional intelligence can impact business results and prevent an employee from being promoted.

Analytical or creative skills? Which is more desirable?

Study results show weak analytical skills are likely to prevent a promotion 47% of the time, while a lack of executive skills like innovative and creative thinking are the least likely to prevent a promotion.

Where do written and verbal skills fall on the promotion scale?

HR executives say verbal communication skills are more highly valued than written communication skills. While both are important executive skills to possess, 58% of employers say an absence of verbal communication skills could hinder promotion and 38% believe a lack of written communication skills was less likely to have an impact.

Does fairness matter?

Fairness can be difficult to measure, but 40% of those surveyed say a leader that is lacking regard for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) could miss out on promotion.

Boost the Executive Skills of Top Leaders

There’s a reason Olympic athletes work with a coach – to improve performance. One-on-one executive coaching builds new strategic approaches, develops EQ, and enhances a person’s ability to influence behavior. Discover what sets our program apart.

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RESEARCH REPORT

Ready to address executive skills on your leadership teams?
See today’s trends in leadership development. Get your copy of this report, based on our study of 100+ HR, talent & LD leaders. 

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Women in Leadership – whose participants include female leaders as well as the men and women who manage them.

Executive Coaching – to enhance the effectiveness of key executives.

High IMPACT Coaching™ – a program that pairs leaders with expert coaches to build confidence and focus leaders’ attention on the most critical and urgent priorities.

High IMPACT Start – enables new leaders to take a strategic approach to their first 100 days.

High IMPACT Teams™ – a team development program that builds positive team culture, psychological safety, and trust to maximize team performance.

High IMPACT Leadership – for high-potential leaders at all levels.

Multicultural Team EQ – a program designed to enhance collaboration and communication in global teams.

Wraparound Coaching – to boost the effectiveness of your existing, content-rich leadership programs.

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