Some people consider intelligence to be the most significant leader trait. While I somewhat agree with this opinion, I believe other factors, such as interpersonal skills and cross-cultural awareness are most required today, where the world has been changing and becoming more complex at rapid rate.
To begin, there is an argument to be made that intelligence is one of the key leadership attributes in various situations. To illustrate this point, a Japanese vehicle manufacturer Honda, which faced serious financial difficulties where prompt decision-making was required, overcame the threat of bankruptcy by an CEO who managed to calculate cash flow, profit and loss. In this type of environment, an intelligent leader really shines.
On the other hand, I am convinced that communication skills are more important. Leaders are surrounded by countless people; thus, leaders continuously communicate with all the people to lead their organization. Today it is said that communication skill is vital for human being due to the introduce of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, losing our jobs. It must be said that this skill is more meaningful than intelligence. Additionally, understanding of other cultures is also the most required area. Nowadays, the world has been becoming global more and more, requiring leaders to administrate and instruct many varieties of members. From this aspect, cross-cultural awareness is one of the most important factors.
In conclusion, some may contend that intelligence is the most important leader’s quality, however, I maintain that interpersonal skills and cross-cultural awareness are the most worth factors for a leader, as these skills have been becoming more meaningful nowadays due to developing the cutting-edge technologies.
