6 Ways to Spot an Emerging Leader

By Melinda Price, Member of WWPR and WWPR’s Marketing Communications Committee Emerging leaders in the field of communications come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have a few stand out traits in common. Here are just a few ways to spot an emerging leader: She listens more than she talks As any communications professional knows, listening is a key part of building and sustaining relationships in and out of the office. This becomes even more important for an emerging leader who seeks to make connections and solidify her team or client’s trust. She asks questions when relevant and listens openly to the answers she receives. Where to find her: She’ll be the one that clients ask for specifically, executives turn to as their source for reliable information and colleagues utilize as a sounding board for ideas and authentic feedback. She commands the room Not only do emerging leaders have great listening skills, but she can also command a room when it’s her turn to shine. She’s knowledgeable about the client or topic, keeps her poise and fields questions with ease. Analyze her ability to demonstrate presence through posture—you’ll probably come away with a few tips. Where to find her: In the center of the room, of course! She’s energetic about her work Emerging leaders as passionate about the work they are doing and are able to communicate that passion succinctly. This is demonstrated through her ideas, productivity and determination that lifts up the entire team. Her passion inspires her colleagues, superiors and clients to care about a project as much as she does and give it their all. Where to find her: She’s the one diligently working to meet a deadline with a smile on her face who can still find time to help others on the team. She knows how to delegate An emerging leader knows when to take a step back and delegate tasks when her plate is full. She is inclusive in her assignments so she can engage with and assign tasks to the best people for the job, which may not always be her. She nurtures strengths and acknowledges the skill sets of others to do the best job possible on a project. Where to find her: She’s either assigning tasks in a meeting, engaging in one-on-one meetings or buckling down to take on her end of a project. She embraces failure This woman makes no excuses and doesn’t assign blame when something goes awry. She retains her focus and lets it go when appropriate. Her mindset is to immediately get back up, make adjustments and try again. Where to find her: At her desk or in a meeting in full focus-mode, figuring out how to best solve the problem before her by exploring what worked and what didn’t from a past attempt. She’s involved outside of the office as well An emerging leader doesn’t limit her skills to the office, she takes time to hone herself as a professional and lends her skills in other capacities as well if given the opportunity. She takes the time to develop a life outside the office and prioritizes her happiness and well-being. Where to find her: Taking an active role in a WWPR committee, participating in a webinar to develop her skills, networking with other professionals, volunteering her time at a nonprofit, or a whole host of other activities that help shape her as a professional. Now that you know six ways to spot an emerging leader, don’t miss noted emerging leaders and industry experts at the seventh annual Emerging Leaders Awards ceremony on Tuesday, June 21, 6:30-8:30 p.m. ET. The 2016 theme, Making a PR Pro, celebrates the remarkable expertise and intrinsic qualities that these developing professional demonstrate and will feature a keynote presentation by Jade Floyd, Senior Director of Communications at The Case Foundation. Registration is open! This year’s event will be held at Morning Consult at 729 15th St, NW, Washington, DC, 20005. Photographers from Digital Pixel 1080 will capture the evening. WWPR is grateful for the contributions of these sponsors in making the evening a success! The Emerging Leaders Awards is a special accolade for young women active within the communications field who have made a significant impact on the industry. Know someone who fits the bill? Nominate today!