Discover other terms for leadership skills including synonyms and alternative phrases. Learn how different terminology is used across contexts and industries.
Written by Laura Bouttell • Fri 9th January 2026
Leadership skills go by many names—competencies, capabilities, behaviours, attributes, and more. Understanding these alternative terms matters because different organisations, industries, and contexts use different vocabulary to describe essentially similar concepts. Whether you're writing a CV, participating in a competency framework discussion, or researching leadership development, knowing the right terminology helps you communicate effectively and find relevant resources.
What makes this vocabulary question more than semantics is that different terms often carry subtle distinctions. "Competencies" implies assessed, measurable standards; "capabilities" suggests potential and capacity; "behaviours" emphasises observable actions. Choosing the right term signals your understanding of the context and helps you align with organisational language. This guide maps the terrain of leadership terminology.
Several terms serve as alternatives to "leadership skills."
The main synonyms for leadership skills include: leadership competencies (skills within a formal framework), leadership capabilities (capacity to lead effectively), leadership behaviours (observable leadership actions), leadership qualities (character-based elements), management skills (though not identical), and leadership attributes (characteristics enabling leadership). Each term has specific connotations, making context important for appropriate selection.
Primary synonyms:
| Term | Emphasis | Common Context |
|---|---|---|
| Leadership competencies | Measured, assessed | HR frameworks, performance |
| Leadership capabilities | Potential, capacity | Strategic planning |
| Leadership behaviours | Observable actions | Assessment, feedback |
| Leadership qualities | Character, traits | Selection, culture |
| Leadership attributes | Characteristics | Academic, developmental |
| Executive skills | Senior-level focus | C-suite, board |
These terms differ in subtle but meaningful ways. Competencies imply defined standards against which performance is measured. Capabilities suggest underlying capacity that can be deployed. Behaviours focus on what can be observed and assessed. Qualities often reference character and personality. Attributes typically mean inherent characteristics. Understanding these distinctions helps you select appropriate terminology for your context.
Term distinctions:
Competencies represent the most formal alternative term.
Leadership competencies are defined sets of knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviours that organisations identify as necessary for effective leadership performance. Competency frameworks specify what leaders should know and do, provide assessment criteria, and guide development. Examples include the NHS Leadership Academy's Healthcare Leadership Model, the Civil Service Leadership Statement, and countless organisation-specific frameworks.
Competency framework elements:
| Element | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge | Understanding required | Business acumen |
| Skills | Learned capabilities | Communication |
| Abilities | Capacity to perform | Strategic thinking |
| Behaviours | Observable actions | Active listening |
| Values | Guiding principles | Integrity |
| Results | Outcomes achieved | Team performance |
Use "competencies" when: working within formal frameworks (HR systems, performance management), discussing assessment and measurement (competency-based interviews), aligning with organisational language (many organisations use this term), writing for HR audiences (familiar terminology), describing job requirements (competency profiles), and participating in formal development (competency-based programmes). The term signals you understand structured approaches to leadership development.
When to use "competencies":
Capabilities emphasises potential and capacity.
Leadership capabilities refer to the underlying capacity individuals have to lead effectively—their potential for leadership performance across different situations. Whilst similar to skills, capabilities implies something broader: not just what someone can do now, but what they can potentially achieve with their leadership. Capabilities thinking often appears in strategic talent discussions and succession planning.
Capabilities concept:
Use "capabilities" when: discussing strategic talent (capability building, capability reviews), focusing on potential (emerging leader capability), taking organisational perspective (what leadership capability do we need?), discussing learning and development (building leadership capability), writing strategically (capability investment), and emphasising adaptability (capability to lead across contexts). The term works well for forward-looking, strategic discussions.
When to use "capabilities":
| Context | Why Capabilities Works |
|---|---|
| Strategic planning | Future-focused |
| Talent reviews | Potential emphasis |
| L&D strategy | Development orientation |
| Succession planning | Capacity focus |
| Organisational design | System perspective |
| Board discussions | Strategic language |
Behaviours focuses on observable actions.
Leadership behaviours are the specific, observable actions that demonstrate leadership in practice. Unlike skills (which are capabilities) or qualities (which are characteristics), behaviours are what people actually do—the visible manifestation of leadership. Behaviour-focused approaches emphasise that leadership is ultimately expressed through action, making behaviours the appropriate focus for assessment and feedback.
Leadership behaviours examples:
| Category | Specific Behaviours |
|---|---|
| Communication | Active listening, clear articulation, appropriate feedback |
| Direction | Goal setting, priority clarification, expectation setting |
| Support | Coaching conversations, development planning, recognition |
| Challenge | Performance feedback, constructive challenge, accountability |
| Collaboration | Information sharing, cross-boundary working, partnership |
| Role modelling | Consistency, visibility, values demonstration |
Use "behaviours" when: discussing assessment and feedback (specific behaviours observed), focusing on development (behaviour change), emphasising action (what leaders actually do), giving feedback (specific behaviour instances), designing development (behaviour practice), and measuring progress (behaviour frequency and quality). The term emphasises observable, changeable actions rather than abstract capabilities.
When to use "behaviours":
Different sectors use different terms.
Different industries prefer different terminology: Healthcare often uses "clinical leadership skills" or "healthcare leadership competencies." Military references "command skills" or "military leadership." Education uses "school leadership" or "educational leadership capabilities." Public sector typically follows "leadership competencies" or "leadership behaviours." Corporate varies widely, with "executive skills," "leadership capabilities," and "leadership competencies" all common.
Industry terminology:
| Industry | Common Terms |
|---|---|
| Healthcare | Clinical leadership, healthcare leadership competencies |
| Military | Command skills, military leadership |
| Education | School leadership, instructional leadership |
| Public sector | Leadership competencies, leadership behaviours |
| Corporate | Executive skills, leadership capabilities |
| Non-profit | Leadership skills, organisational leadership |
| Professional services | Client leadership, professional leadership |
Choose the right term by: matching organisational language (use what your organisation uses), considering audience (what will resonate), aligning with context (formal vs informal), emphasising appropriately (skills vs potential vs actions), checking job adverts (what terms appear), and researching frameworks (what terms frameworks use). When uncertain, "leadership skills" remains widely understood and appropriate across contexts.
Term selection guidance:
Terminology matters for career documents.
For CVs, use terms that: match the job description (mirror employer language), emphasise achievement (demonstrated leadership, proven leadership), include keywords (for applicant tracking systems), sound professional (avoid jargon), show breadth (leadership skills, leadership competencies, management capabilities), and demonstrate results (leadership of X achieving Y). Research target organisations to align terminology.
CV terminology tips:
| Phrase Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Achievement-based | "Led team to achieve..." |
| Competency-based | "Demonstrated leadership competencies..." |
| Capability-based | "Strong leadership capabilities in..." |
| Skill-based | "Key leadership skills include..." |
| Result-based | "Leadership delivered X improvement..." |
| Action-based | "Leadership behaviours recognised through..." |
For job applications, align terminology with: the job description (exact phrase matching helps), the organisation's framework (research their leadership model), competency requirements (use their competency language), assessment criteria (often specified in application packs), and sector norms (match industry expectations). Demonstrate understanding of the organisation's leadership language.
Application language:
Academic contexts use specific vocabulary.
Academic literature uses terms including: leadership effectiveness (the outcome of leadership), leader behaviours (what leaders do), leadership styles (patterns of leadership), transformational leadership (a specific approach), leadership traits (personality characteristics), and leadership competencies (in applied research). Academic writing tends toward precision, with terms carefully defined in each study.
Academic terminology:
| Term | Academic Usage |
|---|---|
| Leadership effectiveness | Outcome measure |
| Leader behaviour | Observable actions studied |
| Leadership style | Patterns of behaviour |
| Leadership traits | Personality predictors |
| Leadership competencies | Applied research |
| Leadership development | Process of building capability |
Academic language differs by: precision (terms carefully defined), theory alignment (terms linked to theoretical frameworks), measurement focus (operationalised variables), historical context (terms evolved over decades), discipline variation (psychology vs management vs organisational behaviour), and researcher preference (different scholars prefer different terms). When reading research, attend to how terms are defined in each study.
Academic vs practical language:
Common alternatives include leadership competencies, leadership capabilities, leadership behaviours, leadership qualities, and leadership attributes. "Competencies" works in formal HR contexts, "capabilities" suits strategic discussions, "behaviours" emphasises observable actions. The right choice depends on context and audience.
Leadership competencies are defined knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviours that organisations identify as necessary for effective leadership. They appear in competency frameworks that specify assessment criteria and guide development. Competencies are typically measurable against defined standards.
Skills are specific learned abilities (like communication or delegation), whilst competencies are broader combinations of knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviours defined within organisational frameworks. Competencies typically include assessment criteria and are used in formal HR processes.
Use "leadership capabilities" in strategic discussions about talent potential, succession planning, capability building, and organisational development. The term emphasises underlying capacity and future potential rather than current, demonstrated performance.
Match your CV language to job descriptions and organisational frameworks. Use achievement-focused phrases like "demonstrated leadership" and "proven leadership capabilities." Research target organisations to align with their terminology. Include keyword variations for applicant tracking systems.
Leadership skills are learned capabilities (what you can do), whilst leadership behaviours are observable actions (what you actually do). Skills are internal capacities; behaviours are external expressions. Development often focuses on behaviours as the visible manifestation of skill application.
Healthcare uses "clinical leadership" and "healthcare leadership competencies." Military uses "command skills." Education uses "school leadership" and "instructional leadership." Public sector uses "leadership competencies" and "leadership behaviours." Corporate varies but often uses "executive skills" and "leadership capabilities."
Understanding alternative terms for leadership skills helps you communicate effectively across contexts, align with organisational language, and find relevant resources. The right term depends on your audience, purpose, and context—formal frameworks favour "competencies," strategic discussions favour "capabilities," assessment contexts favour "behaviours."
For practical purposes, research the terminology your target organisation uses. Check their leadership frameworks, job descriptions, and development programmes. Match their language to demonstrate understanding and alignment. When writing CVs or applications, mirror the exact terms used in job descriptions and competency requirements.
Remember that whilst terminology varies, the underlying concepts share common ground. Whether called skills, competencies, capabilities, or behaviours, effective leadership depends on developing and demonstrating the capabilities that enable you to lead others toward shared goals. Master the vocabulary, but focus your development effort on the substance—the actual capabilities that make leadership effective.