Learn what leadership skills to put on your resume. Get examples, tips for showcasing abilities, and strategies to pass ATS screening.
Written by Laura Bouttell • Sat 10th January 2026
The leadership skills to put on your resume include team management, decision-making, communication, strategic thinking, conflict resolution, delegation, and emotional intelligence—strategically placed in your professional summary, skills section, and work experience with quantifiable achievements that demonstrate real impact. Matching these skills to job description keywords significantly improves your chances of passing applicant tracking systems.
Your resume serves as your first leadership demonstration. How you present your capabilities signals whether you can articulate value clearly—a fundamental leadership skill itself. Yet many professionals either undersell their leadership experience or list generic skills without evidence, missing the opportunity to stand out.
This guide examines which leadership skills to include, where to place them for maximum impact, and how to demonstrate rather than merely claim leadership capability.
Choose skills that resonate with employers.
High-impact leadership skills:
"Consider including: Emotional intelligence, Resilience (the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties), Visionary thinking, Cultural competence, Conflict resolution, Adaptability, and Innovation."
In-demand capabilities:
| Skill Category | Specific Skills |
|---|---|
| People skills | Team building, motivation, development |
| Communication | Presentation, negotiation, listening |
| Execution | Project management, goal achievement |
| Strategic | Planning, visioning, innovation |
| Interpersonal | Influence, collaboration, relationship building |
"Team leadership skills include: Communication, organization, supervision, respect, influence, honesty, team support, logistics, delegation, and giving recognition."
Team leadership elements:
Strategic placement maximises impact.
"Your professional summary is prime real estate at the top of your resume. Use this space to describe yourself as a leader with details about your past experience and one or two specific examples of your accomplishments."
Summary example: "Results-driven operations leader with 8+ years managing cross-functional teams of up to 25 members. Reduced departmental costs by 30% through strategic process improvements whilst achieving 95% employee satisfaction scores. Proven track record in change management and team development."
"List leadership skills like 'team building,' 'decision making,' and 'conflict resolution' under a dedicated 'Skills' section, highlighting your strengths."
Skills section format:
"In the work experience section, list several examples of job responsibilities or situations related to your leadership skills. You can quantify your achievements with facts, figures or statistics to show the full impact of your leadership."
Experience section approach:
Evidence beats claims.
"Use bullet points to emphasize achievements that demonstrate your top leadership skills. Focus on quantifiable results, such as revenue growth, improved efficiency, or team performance metrics."
Quantification examples:
| Achievement Type | Example Statement |
|---|---|
| Team size | Led team of 15 professionals across 3 departments |
| Revenue | Drove 25% revenue increase through strategic initiatives |
| Efficiency | Reduced processing time by 40% through workflow optimisation |
| Cost | Decreased operational costs by £500K annually |
| Performance | Improved team productivity by 35% |
"The best way to tread this line is by relying on measurable results and letting them speak for themselves. For instance, 'led a team that boosted sales by 20%' or 'implemented a strategy that reduced costs by 30%.'"
Powerful leadership verbs:
Before (weak): "Responsible for team management"
After (strong): "Led cross-functional team of 12, implementing agile methodologies that increased sprint velocity by 45% and reduced delivery times by 3 weeks"
Alignment improves success rates.
"Before you apply for a position, it's important to read through the job description carefully so you understand what leadership skills the employer considers valuable."
Analysis process:
"Applicant tracking systems (ATS) often prioritize resumes containing leadership-related keywords, especially for managerial roles. Including relevant phrases like 'team management,' 'cross-functional collaboration,' 'change management,' and 'staff development,' boosts your chances of passing ATS filters."
ATS-friendly keywords:
Integration approach:
Adapt presentation to experience level.
"Students can spotlight their leadership skills in sections like Extracurricular Activities, Volunteer Experience, or Projects. Roles like club president or team captain show initiative."
Entry-level sources:
Entry-level example: "President, Marketing Society | Led 8-member executive committee, growing membership by 60% and organising 12 industry events with 500+ attendees"
Mid-career focus:
Senior emphasis:
Learn from others' errors.
Avoid:
Instead:
"Focus on transferable skills like communication, relationship building, and team collaboration."
Evidence requirements:
Avoid: Generic skills without context or evidence
Instead: Tailored skills matched to role with demonstrated experience
Craft impactful descriptions.
Structure achievements using:
STAR elements:
Team Leadership: "Directed 20-person sales team through company merger, maintaining 98% retention and exceeding quarterly targets by 15% despite uncertainty"
Change Management: "Led digital transformation initiative affecting 500+ employees, achieving 85% adoption within 6 months and improving operational efficiency by 40%"
Conflict Resolution: "Mediated interdepartmental disputes that had delayed project by 3 months, realigning teams and delivering on revised timeline"
Staff Development: "Established mentoring programme that developed 5 direct reports into management roles within 2 years"
Put leadership skills including team management, decision-making, communication, strategic thinking, conflict resolution, delegation, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving on your resume. Match skills to job description requirements and demonstrate each with quantifiable achievements rather than simply listing them.
Put leadership skills in your professional summary (1-2 key examples), a dedicated skills section (categorised list), and work experience section (achievement statements with evidence). Distribute skills across sections for maximum impact and ATS optimisation.
Show leadership skills through project leadership, team coordination, peer mentoring, volunteer roles, committee participation, or club leadership. Focus on influence, initiative, and impact rather than formal authority. Entry-level candidates can highlight academic group leadership, extracurricular roles, and volunteer coordination.
Use action verbs like led, directed, managed, supervised, developed, mentored, coached, trained, established, implemented, launched, initiated, transformed, restructured, improved, negotiated, influenced, collaborated, and facilitated. Choose verbs that accurately reflect your level of responsibility and impact.
Quantify leadership skills using team size managed, percentage improvements achieved, revenue or cost impact, project scope and value, timeline achievements, and performance metrics improved. Use specific numbers wherever possible: "Led team of 12" rather than "Led team."
Yes, list leadership skills for non-management roles. Employers value leadership capability at all levels—project leadership, peer influence, initiative, and problem-solving demonstrate potential. Focus on transferable leadership skills like communication, collaboration, and driving results.
Optimise for ATS by using exact keywords from job descriptions, including phrases like "team management," "cross-functional collaboration," and "change management." Place keywords in multiple resume sections, use natural language, and avoid graphics or unusual formatting that ATS systems may not read correctly.