What Does a Leader Do?

Leaders pave the way for a company to achieve certain goals. They are in charge of bringing the organization to greater heights. They set the direction of the organization, much like how a captain sets the sails of the ship. They are responsible for coming up with main strategies and alternatives should there be challenges along the way. Leaders ensure that the company is guided by its vision and mission and that the employees emulate company values. They do so through leading by example. Leaders should have strategic skills, decision-making skills, and interpersonal skills.

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Leader Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real leader resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

Manage UNIX and mainframe systems software staff.
Achieve business metrics and implement WCM tools and processes.
Lead instrument calibration, OOS investigation, change control, deviation documentation to comply with GMP.
Lead a group to help a dog food producer to gain traction in the grocery store channel
Perform diagnostics, lead audits, kaizen events, value stream mapping, PDCA teams and employee involvement.
Lead in PTA efforts to recognize school staff by planning events and organize and plan monthly appreciation gifts.
Teach and lecture on the lessons the god.
Balance the vault, drop, and ATM at the end of the night.
Train on POS and other ordering systems.
Train cashiers how to properly use the POS system.
Balance ATM and branch cash on-hand to daily reports.
Activate new GL functionality with PCA scenario and document splitting.
Obtain and schedule service requests by taking orders from pet owners.
SAP replace dozens of decentralize legacy systems on the go-live day.
Plan and teach Sunday school lessons and activities; PTA volunteer.

Leader Job Description

When it comes to understanding what a leader does, you may be wondering, "should I become a leader?" The data included in this section may help you decide. Compared to other jobs, leaders have a growth rate described as "faster than average" at 8% between the years 2018 - 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, the number of leader opportunities that are predicted to open up by 2028 is 33,800.

On average, the leader annual salary is $86,964 per year, which translates to $41.81 an hour. Generally speaking, leaders earn anywhere from $49,000 to $153,000 a year, which means that the top-earning leaders make $78,000 more than the ones at the lower end of the spectrum.

It's hard work to become a leader, but even the most dedicated employees consider switching careers from time to time. Whether you're interested in a more challenging position or just looking for a fresh start, we've compiled extensive information on becoming an assistant program leader, operations team leader, team leader/trainer, and girl scout leader.

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12 Leader Resume Examples

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Sandra James Leader Contact Information Atlanta, GA (400) 555-2739 sjames@example.com Skills Taking Messages Public Facilities Communication JAN Role Model Procedures WPM Student Research Office Supplies Student Volunteers Employment History Leader 2020 - Present Grady Memorial Hospital Atlanta, GA Modified treatment plans to comply with changes in client status. Deliver Detailed Reports for the Analysis of Internal Test Procedures, Processes, and Activities. Trained sales team to help them in supporting community sales goals. Answer inbound healthcare contact center calls and route appropriately to clinical staff. Booked and confirmed facility reservations. Research Assistant 2019 - 2020 Kennesaw State University Atlanta, GA Executed HPLC and GC analyses of liposomal, anti-viral drug formulations in a GMP research and development setting. Worked on several biomedical research methods involving theoretical explanation and tutoring on various cancer research projects Present statistical results and scientific findings using PowerPoint. Consulted with internal and external customers to identify and clarify research objectives. Assisted in Dr. Susan Buckelew's research which focused on evaluating grades, attributional styles, study behaviors, and insomnia. Assistant 2018 - 2019 Georgia Department of Economic Development Atlanta, GA Schedule and coordinate emergency surgical procedures with operating room staff and surgeons Facilitate and direct Code Blue events in the hospital Acted as supervisor and office manager when Personal Care Coordinator was unavailable. Developed facilitator s guidebook, and communication plan for HR job aids. Follow stringent company procedures for handling high dollar amount personal check and cash deposits. Student Worker 2015 - 2017 Herzing University Atlanta, GA Provide customer service during meal delivery and provide assistance needed. Provide customer services for various maintenance and other request. Education Master's Degree Management 2017 - 2018 Georgia State University Atlanta, GA Bachelor's Degree Marketing 2012 - 2015 Georgia State University Atlanta, GA


Sara Harrison Leader Contact Info Chicago, IL (740) 555-4026 sharrison@example.com Skills LogisticsCommunicationProceduresAppropriate TagsDirect SupervisionPhysical InventorySales FloorStore ShelvesNight StockMathematics Employment History Leader 2019 - Present Boys & Girls Clubs of America Chicago, IL Delivered legendary customer service by acting with a customer comes first attitude. Diagnose, troubleshoot and resolve a range of software, hardware and connectivity issues. Provided exceptional customer service to more than 7,500 valued customers Established a loyal customer base through customer service training. Develop, maintain, and implement duty specific safety procedures and practices. Office Assistant 2018 - 2019 ManpowerGroup Milwaukee, WI Direct employees, guests and general public to the right staff member. Used Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Word extensively to create presentation materials, graphics and correspondence. Maintained and updated providers database. Filed information on donor families, input donor information into Excel database. Completed audits, advised management of potential problems, assisted in implementing new techniques and procedures that enhance efficiency Warehouse Worker 2017 - 2018 Integrity Staffing Solutions Phoenix, AZ Pick customer orders on all levels of a multi-level mezzanine. Pick customer orders in a timely manner to be able to make rate. Scanned various products with rf scanner Placed items in cart Picked orders Shipped orders Pull of daily customer orders & replenishment stocking. Overnight Stocker 2016 - 2017 Walmart San Antonio, TX unload store freight and stock merchandise onto shelves and sales floor Maintain a safe work area Manage freight deliveries Unload freightOrganize work area Provide basic maintenance to receiving equipmentStock freight Stock shelves in a timely manner. Received above average ratings and raises proving outstanding customer service and teamwork. Education High School Diploma 2016 - 2016


Vincent Mason Leader Newtown, PA (800) 555-9573 vmason@example.com Experience Leader2019 - Present AmeriHealth Caritas Pennsylvania•Newtown, PA Lead site safety team functions, meetings, and monthly building inspections. Used Sharepoint 2010 for maintain web sites for proof of concept demonstrations for several clients. Assisted supervisor with training and supervising production personnel to meet established process and quality standard. Provide resource management to the project management office and ensure the right resources were assigned to project. Instructor2014 - 2019 The Little Gym•Newtown, PA Prepare hour-long lesson plans (three times a week) for a 13 year-old beginner, based on strengths and weaknesses. Teach an hour of Zumba for about 50 - 60 members of the gym. Teach Chemistry courses and conduct research Devised weekly lessons that addressed past, present, future policies and procedures, and perspectives in business. Certified Nursing Assistant2011 - 2014 CNA Financial•Chicago, IL Provide high-quality patient care as an in-demand per-diem CNA within a nursing home setting. Measure and report vital signs: temperature, pulse, respirations and blood pressure. Assisted patients with bathing, oral hygiene, grooming, feeding and elimination. Distributed medications to residents under direct supervision of an RN. Toddler Assistant Teacher2009 - 2011 KinderCare•Indianapolis, IN Organized lesson plans, centers, and daily activities for a classroom of 4 year old students. Earned Child Care Professional I & II Certificates. Skills CNAChild CareDirect SupervisionMathematicsGroup MeetingsSocial DevelopmentFluid IntakeStudent LearningProceduresSmall Groups Education High School Diploma 2009 - 2009

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Leader Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 14% of Leaders are proficient in Customer Service, Strong Time Management, and Excellent Interpersonal. They’re also known for soft skills such as Compassion, Organizational skills, and Time-management skills.

We break down the percentage of Leaders that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Customer Service, 14%
Maintain professional manner, customer service, and sensitivity to diverse populations while leading students and families through orientation programming.
Strong Time Management, 9%
well organized, detail oriented, flexible, focused, strong time management, diligent, reliable
Excellent Interpersonal, 7%
Experience with training and writing procedures for production personnel, and excellent Interpersonal and Communication skills.
PET, 6%
Promoted to PET representative within the first quarter of 2008 based upon clinical knowledge and performance.
Digital Transformation, 6%
Work with multiple industries on long and short term projects in the areas of Digital Transformation and Infrastructure and Customer Experience.
Work Ethic, 5%
Directed and supervised participants' work ethic on-site at local non-profits

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"customer service," "strong time management," and "excellent interpersonal" aren't the only skills we found leaders list on their resumes. In fact, there's a whole list of leader responsibilities that we found, including:

In order for certain leader responsibilities to be completed, the job requires the skill "problem-solving skills." According to a leader resume, "recreation workers need strong problem-solving skills" As an example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies: "achieved territory growth year-over-year through the sale of digital/print curriculum, platform solutions, professional development services and strategic initiatives. "

Another common skill for a leader to be able to utilize is "flexibility." Recreation workers must be flexible when planning activities a leader demonstrated the need for this skill by putting this on their resume: "displayed leadership and flexibility daily creating fun yet instructional activities. "

While "physical strength" is listed last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to leader responsibilities. The skill is described by this resume snippet, "most recreation workers should be physically fit" Here is an example of how this skill is used, "key strengths energetic; innovative; results-producer; self-motivated; strong work ethic. "

See the full list of leader skills.

We've found that 64.4% of leaders have earned a bachelor's degree. Furthermore, 10.2% earned their master's degrees before becoming a leader. While it's true that most leaders have a college degree, it's generally possible to become one with only a high school degree. In fact, one out of every eight leaders did not spend the extra money to attend college.

The leaders who went onto college to earn a more in-depth education generally studied business and psychology, while a small population of leaders studied communication and nursing.

Once you're ready to become a leader, you should explore the companies that typically hire leaders. According to leader resumes that we searched through, leaders are hired the most by Panera Bread, Deloitte, and CDM Smith. Currently, Panera Bread has 982 leader job openings, while there are 936 at Deloitte and 569 at CDM Smith.

Since salary is important to some leaders, it's good to note that they are figured to earn the highest salaries at Eli Lilly and Company, Biogen, and Novartis. If you were to take a closer look at Eli Lilly and Company, you'd find that the average leader salary is $185,069. Then at Biogen, leaders receive an average salary of $184,602, while the salary at Novartis is $184,135.

View more details on leader salaries across the United States.

Some other companies you might be interested in as a leader include Young Life, Girl Scouts of the USA, and Target. These three companies were found to hire the most leaders from the top 100 U.S. educational institutions.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious leaders are:

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What Assistant Program Leaders Do

Assistant program leaders are skilled professionals who are responsible for assisting program leaders in executing activities related to the goals and objectives of an organization. These assistant program leaders must train employees about the daily operations and quality performance to achieve improvements in their productivity. They are required to provide outstanding customer service to develop relationships and earn a reputation for increasing customer satisfaction. Assistant program leaders must also lead the assigned team to communicate the organization's sales goals that drove maximum results.

We looked at the average leader annual salary and compared it with the average of an assistant program leader. Generally speaking, assistant program leaders receive $52,745 lower pay than leaders per year.

Even though leaders and assistant program leaders have vast differences in their careers, a few of the skills required to do both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require customer service, pet, and sales floor in the day-to-day roles.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. A leader responsibility is more likely to require skills like "strong time management," "excellent interpersonal," "digital transformation," and "work ethic." Whereas a assistant program leader requires skills like "math," "leadership," "customer satisfaction," and "inventory management." Just by understanding these different skills you can see how different these careers are.

The education levels that assistant program leaders earn is a bit different than that of leaders. In particular, assistant program leaders are 3.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a leader. Additionally, they're 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of an Operations Team Leader?

An operations team leader is an individual who manages teams, encouraging cooperation, productivity, and teamwork. Operations team leaders foster team unity and enhance the daily efficiency of the companies or any business establishment. They manage a diverse workforce in companies to make sure that the organizational operations are efficient. Also, they implement programs and processes and oversee building maintenance. It is also their responsibility to manage mechanical and human resources and establish a team budget.

The next role we're going to look at is the operations team leader profession. Typically, this position earns a lower pay. In fact, they earn a $31,804 lower salary than leaders per year.

While the salary may be different for these job positions, there is one similarity and that's a few of the skills needed to perform certain duties. We used info from lots of resumes to find that both leaders and operations team leaders are known to have skills such as "customer service," "excellent interpersonal," and "sales floor. "

But both careers also use different skills, according to real leader resumes. While leader responsibilities can utilize skills like "strong time management," "pet," "digital transformation," and "work ethic," some operations team leaders use skills like "safety procedures," "customer satisfaction," "ladders," and "develop team."

On the topic of education, operations team leaders earn similar levels of education than leaders. In general, they're 2.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

How a Team Leader/Trainer Compares

The team leader or the trainer primarily focuses on supporting the engineering team and is committed to fostering communication and leadership and giving training to the aspirants. Other duties include planning, executing, budgeting, monitoring, controlling, consulting, and collaborating with his/her /her teams.

The team leader/trainer profession generally makes a lower amount of money when compared to the average salary of leaders. The difference in salaries is team leader/trainers making $43,920 lower than leaders.

Using leaders and team leader/trainers resumes, we found that both professions have similar skills such as "customer service," "sales floor," and "professional development," but the other skills required are very different.

As mentioned, these two careers differ between other skills that are required for performing the work exceedingly well. For example, gathering from leaders resumes, they are more likely to have skills like "strong time management," "excellent interpersonal," "pet," and "digital transformation." But a team leader/trainer might have skills like "safety procedures," "training materials," "training programs," and "food preparation."

Team leader/trainers are known to earn similar educational levels when compared to leaders. Additionally, they're 2.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.8% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of a Girl Scout Leader

Girl scout leaders tend to earn a lower pay than leaders by about $56,162 per year.

According to resumes from both leaders and girl scout leaders, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "powerpoint," "role model," and "cpr. "

While some skills are shared by these professions, there are some differences to note. "customer service," "strong time management," "excellent interpersonal," and "pet" are skills that have shown up on leaders resumes. Additionally, girl scout leader uses skills like leadership, brownie, kindergarten, and fund raising on their resumes.

The average resume of girl scout leaders showed that they earn similar levels of education to leaders. So much so that the likelihood of them earning a Master's Degree is 0.6% less. Additionally, they're less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.5%.

What a Leader Does FAQs

How Do You Define A Leader?

A leader uses the process of social influence to maximize the efforts of others towards the achievement of a goal. In other words, a leader can see how things can be improved and can motivate others to move toward that better vision. For someone to be a leader requires a very specific skill set.

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Updated October 2, 2020

What Does a Leader Do?

Leader Responsibilities