Why are persuasive skills so important for a leader?

What are the skills needed to be a leader in a changing global development landscape?

• The Guardian's Global Development Professionals Network recently held an online forum with prestigious panelists and an online community of development practitioners debating the skills necessary for a new generation of leadership globally. Read the whole conversation here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development-professionals-network/2013/mar/18/debate-global-development-leadership

• Answer:

  The first thing that comes to my mind are the words of Peter Barnevil, "Global leaders have exceptionally open minds, they respect how different countries do things, and they have the impagination to appreciate why they do them that way..."   I personally feel the following are some of the competencies that a global leader should have:   1. Open-Mindedness with a good cultural understanding and valuing diversity 2. Inclusiveness and Sensitivity 3. Broader techno-functional knowledge and business acumen 4. Ability to take decision under ambiguous situations (dealing with complexity) 5. Ability to challenge status-quo 6. Having a growth mindset 7. Strong Change Management skills 8. Ability to develop team 9. Innovation and taking risks 10. Effective Communication 11. Honesty and Integrity which leads to Credibility