3 Skills To Learn Now For $120,000+ In-Demand Leadership Jobs

Businessman finger touch digital metaverse hologram with research diagrams, floating data blocks and performance indicators. Concept of virtual reality Leadership isn’t how it used to be. Managers now find themselves engulfed in a whirlpool of change that doesn’t seem to slow down or stop--especially middle managers. There’s AI innovation, and with that comes the threat of privacy, ethical, and security concerns from shadow AI or untrained workers; demand for upskilling is soaring to an all-time high as the talent gap widens; and there’s constant pressure from stakeholders and shareholders to stay on your toes, be the voice of reason in times of organizational upheaval (think mass layoffs and the U.S. government shutdown that’s still ongoing at the time of writing), uncertainty, and change. But in every change, there is always one constant: upskilling. Adapting and updating one’s skills is now a necessary part of growth and being able to effectively manage and adapt to these changes. It’s not a matter of “if” or when it’s convenient. Upskilling should be an organization’s number one priority, if any progress is made at all towards a business’s strategic goals, like: Entering new markets Expanding foothold in existing markets Building greater capability for innovation and digital transformation Boosting the employer brand and attracting top talent Improving an organization’s bottom line In a global survey of 1,000 HR and L&D professionals from four countries (the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Australia) conducted by Skillsoft in July 2025, it discovered that: About 28% of HR and L&D professionals say skill gaps limit their ability to expand into new markets or opportunities. Nearly one in three report that 41–60% of new hires arrive with critical gaps. Additionally, about nine in 10 say they believe that employees overstate their skill proficiency, particularly in leadership, AI, and technical domains. (Quoted directly from the Skillsoft 2025 Global Skills Intelligence report.) What High-Paying Jobs Are In Demand? The results of failing to upskill aren’t just fatal for business; they’re fatal for your career too. Leadership skills are in the top 10 skills listed by the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report, coming in as seventh for their skills on the rise from 2025 to 2030, and as third from the top in their core skills of 2025 roundup. MORE FOR YOU This makes leaders and managers in strong demand, and is further confirmed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, who noted: “Overall employment in management occupations is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2024 to 2034. About 1.1 million openings are projected each year, on average, in these occupations due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently.” (It should also be noted that their analysis of management occupations did not specifically include project management professionals who also fall into the category of leadership and management.) The median annual wage for this group was $122,090 in May 2024, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $49,500. If, as a leader or manager, you’re behind in updating your own skillset, you accomplish three critical things: You reduce your earning potential and career progression opportunities; senior leadership and management roles are only open for those who have a growth mindset and are constantly adapting and ahead of the game. You fail to lead by example and model complacency instead of modeling growth, innovation, and professional development that you wish to see in your teams. Lack of upskilling hurts your visibility as a leader including limiting your thought leadership within your industry and restricting other opportunities that could complement your work. Here are three skills every leader and manager, regardless of their level, should seek to build for 2026 and beyond: 1. AI Fluency and Strategy Leaders need to understand generative AI, its potential, and have general AI fluency and literacy, so that they can drive innovative changes in their organization as far as digital transformation is concerned. They shouldn’t leave it to a dedicated AI focus group or the CTO to deal with, or even an external agency or partner. Every department leader needs to have a thorough awareness of how to implement AI strategically and use it to drive meaningful progress towards business goals and revenue. This is the new determiner of organizational success: how fast it can adapt to the pace of AI innovation and technological change, when it comes to artificial intelligence tools, the cloud, and data. 2. Risk Management Skills Every leader and manager needs risk management skills. They need to have farsighted vision, to be able to look at dependencies and evaluate potential dangers before they even arise. In my recent conversation with Eric O’Neill, former FBI operative and cybersecurity expert, he noted that leaders need to be proactive instead of reactive to change and risk. They need to think about what might happen and roleplay scenarios, especially where information security is involved, so they could thwart attacks and foresee risks ahead of time. Risks increase when you’re working remotely and managing a team of fully remote and hybrid remote staff, as well as managing AI agents, so there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. Communication skills are needed more than ever thanks to the digital infrastructure of the workplace, the lack of which can result in project delays and reduced morale 3. Communication Skills The top skill every professional needs to master for 2026 and beyond is communication. (It was listed as the top skill of the year in LinkedIn’s 2024 in-demand skills report.) Communication skills transcend every career level but are even more relevant to leaders today given the digital infrastructure of the workplace. Leaders need to be skilled in communication skills like: Active listening Leading with empathy and compassion Being sensitive to diverse backgrounds and cultures in their workforce when communicating Using digital communication and and collaboration tools Using AI to augment your communication online Every modern leader needs these three skills to stay relevant and in high demand. Thanks to platforms like Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and Harvard’s online courses and training modules, as well as certifications from tech leaders like AWS, it’s never been easier to upskill in these three critical areas, even if you’re pressed for time and only have a few hours a week available to study. And if you’re not yet in a leadership role, focus on developing yourself professionally in these areas so you can align yourself for leadership and management roles, open doors to more career opportunities, and boost your salary potential in 2026. "23 Skills To List On Your Resume For In-Demand Jobs That Pay $140,000+," Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions