Social media leadership is more about steering the ship than simply hitting “publish.” Enterprise teams aren’t just running profiles. They’re overseeing entire ecosystems. With AI-driven workflows, distributed global teams, and increasingly sophisticated audiences, strong leadership is more critical than ever. It tracks, then, that a recent IBM report found 69% of CEOs attribute their organization’s success to having a wide bench of leaders who deeply grasp strategy and can make high-stakes decisions. Social is no different. Below is what standout social media leaders are doing differently in 2026—and how you can cultivate and evaluate those same capabilities.
What are social media leadership skills?
Social media leadership skills are a mix of innate traits and learned abilities that enable leaders to guide, support, and inspire social teams to achieve meaningful results. These qualities often include:
- Strategic thinking
- Emotional intelligence
- Strong communication skills
- Adaptability
- Creativity and innovative thinking
- Collaboration and conflict resolution
To be effective, a social media leader’s skill set must extend well beyond day-to-day channel management. A true leader knows how to delegate, coach, and course-correct in real time as the industry and culture shift. They understand how to leverage social strategy to drive broader business outcomes.
A high-performing social leader also knows how to:
- Balance and negotiate competing stakeholder priorities
- Turn data into narratives that resonate with executives
- Inspire teams to deliver work that is both imaginative and compliant
Shavivla Todd, a 4-time Shorty Award–winning Social Media Strategist, says a great social leader must be “naturally culturally aware and in-the-know.”
“You don’t need to be chronically online. But you do need to be acutely aware of what’s happening as it pertains to current…