Brain science calls them "non-cognitive" skills. I call them skills that are not taught anywhere. Putting these skills on your resume can get you hired. And, over time turn you into a leader.

But leadership isn't only about shepherding a group. Before you set the compass for your team, you must define a direction for your own life. Personal leadership is about changing the one thing you have control over: yourself. And as Stephen Covey said in the book that should be on your shelf:

"How you treat the one reveals how you regard the many, because everyone is ultimately a one."

All the seven habits in his book were about personal leadership. Let's take more than a few leaves from those pages and begin sharpening the saw. As always, begin with the end in mind and these five excellent courses on Udemy in our continuing series.

1. Adam Grant on Developing Original Ideas

Discover: How to generate original ideas and be your own idea champion.

Developing Original Ideas

Adam Grant is the bestselling author of the New York Times bestsellers Originals. In the book, he has tapped into the source of great ideas. Ideas have the power to change not only your professional life but also the personal one you find at home.

It is not enough to have great ideas. You also must learn to identify them and push them through all the obstacles they will face. If you are struggling to find support for your idea then this course is a motivation.

The 27 lectures across 40 minutes will give you a blueprint to champion your ideas and not let them get extinguished. As an organizational psychologist, Adam Grant will coach you through management lessons collected from business, social entrepreneurship, technology, and entertainment.

Each chapter comes with a practical exercise you should do immediately. With their help, you just might learn how to push your idea out into the world.

2. Al Pittampalli on Open-Mindedness

Discover: How to use the tools of persuasion on the work you do.

Open-Mindedness

Most of us have experienced bad leadership at the workplace. One of the reasons can be traced to the refusal to ask important questions and accept honest feedback. An open mind is one which recognizes that it does not have all the answers. It is a soft skill that teaches you how to take the risk of being wrong with a smile.

We had checked this Acumen course in a lineup on personal development courses before. But let's look at it again because it is such a rare trait.

Open-mindedness and persuasion should work together. So, Al Pittampalli teaches you the five specific "power practices" to become more responsive in your own work and life. Trust the cognitive psychology behind it and use it to become a more growth minded leader.

The key takeaway are the inspiring real-world examples of leaders mentioned in the course who have turned this soft skill into a success mantra.

3. Decision Making: Solve Problems With Emotional Intelligence

Discover: How to use critical thinking and emotional intelligence to solve problems.

Decision Making

Decision making isn't just a professional soft skill. It is a life skill that can make you more productive. Decisions aren't about a yes or a no anymore; they are also about intuition and a sense of priority. And believe it or not, the success of decisions emerges from your own sense of self-awareness.

The course is based around the Decision-Making component of Israeli psychologist Reuven Bar-On's scale of emotional intelligence. In this unique course, you will get to see how mindfulness and emotional intelligence can make you a better decision maker.

One of the sections covers the popular lateral thinking tool called SCAMPER. Five practical exercises are included that are meant to hone your decision-making powers. The course lags slightly because of the dry presentation, but it is jam-packed with good information.

4. Everyday Conversation: Make Great Impressions + Connections (no longer available)

Discover: How to build great communication skills.

Everyday Conversation

A wisdom going around says that it's not what you know, but rather who you know that determines your success. A leader has to shake hands and influence. Even if you are an introvert, you must bring the power of your presence to the conversation. Start with a solid introduction and wax it with your listening skills.

Sharpen your public speaking skills to boost your confidence. As Alexa Fisher says, we are always in a "public speaking mode". This course will teach you how to act first and allow the confidence to follow. Use the tips to practice your speaking skills in everyday situations and graduate to become a memorable public speaker.

It is a short course of an hour but keep the tips with you always as this course is more about the practice and less about the theory.

5. Leadership, Management & Entrepreneurship in the 21 Century

Discover: How to be a more agile leader with 21st century skills.

Leadership, Management & Entrepreneurship

You may be a solopreneur, or a wannabe entrepreneur who wants to bring together a team around a brilliant idea. You also could be someone who just had leadership thrust upon him or her. The question you should ask yourself right now is: "Am I a 21st century leader?"

Thinking on your feet could be one of the most important lessons you could learn as the world changes around you. Your sense of purpose, culture, strategy, and power can come together with the help of this course.

Let's wrap up all that we have learned so far. This is one of the most comprehensive course you will find on leadership and management principles on Udemy. Exercises and practical tips tie the "21 principles" framework with seven hours of video. The instructor recommends that you create a learning diary to record the principles and to reflect on the improvements you can make for the future.

Be a More Conscious Leader

We have seen a few bad leaders in our lives. Let them be the templates for what not to do. When you look at great leaders deliberately, you can see that the skills they use aren't any different from the ones you need for everyday life situations.

Have you put yourself in any leadership position so far? Do you think it is an essential life skill that should be taught before adulthood? Which is the one skill you would like to improve today?