Leadership skills are essential for anyone who wants to advance their career, manage change effectively, and inspire others to follow their vision. But how can you develop and enhance your leadership potential? Here are some of the best ways to get started.
The first step to improve your leadership skills is to identify your current level of performance, your areas of expertise, and your areas of improvement. You can use various tools and methods to assess yourself, such as feedback surveys, 360-degree reviews, personality tests, or self-reflection exercises. The goal is to gain a clear and honest picture of your strengths and gaps, and to set realistic and specific goals for your development.
To really develop as a Leader it is essential that personal Emotional Regulation is top o the list: self knowledge and the ability to understand others and using the relationships is key. To get there, there are some good things to look for and develop. Find a strong Mentor, someone you value as a leader, and build a strong relationship. Don't let fear off change and upsetting the applecart stop you if you believe that better can be achieved. Be honest to your self about yourself "for thence does follow as night the day...." Others will recognise your sincerity and want to follow. Without followers you are not a leader!
One thing I’ve found helpful is to take a test on the key leadership skills that have been proven to make the most difference in personal and organizational success. Whetten and Cameron divide these skills into: - personal skills -interpersonal skills and -group skills Self assessment creates a readiness to change as you become aware of where you need to work the hardest. People even find they overestimate their abilities in certain areas. Whetten and Cameron developed an instrument called the Personal Assessment of Management Skills (PAMS). It was very revealing whenever my students took it at the beginning of my course in Leadership Skills Development.
Founder of KHHR Consultancy | HR Leadership & Change Management Consultant
I suggest to use SWOT analysis to understand your strength weaknesses opportunities and threats. Also it is good to get 360 degree constructive feedback from your colleagues, managers.
360 degree assessments are an excellent way to gather feedback on your strengths and development opportunities. Also, understand your organization's core values and p+organizational principles. This will help you understand what the company holds as imprortant.
Absolutely, consider seeking feedback from trusted colleagues, mentors, or even direct reports. 360-degree feedback can be a particularly insightful tool in this process, as it gathers perspectives from all around you.
The next step is to seek out learning opportunities that can help you achieve your goals and expand your knowledge and skills. You can enroll in online courses, workshops, webinars, or podcasts that cover topics related to leadership, such as communication, emotional intelligence, decision making, or change management. You can also read books, articles, blogs, or case studies that showcase best practices and insights from successful leaders. The key is to choose learning resources that match your learning style, your interests, and your needs.
Something I've often recommended to folks when looking to develop leadership skills is to get involved with an employee resource group (ERG). There are many benefits to this, including expanding your network and having the opportunity to develop skills outside your core role. Taking on a leadership role with an ERG will allow you to practice your influential leadership skills as you lead a team of volunteers that all have day jobs. Influential leadership is arguably more difficult than hierarchical leadership, and is also something you can identify as leadership experience when going for that first people leadership role.
One thing I have found helpful is to find a mentor who you can have some frank and fearless conversations about all the things on your mind. Ideally your mentor has a good understanding of your work including the challenges and opportunities, resulting in deep and meaningful discussions. You must be open to positive and negative feedback and willing to try some new techniques and maybe even fail along the way.
Don't just focus on leadership books - consider biographies of great leaders, business strategy guides, or even works of fiction that explore complex interpersonal dynamics. There's a wealth of knowledge to be gleaned from various sources.
When collaborating with clients as a #FractionalLeader and development coach, I encourage them to connect with a leader they can observe—whether from afar or up close. By studying the decisions and actions of these individuals, they gain invaluable insights to enhance their leadership development journey.
Investing in continuous learning is key to improving leadership skills while embracing evolving technologies and methodologies. Enroll in courses, attend workshops, and obtain certifications in areas such as AI, Agile, or Lean to stay updated on the latest trends and best practices across different industries. By prioritizing personal and professional development, you equip yourself with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively lead your team in a rapidly changing environment, driving innovation and success.
Another effective way to improve your leadership skills is to find a mentor or coach who can guide you, support you, and challenge you. A mentor or coach can be someone who has more experience, expertise, or influence than you, such as a senior colleague, a manager, a consultant, or a professional coach. They can provide you with valuable feedback, advice, tips, and resources that can help you grow as a leader. They can also help you overcome obstacles, deal with conflicts, and navigate change.
Find a mentor or coach: Having a trusted advisor can provide invaluable guidance and support. Look for someone with experience in leadership and a style that resonates with you. But remember, mentors aren't just about giving advice. Ideal mentors will also challenge your thinking, help you develop your action plan, and hold you accountable for your progress.
A mentor can guide you, as long as you are open to feedback and willing to learn and adapt. It's best to look at other leaders ' leadership styles before choosing a mentor. Ideally, find someone whose internal values and ethos match your own. It's also a great idea to have mentors across different generations - an older one to help you scale up and a younger one to keep you grounded to the execution realities.
Finding a mentor or coach is an invaluable step in enhancing and advancing your leadership skills. Coaches have been trained and have likely already experienced what you’ll need to know to help you improve.
We see a sportsperson, even big stars have a coach all through. In corporate behind a level, we are reluctant to say we are using somebody's help , we are learning, we have a coach . But a coach is sometimes required may be just to observe the leaders day at work and the perspective may help a lot . We tend to stagnate beyond a point - we need those nudges.
Seek Feedback: Actively seek feedback from colleagues, mentors, and team members to gain insights into your leadership style and its impact on others. Be open to constructive criticism and use feedback as a tool for growth and development. Practice Activity: Schedule regular one-on-one meetings with team members and peers to solicit feedback on your leadership approach. Consider using anonymous surveys to encourage candid feedback.
Learning is not enough if you don't practice and apply what you have learned. You need to look for opportunities to demonstrate and enhance your leadership skills in your work environment and beyond. You can volunteer for projects, tasks, or roles that require you to lead, collaborate, or influence others. You can also join or create networks, communities, or groups that allow you to share your ideas, insights, and experiences with other leaders or aspiring leaders. The more you practice and apply your leadership skills, the more confident and competent you will become.
The main idea is to follow the 70-20-10 rule for learning. This rule suggests that while classroom lessons or courses can be helpful up to a point, true learning comes from putting what we've learned about change management and leadership into practice. If it's not possible to apply everything learned at work, consider stepping outside your comfort zone. Volunteer, take charge of community projects, or assume leadership roles in your local area to improve your leadership abilities.
Learning is important but application of the same to workplace makes it complete. Trying out new things will make the leader fail and hence its shall be ok for all to take risks and fail and learn and try and apply and do well.
Practice and application are essential for honing leadership skills. Merely learning isn't sufficient; you must actively apply newfound knowledge. Seek opportunities to showcase and refine your abilities in various settings. Volunteer for leadership roles or projects, engage in collaborative tasks, and influence others positively. Join networks or communities where you can exchange ideas with fellow leaders. Through consistent practice and application, you'll build confidence and competence, ultimately becoming a more effective and impactful leader.
As a #LeadershipCoach and consultant, I tell my clients practice makes perfect. Leverage leadership development learnings and flex #EQ in various settings to increase their level of comfort and confidence.
Practice Empathy and Active Listening: Cultivate empathy and active listening skills to better understand and connect with your team members. Practice empathetic leadership by putting yourself in others' shoes, acknowledging their perspectives, and showing genuine concern for their well-being. Practice Activity: Engage in role-playing exercises or scenario-based simulations that require you to actively listen and respond empathetically to others' concerns and needs.
The final step to improve your leadership skills is to seek feedback and reflect on your progress and performance. You can ask for feedback from your mentor, coach, peers, colleagues, managers, clients, or stakeholders. You can also use self-assessment tools, journals, or portfolios to track and document your achievements, challenges, and learnings. The purpose of feedback and reflection is to help you identify what works and what doesn't, what you need to improve and what you need to celebrate, and what you need to keep doing and what you need to change.
Although soliciting and receiving feedback is valuable for evaluating our performance as leaders, in my experience as a leader, coach and mentor, what's even more crucial is the reflection that follows this learning. Dedication to reflection enhances our self-awareness. By contemplating past experiences and interactions—whether successful or not—we can glean important insights. Through ongoing reflection, we can devise tactics to enhance our leadership abilities, acknowledging that leadership requires adaptability.
The best feedback on my leadership skills I ever got was from my direct reports! After all they are the ones you are leading. I worked in a company that actively promoted 'upward feedback' and we, the leaders, were made to sit around the table with our teams who had to provide feedback. This was a bit awkward at first - for both me as my team. It is not that easy to give feedback to your manager. However, my team did a brilliant job. I got honest and straight feedback - not always very flattering ;-) on my leadership behaviours and it helped me a great deal in improving them. If your company does not actively promote this, then I suggest you take the step and talk to your team.
Seeking feedback from the stakeholders you are dealing with is so valuable be open minded and accept feedback as Long as it's constructive feedback. Use the info and create a development plan with specific actions and after a specific period of time seek feedback again to see how things changed and if it's in the right direction or u need to change anything.
Receiving feedback and making it land should be continuous .Reflection time for a leader helps to place many things in the right place
Feedback is critical for assessments. Assessment here is for both institutional and personal improvement. This is were appraisals come in. Appraisals should be designed to foster improvement and a desire to explore, innovate and continue to bring forward winning strategies for the team and organization.
As a leader practice your “Listening more from your team” skills. One idea to do this creatively is for leaders to initiate a “Day in the life of …..” series to spend time with their team members across reporting levels to understand the challenges that their team members might be facing in their day to day work. This will help the leader learn more and come up with approaches to remove the roadblocks that their team may be facing in the organisation.
Start by looking in the mirror and asking brutally honest questions: 1) Am I really willing to put in the hard work? (Leadership isn’t just perks; it’s tough decisions and sacrifice). 2) Do I really care about my team’s success? (effort is required to properly lift others up, empower them, and celebrate their achievements). 3) Can I actually handle criticism? (Leaders face scrutiny; growth comes from discomfort, ready for that?). Next, seek blunt feedback from others (and ask for examples): 1) What’s my reputation behind closed doors? 2) Do you think I listen more than I talk? 3) How well does it appear that I handle failure? 4) Do you think I learn & adapt, or crumble under pressure? Know thyself first, then lead others.
The most important thing to remember is that leadership is not about position. John Maxwell, defines leadership as influence. You do not need a title or a position to be a leader. Focus instead on positively influencing within the space you are in.
Empathy: Develop empathy and emotional intelligence by actively listening to others, understanding their perspectives, and showing compassion in your interactions. Effective Communication: Work on enhancing your communication skills, including clarity, active listening, giving constructive feedback, and fostering open dialogue within your team. Delegate and Empower (but master time management first; this will come in handy for player coach roles): Learn to delegate tasks effectively, empower team members, and trust their abilities to take ownership and contribute to the team's success. Agility, be able to pivot: Be adaptable and open to change, willing to learn from failures, and continuously improve based on feedback and experiences.
#ValueFeedback - Seek external support, and embrace honest feedback from the people you trust and value as part of your professional development support system. Be prepared to #DoTheWork - lead from a granular inner self-level and lead from an overarching externally driven supportive one.