You're looking to improve your leadership skills. What is the most effective way to do it?

1 Assess yourself

Before you can improve your leadership skills, you need to know your strengths and weaknesses. You can use various tools, such as self-assessments, feedback surveys, or 360-degree reviews, to get a realistic picture of how you perform as a leader. You should also identify your leadership style, values, and goals, and how they align with your organization's culture and expectations. By assessing yourself, you can discover your areas of improvement and set specific and measurable objectives for your development.

2 Seek feedback

Feedback is essential for learning and improving your leadership skills. You should seek feedback from different sources, such as your manager, peers, subordinates, customers, or mentors. You should also be open to constructive criticism and use it to improve your performance and behavior. You can ask for feedback regularly, such as after a project, meeting, or presentation, or schedule a formal feedback session with your manager or mentor. You should also thank the feedback providers and show them how you implement their suggestions.

3 Learn from others

One of the best ways to improve your leadership skills is to learn from other successful leaders. You can observe how they communicate, motivate, delegate, solve problems, and handle conflicts. You can also ask them for advice, insights, or guidance on specific situations or challenges. You can find mentors within your organization, network, or industry, or join a professional association or a leadership development program. You can also read books, articles, blogs, or podcasts by or about influential leaders and learn from their experiences and lessons.

4 Practice new skills

Learning new skills is not enough; you need to practice them in real situations. You can look for opportunities to apply your new skills in your current role, such as leading a team, project, or initiative, or volunteering for a new assignment or responsibility. You can also seek new challenges or roles that require you to stretch your leadership skills and take you out of your comfort zone. You should also reflect on your actions and outcomes and evaluate your progress and performance.

5 Get support

Improving your leadership skills is not a solo journey; you need to get support from others who can help you grow and succeed. You can build a network of supporters, such as colleagues, friends, family, or coaches, who can encourage you, motivate you, challenge you, and celebrate your achievements. You can also join a peer group, a mastermind group, or an online community of like-minded professionals who can share their experiences, insights, and resources with you. You should also seek professional help if you face any personal or emotional issues that affect your leadership skills.

6 Keep learning

Leadership is a continuous learning process; you need to keep updating your skills and knowledge to adapt to the changing environment and expectations. You should keep an open mind and a curious attitude and seek new information, ideas, and perspectives. You should also keep track of your achievements and challenges and update your goals and plans accordingly. You should also seek feedback and evaluate your performance and behavior regularly. You should also celebrate your successes and learn from your failures.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?