How Can I Grow as a Leader?

How Can I Grow as a Leader?

Personal growth and by extension, leadership growth, does not happen automatically because people are living or necessarily because they have experiences. Leadership development must be planned, deliberate and consistent. In other words, if we want to realize our true leadership potential we have to work at it daily.

There are three primary ways to develop  leadership capability.

The first is to study leadership and apply the lessons learned. In addition to Smart Development leadership classes there are plenty of of great books, magazines, CD’s and e-learning opportunities, (such as e-newsletters and pod/idea casts) for people to supplement their formal leadership education.

The second way is to learn from your experiences at work. For example ask to be assigned to a challenging project that will provide you an opportunity to exercise your leadership. Remember that leadership is about influencing positive change. Also, stay alert. Observe situations from different perspectives. Watch how different people handle leadership challenges. Have a teachable spirit and ask for feedback and be open to criticisms about your performance. And above all don’t be afraid to fail. You’ll learn more from failing once or twice than from succeeding all the time.

The final way to develop your leadership ability is to find a true mentor. The mentor should have experiences that you want to gain, a genuine willingness to help you along, and a positive relationship with you.