What is Leadership Development? Well, leadership development is about moving you, inch by inch along a personal continuum. At the beginning, is a rough management style – perhaps the one that came to your naturally. At the other end, is a perfected and optimised way of living. It really is that thorough. Leadership isn’t just a way to speak, or a manner of dealing with subordinates. It’s truely about how you approach the world, and how you respond to it.
Are you pro-active? Are you re-active? Do you speak more, or do you listen more? Do you imagine, or do you empower? Are you kind, or are you ruthless? These are all characteristics within our personality, our habits and our projected-self. Some of these can be changed easier than others. Leadership development is concerned with identifying your weaknesses and one-by-one, proactively engaging in activities and experiences that will improve them. Perhaps your leadership style is too autocratic and you’re having difficulty delgating properly. Maybe you lack confidence when it comes to public speaking, which is undermining your teams confidence in your. Whatever the weakness, whatever the issue, you can work to resolve it, and you can become a greater leader.
Now, I fully understand why a lot of people would read the above and take a critical view of leadership development. To many, it must seem like a very negative, very harsh and perhaps even endless pursuit. But let me convince you otherwise. To understand ones faults is only to know oneself better, and to appreciate that they exist is far more positive than to deny that there is anything wrong. Finally, to go on step further and engage in leadership development in order to actually reduce or remove those faults, is a very noble pursuit that will be beneficial to not just yourself, but to those who work with you.
It’s truely inspiring to work with someone who is commited to personal development and growth. I believe that personal development is infectious, just like a smile. Once you can see for yourself that progress is possible in some of the most set-in-stone characteristics in a man, you fully realise the true potential of personal development, and what it could hold for you. You don’t even need to stop at leadership skills. Development of yourself is a hollistic pursuit that will introduce more happiness into all areas of your life, be it health, relationships, wealth or business.
Read around, and discover more about what leadership development can do for you.
21 Responses to “Leadership Development”
I disagree with Valeri. I think that it is worth its weight now matter how much it costs. Being one up on the next guy always has a price tag, but truthfully, its invaluable. Well put, btw.
Great post. I think I prefer the idea of being a democratic leader too. You should always listen to your staff and get ideas from them about how to run the business, they are on the front line after all.
Keep it up this nice article on Leadership Development with have nice skills.
Maybe the reason why more people are not engaged in leadership development is because they do not see the continuum. Being an effective leader who strives for continual development is a way of living and thinking. Unfortunately, far too many people wear the mantle of leadership when it is convenient, but discard it when they think no one is looking. Reminds me of the Emperor’s New Clothes childhood story. Leanne Hoagland-Smith, Coaching Leadership Training for Forward Thinkers
The Human Resources professional has the opportunity to lead and impact the leadership skills of others.
Enjoyed the article. Bottom line: effective leaders work to remove the barriers to success that their people/team face. In doing this, they have to be engaged and fully aware of their own development.