Regardless of where you are in your career journey – an experienced leader, new leader, or future leader – developing leadership skills is crucial for success in most areas of life. Oftentimes, leaders encourage their people to develop their skills and talents but fail to take the time to follow their own advice. Development for leaders is essential and we will cover 10 development goals for better leadership.
All good leaders have room to grow, but the path to improvement isn’t always clear. The following guidelines will help set you on the right track depending on your current role. After reading these suggestions, if you are in a leadership position, draft a leadership development plan for yourself so that you can be the best possible leader for your team, your organization, and yourself.
Why does great leadership matter?
The world needs as many good leaders as we can get!
One example of a great leader who made a difference because of their leadership is Nelson Mandela. As the first black president of South Africa, he brought about change and racial equality in a country that was deeply divided. He showed remarkable courage and compassion, and his effective leadership helped to bring about a peaceful resolution to the apartheid conflict.
We need more people in leadership positions, with great leadership abilities, to produce more of this kind of results. And we need great leadership in every aspect of life. Leaders tend to produce more leaders and great leadership now will have a positive impact on developing our future leaders.
The right resources can assist in identifying your leadership development objectives which can lead to your future leadership success in the long term. Your goal should be to improve your weaknesses, leverage your strengths, and improve your overall leadership skills and effectiveness.
Why is leadership development important?
Leadership development is still one of the most pressing issues facing most organizations today. Developing leaders and leadership skills are key for businesses that expect to gain substantial competitive advantages and be innovative in the foreseeable future. The evidence supports that assertion.
Leadership development is important for many reasons. One of the most important is that it can help individuals learn new skills and techniques that will make them more effective leaders. Additionally, professional development can help leaders stay current with the latest trends and changes in their field. Finally, leadership development can also provide opportunities for networking and building relationships with other professionals.
What is meant by leadership development?
Leadership development is the process of preparing individuals to be effective leaders with an action plan that prepares leaders to perform well in their roles. This includes learning new skill sets and gaining experience in leadership roles. Leadership development can also involve professional development, such as attending workshops or seminars. Leaders need to continue learning and developing their skills to stay effective and successful.
What are the phases of leadership development?
To be an effective leader, it is important to continuously develop new skills and grow professionally. There are three main phases of leadership development: acquiring new skills, practicing those skills, and refining them.
Acquiring the right critical skills is the first step in leadership development. To learn new and specific skills, you need to be willing to experiment and try new things. You also need to be open to learning from others, whether it’s through books, articles, blogs, or online courses. It’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in your field.
Practicing those skills is the next step in leadership development. Once you’ve acquired new skills, you need to start working on perfecting them. This means putting them into action and seeing what works and what doesn’t. It’s also important to get feedback from others, both your team members and your superiors. This will help you improve and refine your skills.
Refining those skills is the final step in leadership development. Once you’ve practiced and refined your skills, it’s important to continue honing them over time. This means staying up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in your field, as well as continuing to learn from others. It’s also important to keep a growth mindset and always be looking for ways to improve as a leader.
Each phase is important for continual growth and progression as a leader.
Why do leaders need a leadership development plan?
Leaders need a formal leadership development plan to improve their skills and become more effective. Without such a plan, leaders may not be able to reach their full potential and could potentially make mistakes that would harm the company and the team. A leadership development plan can help leaders identify their weaknesses, realize their strengths, and work on improving them. This is crucial for businesses that want to stay competitive and relevant in the future.
10 Development Goals
1. Be a Better Listener
A leader needs to be a good listener because effective communication is key to a successful organization. Common feedback from employee engagement surveys and new hires in many organizations is not feeling like they are being heard. Leaders who are good listeners can better understand their employees’ needs and challenges, and can better communicate the business goals and objectives. To be a good listener, a leader should practice effective communication techniques such as paying attention, paraphrasing, and asking questions. By practicing these techniques, leaders can become better listeners and improve their ability to communicate with their employees.
2. Develop Effective Communication Skills
Good communication skills are necessary for effective leadership. Leaders need to be able to communicate their vision and mission clearly to their team and also be able to listen attentively to others. To improve their communication skills, leaders can follow a few simple steps:
First, leaders should make a point to communicate with everyone on their team, not just those who report directly to them. This includes communicating both up and down the chain of command. By communicating with all members of their team, leaders can ensure that everyone is clear on the team’s goals and objectives.
Second, leaders should make sure they are taking the time to listen to others. Too often, leaders are so focused on getting their point across that they don’t listen to what others are saying. This can lead to misunderstandings and conflict. Instead, leaders should take the time to ask questions and listen to the answers.
Finally, leaders should use effective communication techniques. These techniques can include using clear and concise language, speaking slowly and clearly, and making eye contact. By using effective communication techniques, leaders can ensure that the intent of their message is understood by everyone in the room.
Get more insight into effective communication for leaders by reading our Novice Leader Post “How Great Leaders Communicate Effectively.”
3. Learn to Manage Difficult Conversations
It’s inevitable that at some point in your career you will have to address and manage a difficult conversation. Whether it’s with a coworker, boss, or client, these conversations can be challenging and uncomfortable. However, if they are not addressed effectively, they can also be damaging to relationships, tarnish the reputation of your business, and hurt the work environment as a whole.
To become more comfortable addressing and managing difficult conversations, leaders should first understand the root of the problem. Oftentimes, the difficulty arises from a lack of communication or miscommunication. Leaders can overcome this by developing effective communication skills and using them during difficult conversations. Additionally, leaders should make sure to listen carefully to what is being said and ask questions for clarification.
It’s also important to stay calm during difficult conversations. Leaders can do this by taking a deep breath and staying focused on the goal of resolving the conflict. Finally, leaders should avoid making assumptions and instead try to see things from the other person’s perspective. By following these tips, leaders can learn to effectively address and manage difficult conversations.
Having difficult conversations and conflict management can be difficult, especially for newer leaders- be sure to read “What is Conflict Management? Advice for New Leaders.”
4. Become More Organized and Efficient
To be an effective leader, it helps to be organized and efficient. This means having a clear vision and mission as well as being able to accomplish tasks efficiently and effectively. To become more organized and efficient, leaders can learn certain skills and participate in professional development opportunities.
One way for business leaders to become more organized is by developing a system for organizing their thoughts and ideas. Leaders can use tools such as mind maps or note-taking apps to help them stay focused and organized. Additionally, leaders can create checklists of the tasks they need to complete each day or week, and make sure to stick to them.
To become more efficient, leaders should develop a process for completing tasks. This includes breaking down large tasks into smaller steps, setting deadlines, and using time management techniques such as planning and batching similar tasks together. Having a process of prioritizing tasks is also very helpful in maximizing efficiency. One of the most common methods is the A,B,C process. This process labels obligations as either A, B, or C based on importance and impact where A has higher priority, B second, and C lesser priority of the 3. By following tips like these, leaders can become better organizers and efficiency experts.
5. Strengthen Your Problem-Solving Skills
Good problem-solving skills are essential for effective leadership. Leaders need to be able to identify and assess problems quickly, come up with effective solutions, and communicate those solutions effectively to their team. However, leaders can always build their problem-solving abilities by acquiring new skills through activities such as attending professional development courses, reading books on the subject, and working with a mentor. The ability to effectively problem solve is essential in aiding leaders at becoming more effective in leading their teams through difficult challenges and achieving better results.
6. Increase Your Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to be aware and understand your own emotions and the emotions of others. It is about being able to regulate your emotions, respond effectively to emotions in others, and create positive relationships.
There is a growing body of research that shows that emotional intelligence is key to success in both personal and professional life. Leaders who have high EI are better equipped to handle difficult situations, make sound decisions, and motivate their teams.
There are several ways that a leader can enhance their emotional intelligence. One way is by understanding your emotional triggers and managing them accordingly. Leaders can also improve their EI by learning how to read and understand the emotions of others. Finally, leaders can boost their EI by practicing effective communication skills. By following these tips, leaders can become more effective at managing their own emotions, understanding the emotions of others, and creating positivity.
Our article “Why Is Emotional Intelligence Important in Leadership?” goes into more detail about emotional intelligence and is a great source for those looking to develop their emotional quotient.
7. Take Charge of Your Development
As a leader, it is important to always look for ways to improve and grow. This means taking charge of your development and actively seeking out new skills and professional development opportunities. By doing this, you can become a more effective leader and continue to grow and develop your leadership skills.
One example of a famous leader who took charge of their leadership development is Martin Luther King Jr. After becoming a pastor, he realized that he needed to learn more about effective leadership to better serve his community. He studied various leaders and read books on the topic, and eventually became a highly effective leader himself.
There are several steps a leader can take to take charge of their development.
- The first step is understanding what areas you want to improve in.
- Next, leaders should find appropriate training or learning opportunities that will help them learn the new skills they need.
- Finally, leaders should practice what they have learned and apply it to their work environment.
8. Foster a Collaborative Team Environment
Leaders who focus on team collaboration can be effective in achieving goals and also increase success. An effective leader understands the importance of teamwork and how it can help achieve common goals. Leaders who are effective with this talent often value input from their team members and encourage collaboration. This type of leadership style can help create a positive work environment, where employees feel appreciated and valued. When team members feel comfortable working together, they are more likely to share thoughts and ideas, which leads to enhanced creativity and innovation, effective problem-solving, and of course professional development and growth. A collaborative environment also retains talent and maintains a stronger organizational culture.
To foster a collaborative team environment, leaders should:
– Encourage open communication and solicit constructive feedback
– Provide opportunities for professional development
– Model effective teamwork themselves.
9. Lead with Integrity and Accountability
Leadership integrity and accountability are important traits for any leader to have. When a leader is honest and ethical in their decisions, it builds trust within the team. This trust allows the team to be more effective and productive, as they know that the leader is reliable and has their best interests at heart. The Leader who demonstrates integrity and accountability is also more likely to be seen as a respected team member and supervisor.
Integrity is about making the right decisions, even when no one is looking. It requires doing what is right, even when it’s difficult – being honest and truthful in all interactions. Accountability means being responsible for your actions and taking ownership of your mistakes. A leader with integrity and accountability is someone who can be trusted to make sound decisions, take responsibility for their actions, and behave ethically.
To develop integrity and accountability, a leader should always put the team first. They should be honest in their communication, respectful of others, and ethical in their decision-making. Leaders who exhibit these qualities inspire trust in those around them, which leads to a more effective and productive team.
10. Advocate for Change within Your Organization
Leaders who want their organizations to grow and thrive must be willing to embrace change. Change is essential for innovation and creativity, and it can help an organization stay competitive in a rapidly changing world. To lead effective change within an organization, a leader must be willing to develop talents as a change agent and undergo professional development.
Change is Good for Organizations:
- Navigating change keeps organizations relevant in a constantly evolving world
- Change encourages innovation and creativity
- Change leads to growth and expansion
- Change can help maintain a stable team and better retain talent if navigating effectively
- Navigating change prepares organizations for the future
Activities leaders can take to up their abilities as agents of change
Leaders looking to become effective change agents have a range of professional development opportunities available to them. A few key options include attending good leadership training programs, participating in online courses, or reading books and articles on effective change management. In addition, leaders can also join networking groups or attend conferences that focus on change management. By engaging in any or all of these professional development opportunities, leaders can gain the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively lead change within their organizations.
Call to Action
Leaders at all levels of organizations should work on their leadership development. The good news is that leadership development is important to individuals and organizations alike and there are plenty of resources available to help leaders grow. Whether you take charge of your leadership development plan or participate in a formal leadership development program, the most important thing is that you continue to learn, grow, and build leadership skills throughout your career. Start working on your leadership development plan today and gain the new knowledge to help take your leadership style to new levels!
Share your thoughts
What are some of your favorite leadership developmental activities?
Share them below in the comments section and encourage others to do the same. We can all benefit from learning from each other’s experiences!
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