Anyone who leads a team or organization should strive to constantly learn leadership skills. Because the business environment changes, the way we lead must change. The best way we become better is to be dedicated to learning. We must become flexible to the needs of the situation and to the needs of the team we have the honor to lead.
Some say to just keep growing your strengths, but when it comes to leadership, you must be focused on what has the best positive impact for your team. The key to improvement is always self-awareness. You must honestly know yourself and realize what you must improve. What critical leadership skills are you lacking? Is it communication, time management, or maybe interpersonal skills? Something else?
“Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.”
-Anthony J. D’Angelo
I have on many occasions reflected on how I needed to improve so I could lead better. It may be listening skills and how to better sympathize on a situation that my team members may face. I considered and evaluated my abilities and did take action to improve.
Great Leaders Continually Learn Leadership Skills So They Can Grow Great Teams
Professionals must be lifelong students of leadership
- Be committed to improve the skills that contribute to great leadership
- Lifelong learning should be in the heart of all professionals and leaders.
- You must be self-aware, so you better understand your own needs for improvement.
There are many changes happening
- Leadership is not static. You must adapt to the times. Flexibility in leadership will be your greatest asset in influencing your team and organization.
- Leadership styles evolve as the situation changes. The desire for excellence doesn’t change, but how you arrive there may be different.
Growing your leadership may lead to greater opportunity
- Senior leadership positions require more advanced skills. You improve these through experience and learning through case studies.
- You must learn to integrate all the resources available to you, assume more risk, and become more deliberate in decision making to show you are ready for greater responsibility.
- Bottom line results is not the only metric you will be judged on, but it is important to understand how you achieved your results. Is your team still motivated, loyal, and healthy after a great, but tough month?
Leadership is an on-going learning experience. Those who invest in improving their leadership ability may find greater opportunities available. As the business environment changes, then we must be ready to adapt.
How will you become a lifelong student of leadership?
Please comment or email me at comment@stephenmclain.com.
Copyright 2019 – Stephen McLain
