How do you keep learning and growing as a leader?
Learn from the community’s knowledge. Experts are adding insights into this AI-powered collaborative article, and you could too.
This is a new type of article that we started with the help of AI, and experts are taking it forward by sharing their thoughts directly into each section.
If you’d like to contribute, request an invite by liking or reacting to this article. Learn more
— The LinkedIn Team
How do you keep learning and growing as a leader? Leadership development is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that requires intention, reflection, and action. In this article, you will learn some practical tips to develop your leadership skills in the workplace and become a more effective and inspiring leader.
Assess your strengths and gaps
The first step to develop your leadership skills is to know where you are and where you want to go. You can use various tools and methods to assess your current level of leadership competencies, such as feedback surveys, self-assessments, coaching sessions, or performance reviews. Identify your strengths and areas of improvement, and set specific and measurable goals to close the gaps.
-
Singular step in leadership journey is listening. Empathetic listening. Focused listening. Everything you need to know is being said by people around you all the time. You just need to listen intently.
73
-
"The smallest crowd you will ever lead is you. If you do that well, You have impacted at least one person. Then you can start with others" Knowing leadership is nothing but learning to take care of yourself. Work on your strengths, comprehend your behaviors in situations, minimize personal negativity, and lead yourself with empathy and compassion. Bravo! You have a blueprint of qualities when in action.
17
Seek feedback and coaching
Feedback and coaching are essential for leadership development, as they provide you with valuable insights, perspectives, and guidance on how to improve your performance and behavior. Seek feedback from your manager, peers, subordinates, customers, or mentors on a regular basis, and be open and receptive to their suggestions. You can also hire a professional coach or join a coaching program to get more personalized and structured support.
-
One of my team members once told me that I could do better with my voice modulation in meetings. Our subordinates and peers watch us much more than our managers. And taking feedback from them is one of the most useful hacks to keep growing :)
112
-
I personally believe in actively seeking feedback from my team members, peers, mentors, and stakeholders. As a human, we unknowingly get into a monotonous lifestyle due to family, jobs, and anything else in between due to which we forget to upscale ourselves as the job isn't demanding anything new. In this situation, mentoring others who need help or guidance in the area you can support your expertise will help you be up to date in the market. Alongside that, seeking mentoring too helps you be on your toes. I also believe in recoginizing the value of diversity and inclusion in leadership & learning from individuals with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Growth occurs when you push yourself beyond familiar territory.
49
Learn from others
One of the best ways to develop your leadership skills is to learn from other successful leaders, both within and outside your organization. You can observe and emulate their best practices, ask them for advice or mentorship, or read their books or blogs. You can also network with other leaders in your industry or field, and exchange ideas and experiences.
-
Peer Mastermind Groups offer safe feedback from peers who care about you but have no vested interests in outcomes you create. They are a powerful resource to improve leadership and learning.
72
-
Be a mentee and be a mentor. I learn best from the experiences of others no matter what level they’re on. Having a Beginner’s mindset and level of curiosity will assist you in your professional and personal development journey.
40
Engage in learning activities
Leadership development requires constant learning and updating of your knowledge and skills. You can engage in various learning activities, such as taking online courses, attending workshops or seminars, reading books or articles, listening to podcasts or webinars, or joining professional associations or communities. Choose the topics and formats that suit your needs and interests, and apply what you learn to your work.
-
Embrace a growth mindset allowing you to approach challenges and failures as opportunities to learn and grow. Focus on continuous improvement and seek out feedback to help you grow and develop. Be proactive in seeking out opportunities for learning and growth. By embracing new experiences, staying informed, getting feedback, and/or finding a mentor or coach.
65
-
One of the best - but most often missed - opportunities to learn is by simply engaging in conversation. With your team, with your friends, with your family, with those inside and outside your profession. I learn about relevant workplace issues to young people from my Gen Z kids. I learn what's important to our employees by talking with them regularly. I learn every single time I engage in conversation. I listen, learn and then act.
34
Practice and experiment
Learning is not enough if you don't put it into practice. To develop your leadership skills, you need to apply what you learn to real-life situations and challenges, and experiment with different approaches and strategies. You can practice and experiment by taking on new projects or roles, leading or participating in cross-functional teams, volunteering for social causes, or initiating change or innovation in your workplace.
-
I am big fan of Anders Ericsson's approach to practice, named "Deliberate Practice". Many assume that practice is about putting in the hours (also popularized as the 10,000 hours rule). But while effort is important, it's not enough. Deliberate practice is about focused & intentional improvement that includes: 1. Focusing on sub-skills: breaking down complex skills into smaller, manageable parts. e.g. If you want to improve your public speaking ability, break it down to body language, stops, eye-contact, etc 2. Designing practice sessions: make sure you have sessions dedicated to practice (not only performance) 3. Setting measurable goals: per the sub-skills in (1), set clear milestones. Can you measure progress in a quantifiable way?
71
-
True leadership growth happens through practice, not theory. The best way to hone my skills is by stepping outside my comfort zone to lead stretching projects that test my abilities. For example, I volunteered to lead the launch of our new mentorship program to build my project management and stakeholder engagement capabilities. In team settings, I practice different approaches to conflict resolution and speaking up on controversial issues. Through continuous practice, I expand my leadership toolkit. I also proactively reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and what I would do differently next time. Over time, my missteps decrease and confidence grows through real-world application.
41
Reflect and evaluate
The final step to develop your leadership skills is to reflect and evaluate your progress and results. You can use various tools and methods to reflect and evaluate, such as journaling, self-review, feedback analysis, or outcome measurement. Reflect on what worked and what didn't, what you learned and what you need to learn more, and what you achieved and what you need to improve. Evaluate your performance and behavior against your goals and standards, and celebrate your successes and learn from your failures.
-
To keep learning and growing as a leader, it is essential to embrace a mindset of continuous improvement and actively seek feedback from others (Kouzes & Posner, 2017). This involves cultivating a sense of curiosity, engaging in reflective practice, and being open to new ideas and perspectives (Edmondson, 2019). Additionally, investing in professional development through workshops, conferences, or online courses can expand one's knowledge and skills (Northouse, 2018). Finally, networking with fellow leaders and participating in mentorship programs can offer valuable insights and guidance for personal growth and development (MentorcliQ, 2021).
43
-
Want to achieve military grade levels of personal effectiveness? Check in on how you FEEL: F focus - can you keep it? E energy - is it at a low level? E enthusiasm - can you muster it? L light - is there a mental dashboard warning on? You need all these elements: Without focus, you could miss the target you’re aiming for. Without energy, you won’t get up (or stay up) that hill. Without enthusiasm, it’ll be harder to rally your troops around you. Without a warning light, it’s hard to know when to stop and refuel. Get to know your ‘combat indicators’. *Something that isn’t right, or is out of place, something that could pose a threat.* They will increase your effectiveness.
19