Leadership development boosts the performance of upcoming leaders & your team by helping them perform their duties much better.
Leadership is a complex and multi-faceted topic that has been studied for centuries. There are many different ways to approach leadership development, and what works for one person may not work for another. Beyond developing a core set of skills to enable better leadership you can also take tangible and consistent actions to keep improving.
1. Take leadership development courses or workshops
These can either be something that is created by or sponsored by your employer or something that you do as part of your self-development. Take recommendations on the best courses to go on from friends and colleagues who are on a similar journey.
2. Read books and articles on leadership topics
There is much copy spilled on leadership. The best places to look for evidence-led articles are places like Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan, Forbes, and of course broadsheets like the Guardian and the Times. Books on leadership are – to a large extent – ten a penny and often jump in and out of favor…but the best ones remain classics as on this list.
3. Listen to podcasts or watch videos on leadership topics
Since TEDx was launched we have seen a slew of BRILLIANT leadership talks available at your fingertips. Pretty much all of them are worth a watch and if you can get even one takeaway out of it then so be it. For podcasts, Diary of a CEO is a great one – Our CEO Anna Hemmings has been featured on it as well as many other leaders. Another great one is the High-Performance Podcast
4. Join a leadership group or networking group
While networking may have gone slightly off the boil due to Covid, it is still a great way to learn and engage with people.
5. Get a coach
Coaching has had a huge impact on people’s lives. Having a leadership coach is about ensuring you have focus and accountability in an area you have chosen to develop. Want to know more about how coaching can impact? Read this article on coaching.
By taking the time to develop yourself as a leader, you will be better prepared to take on the challenges and responsibilities of leadership positions. You will also be better equipped to engage and motivate others to achieve their goals.
What to do next?
Don’t wait for someone else to spot your potential or take control of your leadership development – start investing the time, money, and effort in yourself today.
It keeps the action in your court and it allows for an immediate start.
If you want to work with us at Beyond the Barriers, we do 1-2-1 coaching sessions and run several leadership development groups throughout the year. Get in touch for more details.
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