What is one way someone can develop their leadership skills?
To help you develop your leadership skills, we asked business leaders and mentors this question for their best advice. From resolving conflicts to embracing failure, several tips may help you in the development of leadership skills for years to come.
Here are ten ways to develop leadership skills:
- Learn to Resolve Conflict
- Read About Great Leaders
- Practice Clear Communication
- Nurture Relationships
- Always Be Learning
- Embrace Failure
- Exercise Discipline
- Get Team Feedback
- Seek a Mentor
- Recognize Everyday Leaders
Learn to Resolve Conflict
Resolving conflict and facing issues head-on is a great way to develop leadership skills. By addressing issues head-on in a calm, determined manner, people will respect you! Face issues with a solution in mind and work with people involved to get the problem solved. No one likes a manager from hell, but leadership is not developed when you let things go unresolved.
Vicky Franko, Insura
Read About Great Leaders
You can develop your leadership skills through reading biographies of great leaders. Regardless of whether they are political leaders, CEOs, or sports stars, these individuals have a lot to teach us. Reading about their journeys, challenges, and how they overcame obstacles is both educational and inspirational. As you read, try to draw parallels between your experiences and theirs, I am sure certain stories will resonate with you.
Blake Murphey, American Pipeline Solutions
Practice Clear Communication
At King’s Schools, we are dedicated to developing engaged, successful Christian leaders. We believe effective leadership is based on clear communication and empathy. It is rooted in servant leadership, which focuses on the growth and development of the community. With a growth perspective, our future leaders learn to find visionary solutions to problems presented to them and thrive in their future endeavors.
Erick Streelman, King’s School
Nurture Relationships
As a company that sells eyelash extension supplies, I consider my strong team an eyelash sisterhood. Through my personal and business journey, I have learned that a true leader puts creating meaningful relationships first. I have built life-long relationships in which we empower and support each other based on our shared passion for the art of eyelash extensions. As you hone your leadership style and climb the career ladder, remember to nurture the relationships you make.
Vanessa Molica, The Lash Professional
Always Be Learning
One of the best ways to develop any skill, especially leadership skills, is to always be learning. Being a constant learner helps me be open to new approaches and ways to navigate situations. One of my mentors in life, Tony Robbins, says to work on yourself more than anything else. By improving, becoming more intelligent, more skilled, you can provide more value to those around you. Whether it’s personal development, professional skills, or just reading, I keep my brain sharp with new ideas to better myself and those around me.
Jenn Christie, Markitors
Embrace Failure
Do not be afraid to fail. That is where the growth lies. Every leader has a story about failure and failing in their work. It is okay to fail because it shows that you are trying and growing, you are not stagnant. Fail forward meaning to learn from every failure and do it differently next time.
Derin Oyekan, Reel Paper
Exercise Discipline
Practicing discipline can help to develop your leadership skills. This will help you to become an effective leader who inspires others. You can practice discipline by keeping appointments, ending meetings on time, and meeting deadlines. These are ways to become a more disciplined leader.
Omid Semino, Diamond Mansion
Get Team Feedback
Feedback from team members will always be an eye-opener. Ask for honest feedback from your teams or team members and this will give insight into what you as a leader should work on and what you are doing well in. Take what they say into account and build off of the feedback. This will make you a better leader for your team and employees.
Guy Bar, Hyfit
Seek a Mentor
A mentor will be able to offer you their expertise and set you on a good path by offering advice, knowledge, and feedback. Learn how your mentor achieves results, gains the cooperation of others, how they motivate followers, how they make decisions, and how they give feedback. Knowing these things will help you to develop your leadership skills.
Tri Nguyen, Network Capital
Recognize Everyday Leaders
To me, a father who provides and supports his family through the tough times is a great leader. A teacher, who teaches us to navigate through the ambiguities of life, is a great leader. People have glamorized the word “’leader”. Even organizations now base promotions contingent on the display of leadership skills. So we are increasingly ignoring everyday leadership around us and within us and chasing elite leadership skills. To develop leadership skills, all we have to do is to remove this perception. We need to make people recognize that leadership is personal. When we develop skills in individuals to recognize everyday leadership around them and within them, they don’t need to develop leadership skills. It comes on the surface with small polishing and encouragement.
Dr. Raman K. Attri, Performance Scientist
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