Leadership qualities must be learned – but itโs possible that not everyone is capable of learning them. Some of these traits are quite difficult to develop for some people – so whatโs the deal? Why are some people better at learning them than others?
Some of the answers could lie in the leadership qualities themselves. Take the quality of being willing to learn, for example. You canโt exactly teach people to be willing to learn since those who are unwilling to learn wonโt allow you to teach them!
Self-management is another soft skill thatโs difficult to teach. You either are a self-starter, or you arenโt. Itโs definitely possible to develop these skills in others, but many of these soft skills almost seem to be learned through osmosis rather than actively taught.
Some of the best leaders today remember being lectured by their parents to clean their rooms, for example. Theyโve come a long way: building huge enterprises and leading teams with hundreds to thousands of employees!
Leadership skills can clearly be developed over time, so keep reading for tips on developing them!
Tips on How to Develop Leadership Skills
Want to be a better leader? Here are some practical tips to help you along the way.
1. Surround yourself with leaders
We mentioned learning by osmosis – and surrounding yourself with great leaders is definitely one of the ways you can enhance your own leadership qualities. A simple truth of the human experience is that we tend to emulate what we see in our own friends, coworkers, and families.
Actively look for the leaders in your life and connect with them. Get to know them. Ask them questions and see whether they will introduce you to other leaders. Show that you value their wisdom and experience, and chances are theyโll be willing to do what they can to mentor you.
Need help finding leaders? LinkedIn is a great place to start! Look for leaders who are actively posting and sharing industry insights (the good and the bad).
2. Get comfortable with failure
Great leaders donโt let the fear of failure hold them back. They may not love to fail, but theyโre also not afraid to fail.
If you are afraid of failure, conquer this fear by making it your goal to fail. By tricking your brain into thinking failure is the goal, youโll take the sting out of rejection and actually see it through to the end.
Is your goal to find an agent for your book? Then make it your goal to receive 300 rejection letters. Chances are that youโll either:
- โBeat the challengeโ to get 300 rejection letters (which will be kind of cool in its own way: how many success stories start with, โThey got this many rejection lettersโ?)
- Get an acceptance letter before you get to 300 (which will be pretty awesome because youโll have an agent!)
3. Donโt be tight-fisted about your company
Some leaders fall into the trap that they have to do everything within the organization for it to succeed, but thatโs a terrible waste of your resources and your position. If youโre an aspiring leader, commit to training promising employees and moving them up in the organization. This is vital to your companyโs success and your success as a leader.
Great leaders have the skills to hold any role in the organization, but they donโt spread themselves too thin. They also know where they fall short, and can lean on the expert opinions of others. Stellar leaders can spot leadership qualities and strengths in those around them and use them to further the company.
Example: they donโt set out to build their own website or set up marketing tactics – they get experts to do that!
4. Pay attention and give it time
Your experience, skillset, and priorities are ever-evolving, and some of these skills simply take time. If you want to be a leader, know that you wonโt turn into a Fortune 500 CEO overnight.
Pay attention to whatโs going on around you, and learn from others as much as you can. Take into account your own personal lessons as well.
Growing older forces perspective on a person: she may wonder why she gave up guitar lessons at sixteen when they could have been practicing for 20 years by the time they were 36. She realizes that success doesnโt happen overnight and needs to be practiced regularly. And she learns that, with enough time and effort, even a 30-minute daily habit can evolve into something spectacular.
Become a Better Leader with Matcha Design
Here at Matcha Design, weโve had the opportunity to help many leaders establish their online presence, build their brands, and win awards. Weโre happy to work with visionary leaders who take our expertise seriously and are happy to provide helpful resources to effective entrepreneurs. If youโd like to learn more about leadership, check out our blog!
And if you want daily inspiration to stick to your goals, download the Owlsome Daily Quote app!
