How NOT to build Leaders!
This is not an uncommon question. It’s one that I wonder about quite frequently. Leadership development has hundreds of theories attached to it, and more are flowing in every day.
We have the usual ideas right in front of us. Great mentors and coaches build the roadmap. Lived experiences clarify our thinking, and eventually, with a mix of external and internal influences, we get the rare asset of a leader.
In today’s edition of the Top newsletter, though, I want to talk about something else: five clear
ways leaders are not developed.
#1 By taking up a leadership role
Do you learn by grabbing the driver’s wheel in a vehicle? No, right? So why has leadership suffered from this assumption for so long? Since time immemorial (I mean the last few centuries), people have been promoted to leadership roles with only a firm handshake in the name of support and nothing much else.
This goes on until the Peter Principle strikes, and one is promoted until they are no longer promotable. Still, most professionals assume that since they were great as individual contributors and their technical proficiency is top-notch, it’s only a matter of time before they ace as leaders.
#2 Through training programs that cover everyone and everything
Congratulations, you are leading a team now! Here’s your ticket to the all-in-one leadership development program that 205,843,753 managers have undergone before you and 875,882,385 will do after you.
Guess what? It won’t help you with any of the problems you are facing right now. Does your team not take you seriously because you are young? We did not consider that while designing, but here’s a cheeky module on effective communication as a manager.
Did that sound annoying? That’s how most managers are welcomed onto the leadership side. Companies often rely on generic leadership training programs, assuming they’ll create uniform, effective leaders. In reality, leadership development must be tailored to individual strengths, weaknesses, and contexts.
#3 By being great at what you do
Most managers believe that since they are great ICs, they’ll start churning out teeny tiny copies of themselves as soon as they grab the reins of a team. But is a great IC equal to a great coach? To be honest, the transition is not so neat in most instances. Instead, you end up with managers without the skills needed to coach and train others effectively.
Overemphasis on technical or strategic skills leads to neglect of crucial soft skills like emotional intelligence, communication, and empathy, which are vital for effective leadership.
#4 By imitating other leaders
Many people believe that the key to success lies in copying the success of others. “That’s how we did it back in our times. Why can’t you?” It’s a common enough question thrown at new leaders by seniors who forget that times and people change.
Sources of inspiration are great; they might be the last source of hope in challenging situations. However, they cannot be the end of all leadership development, even if the examples are present in real life, just next door in a glass cabin.
Every leader is unique, and that’s not said just to make one feel special. It’s because circumstances and experiences differ. Leadership development needs to consider the context to be effective.
#5 By collecting certificates and conference stickers
You can attend tens of conferences, and none will be impactful until you apply what you learn about leadership during those days. And yet, many leaders are chasing the tags that come with leadership certificates and conferences. At times, even the organizations encourage this.
While formal education is valuable, assuming that degrees or certifications alone create good leaders overlooks the importance of practical experience and ongoing learning. Most leadership development actually
And that’s not the end of the list. There are more concerns out there about what’s assumed to be effective leadership development.
Which ones irk you the most? Share it with me, and I might just solve it with Risely.
Let’s bring change: one feedback at a time.
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