| I have a wall of books about leadership in my office. | | | | experiential workshop where active learning is |
| There are thousands of such books out there to | | | | supported in an objective and constructive manner. |
| choose from. Experts have been writing books about | | | | Beyond the workshop support and feedback and |
| leadership for centuries. One of the first was written | | | | opportunity can be found in many groups and |
| as early as 400 BC by Xenophon , a Greek military | | | | environments. Connect with other workshop |
| historian. | | | | participants who are also seeking to develop their |
| I am sure that every book written since then has | | | | leadership skills. Seek out executive coaches and |
| claimed to be unique but in fact they are really all | | | | mentors or trusted supportive co-workers and |
| delivering the same message. That is because good | | | | employees. There are many opportunities for real-life |
| leadership consists of a basic set of principles, which | | | | leadership development outside of the workplace. Join |
| are common to all delivery models; listen | | | | business and networking associations or volunteer |
| empathetically, develop relationships based on trust, | | | | organizations in your community. These groups are |
| provide clear consistent communication, acknowledge | | | | always looking for people who will step up to the plate |
| performance. | | | | and take a more responsible role. Closer to home |
| Unfortunately we can't become great leaders by | | | | effective parenting is one of the toughest leadership |
| reading great books. Leadership, like any other skill, is | | | | tasks there is. And finally on a personal level give time |
| about learning by doing. Research has shown that we | | | | and effort to self-leadership. After all if we can't |
| learn 20% of what we see, hear or read, 70% of | | | | manage ourselves how can we expect to |
| what we see, hear and discuss and 90% of what we | | | | successfully lead others? |
| see, hear, discuss and practice. | | | | I am very fortunate in that I have twenty horses that |
| Just as you could not perfect your tennis serve or | | | | are happy to provide feedback daily about my |
| your golf swing without practicing those skills, you | | | | leadership skills. It is impossible to spend time with a |
| cannot become a good leader without practicing | | | | horse without learning something about yourself. I also |
| leadership at every opportunity. (A new skill cannot be | | | | have a business partner (my husband) and long-time |
| used competently or fluidly until it is practiced to the | | | | staff who will provide honest and objective criticism |
| point of mastery.) | | | | when asked (and often when I don't ask!) |
| Practice is most effective in an environment of trust | | | | I have a great collection of books but I know that if I |
| that provides emotional support and objective | | | | want to improve my skills as a leader I need to spend |
| feedback. An executive meeting is not the place to | | | | more time with the horses and the people in my life. |
| begin! An effective plan would be to start with an | | | | |