Leading people is a skill. At some point in life, you will find yourself in a leadership role. However, as farfetched as it might sound, even followers are leaders. What connects the two is one important skill: the ability to develop others.
Leadership is not simply speaking loquaciously, managing multiple projects like a boss, cutting ribbons, and generating new sales! Developing others simply boils down to growth. We learn from one another. You have skills that others do not have and they have lessons to teach. These people that you lead may be a part of your intimate circle of friends and family. Perhaps, you find yourself at the helm of a start up. Maybe you are thrown into a situation when you have to turnaround a failing program or business. Or even, find yourself led astray and stifled by existing leadership requiring a certain level of …. distruption. Each of these scenarios will contain a doorway to lessons that will develop you into a stronger individual.
In addition to intentional self-development. There are several reasons we would need to develop others. For one, we might aim to support a friend or family member’s goals. Just as our parents played an active role in developing you into the person you are today, we have the influence to build up people and place them on positive trajectories. Everyone is seeking self-actualization in some way. They are looking for fulfillment and deep satisfaction for life. We help them to live their best life, identify their strengths, advise them on how to neutralize their weaknesses, or be resilient in spite of them.
Another aspect of developing people is talent development. If we do not have the expertise, we help others by connecting them to resources that will teach them new skills and strategies for practical implementation. Many people find excuses as to why they cannot make more money, find a better job….a job. Some people do not believe in themselves, and their fear neutralizes any inkling of energy that can be redirected for action. Education is the key that have helped millions of people enhance their lifestyle.
We develop people to progress a team. When one succeeds; we all succeed. Passion and enthusiasm is contagious. When working in teams, you will realize the various strengths and weaknesses of each team member. The skill of the leader is to help them recognize those strengths and encourage them to work in alignment with that energy to progress toward the end goal.
Developing people falls into three broad categories:
- Coaching-We encourage others to find solutions to their own problems. We serve as their cheerleader when they are moving in the right direction and wise counsel when they are not.
- Training – Many times, and especially in workplace situations, leader might provide coursework and modules to increase knowledge, skills and abilities that will have a positive impact on their security and livelihood.
- Mentoring- Many time, we look for mentors to guide us in the right direction. Mentors are typically people who have walked in your shoes and have attained the goals for which you aim. They use examples based on their own experience to guide and direct you.
Each of these areas help people identify their top skills and top weaknesses. They create a vision and leaders help them steer toward it. Leaders help them find ways to breakthrough the weaknesses and amplify those strengths.
However, as I specified earlier we learn from one another. Even leaders want to grow and followers may find themselves in a position to develop their leaders. Servant leadership is also referred to as steering from behind. Followers develop leaders by helping them understand various viewpoints, how to be resilient, and how to find common ground. They, too, can identify their faults and understand how they can become better people and professionals.
