How Do You Acquire Leadership Skills? (Part II)

In Part I of this post we discussed three options for developing leadership skills: job shadowing, reading books (self learning) and online resources/blogs/portals/newsletters. In this post we will cover 6 other options for developing new or enhancing current leadership skills, some are also considered self-learning options.

If you know of other options, or have some variation on one of the options discussed in Part I or in this post, please share with others in the Comment field below.

Attending Conferences/Joining Associations or Groups

There are numerous conferences that provide a great opportunity to hear about current and future trends, hear what other organizations are doing, learn new skills, and network with others. Two examples are the Leadership Summit and the annual Leadership Conference hosted by the Conference Board. You might also find some valuable sessions to attend at the CLO Forum for developing your leadership skills and making important contacts.

There are groups focused on specific areas of focus such as the Society for Human Resource Management. ASTD membership provides access to many resources on leadership skills development. If you are a project manager you would want to join the local PMI® Chapter or, if a Business Analyst, join the local IIBA® Chapter. These memberships will provide you with access to workshops, chapter meetings, speaker sessions, and the ability to network and learn from others.

There are undoubtedly many other conferences, association and groups that will provide opportunities to enhance your leadership skills and learn from others. What others have you attended, joined, or heard of? Please share in the Comments field below.

Webinars/Podcasts/Webcasts

Webinars, podcasts and webcasts are frequently offered by various training organizations and associations and may offer the opportunity to learn a new skill or enhance a current skill. These are sometimes offered at no cost or for a nominal fee. These webinars may offer you the opportunity learn a new skill. For example, The American Management Association offer webinars, podcasts, and webcasts for a nominal fee. CLO Magazine offers podcasts on a variety of learning and skills development topics.
Likely many of the associations/groups will also offer similar options you can take advantage of to increase your leadership skills and knowledge. These may be offered at no or very low cost to members. Certainly, they may provide a cost-effective (especially if it is free!) option for developing and enhancing your leadership skills.

Networking Sites

There are numerous networking sites, such as LinkedIn, Twitter and FaceBook to share information with others and find guidance in developing skills. There are leadership groups (“twibes”) on Twitter (for example, #leadership, #management, #vistage) and on FaceBook (search “leadership” for various group options). There are also leadership groups on LinkedIn such as Linked2Leadership or First Oyster Leadership, plus many others!

Two other networking sites I have heard mentioned but, frankly, don’t know much about are:

• MeettheBoss: business networking tool for business executives around the world, across all vertical industries
• Ryze.com: a free social networking website designed to link business professionals, particularly new entrepreneurs

These networking sites are worth checking out – you may find a real gem. Search on the Internet for other social networking sites that may be relevant for you.

These networking sites provide you with a vast array of connections from a variety of backgrounds and industries. I know individuals who have found their mentor on LinkedIn – someone who is working with them to help them continue to develop their skills and grow professionally. LinkedIn groups are a good way to find a coach – you might post a discussion topic on how to do an effective performance review through a relevant group and find many individuals to coach you on the process, providing advice and support.

On-the-Job (“sink or swim”)

Let’s face it, sometimes we are just put in a position where we have to adapt quickly! You may be put in a leadership role on a project because the project manager unexpectedly quit. Or you may have to take on additional responsibilities to make up for a lack of resources within a department due to layoffs or restructuring. Possibly you put yourself intentionally in such a position. Nothing wrong with that! Maybe you decided to take the initiative to evaluate a current business process that just doesn’t seem to be as effective as it can or should be. You might decide to approach the executive team and ask for their support in pulling together a team for you to lead to evaluate and recommend and implement improvements to the process.

In any of these examples you will have to hone your leadership skills to be effective and get the job done. How do you evaluate how you performed when the job is done? What measurements did you set? Was it successful in your opinion? Did you learn something? Ask others their thoughts on your performance. What did you do well? What could you improve upon?

Mentor

A mentor is defined in Wikipedia as “a trusted friend, counselor or teacher, usually a more experienced person.” Many individuals take on a mentor to help guide them as they grow professionally. For some organizations, mentoring is a formal relationship and high potential employees are provided mentors to guide and help them develop to eventually move into a leadership role within the organization. It is part of the leadership development plan. The mentor acts as a sounding board and provides advice to the mentee. The mentor should have experience and be in a leadership role within an organization (not necessarily the same organization) – this provides the mentee with someone who can show him/her the ropes and assist the mentee as he/she develops the skills necessary to move into a leadership role.

Coach

Coaching is defined in Wikipedia as “a method of directing, instructing and training a person or group of people, with the aim to achieve some goal or develop specific skills.”

I have heard the terms mentor and coach interchanged. I differentiate between the two terms. Mentors tend to be longer term relationships, and coaches may be a shorter duration relationship. For example, an individual may choose a coach to help guide them through a particular situation – such as a difficult upcoming negotiation, possibly for a new job and higher salary. They may choose a mentor to help them move from a management role to an executive role within a specified time period that they have set as a goal.

Summary

These are some ways to increase your skills through some other method besides taking a training class. Some will work better than others. Depending on how you best learn, you may find that some of these options would not work as well for you. Others may work well if they are combined with something else. For example, you may choose to first read about how to manage a team effectively, then follow up with a team leadership class. Or, maybe you take a class in negotiation and then find a coach to help prepare you for your first negotiation session.

Think about what works more effectively for you based on:

• How you learn best
• The depth of knowledge required for your particular role
• Your future goals/objectives
• The amount of time/money you have to invest in the development effort

Can you think of other options? Are there particular options that have worked better for you than others? Please share your thoughts in the Comments field below.

Next topic: How Do You Make Sure the Training “Sticks?”