The Positive Impacts of Developing Leadership Skills

Even once you have reached a leadership position, you are not done developing yourself. Leaders are lifelong learners. Continuously investing in and developing one’s leadership skills will yield positive results for the leader, those that follow them, and the organization itself.

When you demonstrate the importance of this continuous development, you are setting the tone for a culture of excellence. You cannot expect from others what you are not willing to do yourself, so when you prioritize your personal and professional growth, it encourages your employees to do the same. Developing your leadership skills can be done in numerous ways. This might mean that you read at least one business book a month, you regularly attend seminars on effective leadership, listen to professional development podcasts, watch business videos, work with a personal coach, or anything else that helps you grow as an individual.

We often hear the saying, “You’re only as strong as your weakest link,” and while that may be true in many circumstances, I would argue that an organization is only as strong as its leadership. After all, the number one reason people leave is because of their boss or their boss’s boss. That’s why it’s so crucial to develop your leadership and supervisory teams. Effective leadership drives organizational success.

I want you to think of a time when you worked for someone who was a great leader– someone who cared about your success and invested time and energy into their relationships with their employees. It was likely much easier to come into work knowing that you had a leader who strived to do and be better every day, and I would venture to guess it pushed you to improve yourself as well.

Now think of a time when you worked for someone who was a terrible leader– someone who put their own needs first, thought they were always right, and put others down. I would imagine that relationship was not as solid as the one you had with the great leader. Working for a bad leader can diminish productivity and employee morale, leading to a poor work environment and poor retention.

Between those two types of leaders, which one would you like to be? If you want to be a great leader, focus on developing your leadership skills daily. Gradual improvements can make dramatic changes in an organization, and it starts with you taking that initiative.

-Meghan Slaughter