Learning Leadership

Picture this: you're sitting in a meeting, watching your manager struggle to make a decision that affects the entire team. You have ideas, you see solutions, but you hold back, thinking "I'm not the leader here." Sound familiar? Here's the truth that might surprise you: leadership isn't reserved for those with corner offices or impressive titles. It's not a gene you're born with or without. Every single day, you have opportunities to lead, to make a difference, to guide others toward something better.

The reality is that organizations everywhere are facing a leadership crisis. Studies show that 86 percent of respondents believe there's a leadership shortage in our world today, yet the solution isn't about finding more "natural-born leaders." It's about recognizing that leadership is a learnable set of skills and behaviors that anyone can develop. The question isn't whether you have what it takes to lead; it's whether you're ready to unlock the leadership potential that already exists within you. Your journey to becoming an exemplary leader begins with understanding five fundamental principles that can transform how you see yourself and how others see you.

Leadership begins with a fundamental shift in how you see yourself. Too many talented individuals never step into leadership roles because they've bought into the myth that leaders are simply born different. They believe leadership requires some special DNA, a charismatic personality, or a particular background that they don't possess. This limiting belief becomes an invisible barrier that stops people from even trying to develop their leadership capabilities.

Consider Jane Blake, a state government administrator who worked for twenty years believing she was "just a mother, grandmother, and coal miner's daughter." Jane felt intimidated by her MBA classmates who held military or management positions. She had created a narrative about herself that limited her possibilities until she realized that leadership isn't about where you come from or what title you hold. Jane's transformation began when she recognized that maybe someone like her could indeed be a leader. This shift in self-perception opened up entirely new possibilities for her career and impact.

The first step in your leadership journey is conducting what we call the "mirror test." When you look in the mirror, do you see someone capable of leading and making a positive difference? Your answer to this question will determine whether you even attempt to develop your leadership skills. Research consistently shows that people who believe in their ability to learn and grow are significantly more likely to put in the sustained effort required for improvement.

Start each day by telling yourself, "Who I am, what I do, and how I do it make a difference." This isn't empty positive thinking; it's recognizing the truth that you already have the capacity to influence others positively. Every conversation you have, every decision you make, every action you take ripples outward and affects those around you. The question isn't whether you can lead, but whether you believe you can lead. That belief becomes the foundation upon which all your leadership development will build.

True leadership emerges from a deep understanding of what matters most to you. Without clear values, you become like a ship without a compass, changing direction with every wind. Leaders who inspire others don't just know what they want to accomplish; they understand why it matters and can articulate the principles that guide their decisions. This clarity becomes magnetic, drawing others who share similar aspirations.

Take the story of West Point cadets studied over decades of military service. Researchers discovered that those who entered the academy with internal motivations like "desire to serve my country" and "personal self-development" significantly outperformed those driven by external rewards like better job prospects or higher salaries. Even more surprising, cadets with both internal and external motivations performed worse than those driven primarily by values-based reasons. This research reveals a powerful truth: the missionaries consistently outperform the mercenaries.

Developing your leadership vision requires looking beyond your current circumstances to imagine what could be possible. Start by getting comfortable with being uncomfortable about the future. Take time each day to stop the constant motion, turn off the devices, and simply observe what's happening around you. The best leaders aren't fortune tellers; they're keen observers of the present who can spot patterns, unmet needs, and emerging possibilities that others miss.

Your vision must extend beyond personal success to encompass something larger than yourself. People don't follow leaders just to help them achieve their individual goals; they follow leaders who can help them realize shared aspirations. Spend time understanding what motivates the people around you, what they hope for, what they worry about, and what gives their work meaning. When you can connect your values and vision with theirs, you create the foundation for extraordinary collective achievement.

Every personal best leadership story shares one common element: challenge. Not a single person describes their finest leadership moment as maintaining the status quo or doing things exactly as they'd always been done. Leadership emerges in moments when you venture into uncharted territory, tackle problems you've never faced before, or push yourself beyond your current level of comfort and competence.

Don Bennett provides a powerful example of turning challenge into opportunity. After becoming the first amputee to climb Mount Rainier on one leg and two poles, Don was watching his son shoot basketball when the ball kept bouncing around. Unable to bend over and pick it up, Don started kicking the ball back to his son. That simple act sparked an inspiration: "We can ski on one leg. Why can't we play soccer with one leg?" Don didn't know much about soccer, but he called some friends and said, "Meet me with your crutches and leave your artificial legs at home. I have an idea." That willingness to experiment with something completely new eventually led to the creation of the Amputee Soccer League.

The key to benefiting from challenges is adopting a learner's mindset. When you try new things, you won't get them right the first time. In fact, if you're not making mistakes, you're probably not learning anything new. Think of failure as feedback, not as a verdict on your capabilities. Every setback teaches you something valuable that you can apply to your next attempt. The mantra of successful leaders is simple: try, fail, learn, repeat.

Remember that learning curves aren't straight lines. When you take on stretch assignments or develop new skills, your performance often drops initially before it improves. This temporary dip is normal and necessary. Don't let it discourage you from continuing to push your boundaries. Each challenge you embrace builds your confidence and expands your capacity to handle even greater challenges in the future.

The myth of the self-made leader is just that—a myth. Every person who has achieved excellence in any field, from athletics to the arts to leadership, has had coaches, mentors, teachers, and supporters who helped them along the way. Yet while athletes openly credit their coaches and training teams, business leaders rarely acknowledge the help they received in developing their leadership capabilities. This reluctance to seek and acknowledge support actually limits their continued growth.

Benjamin Bloom's research on 120 elite performers across various fields revealed that regardless of initial talent or gifts, none reached extreme levels of capability without intensive encouragement, nurturing, education, and training from others. The active support of families, teachers, coaches, and mentors proved crucial at every step of their journey to excellence. This finding applies equally to leadership development: you cannot become the best leader you can be without the help and support of others.

The process of getting better at leadership requires deliberate practice, not just experience. Simply being in leadership roles doesn't automatically make you better at leading, just as playing golf every weekend doesn't necessarily improve your game. Deliberate practice involves setting specific improvement goals, using designed methods for development, getting regular feedback, and maintaining intense focus during practice sessions. This might mean turning your regular meetings into practice grounds for better listening skills, or partnering with a colleague to provide mutual feedback and accountability.

Don't hesitate to ask for help. Research shows that people consistently underestimate others' willingness to provide assistance and advice. In fact, asking for advice actually increases others' perception of your competence, particularly when you're tackling difficult challenges. Surround yourself with people who care about your success and are willing to give you honest feedback about your progress. These relationships become invaluable sources of support, learning, and opportunity throughout your leadership journey.

Becoming an exemplary leader isn't a destination you reach and then maintain without effort. It's a daily practice that requires consistent commitment and continuous learning. The best leaders understand that leadership is like physical fitness—you must work at it regularly to stay in shape and improve over time. This means making learning leadership a daily habit, not something you do occasionally when you have extra time.

Harry Kraemer, former CEO of Baxter International, exemplifies this commitment to daily practice. For over 35 years, he has spent 15 to 30 minutes each day reflecting on his experiences, asking himself what went well, what didn't, what he learned, and how he can improve going forward. This daily habit of reflection and learning has been a cornerstone of his success as a leader. He didn't wait until he became CEO to start this practice; he began as a junior analyst and has continued throughout his career.

The key to sustaining your leadership development is making meaningful progress every day, even in small ways. Research shows that people feel most energized and engaged when they can see daily progress on work that matters to them. This progress principle applies perfectly to leadership development. Each day, find at least one small way to practice a leadership skill, help someone else grow, or learn something new about effective leadership.

Your commitment to becoming a better leader must be visible and difficult to reverse. Tell others about your leadership development goals, ask for their help in keeping you accountable, and create structures that make it hard to abandon your growth efforts. Use active questions each day to assess your progress: "Did I do my best to remain positive about my abilities today? Did I do my best to challenge and stretch myself today?" This daily self-questioning creates a habit of continuous improvement that compounds over time into significant leadership growth.

The journey to becoming an exemplary leader begins with a fundamental truth: you already have the capacity to lead. Leadership isn't reserved for a chosen few; it's a set of learnable skills and behaviors available to anyone willing to develop them. The five fundamentals we've explored provide your roadmap: believe in your potential, aspire to excellence through clear values and vision, challenge yourself to grow continuously, engage the support of others, and commit to lifelong daily practice.

As the research reveals, "The best leaders are the best learners. They have a growth mindset. They believe that they are capable of learning and growing throughout their lives." This truth should fill you with hope and determination because it means that no matter where you are today, you can become a better leader tomorrow. Your leadership journey isn't about waiting for permission or the perfect moment; it's about taking the first step and then another and another. Start today by choosing one small leadership action you can take, one person you can help, or one skill you can begin developing. The world needs the unique contribution that only you can make as a leader.