National Learning Institute

Developing leadership

Leading is the one aspect that sets really good managers apart from the ordinary

When you have "arrived" as a leader, your people will do things for you because of who you are, not what you are.

Once you have been in the role 12 months, ask yourself; "Would people do this for me if I were not their manager?" If you can answer "Yes", then you have made it!

Tips for developing leadership . . .

• Hold regular team meetings.
• Meetings should always be 80% future oriented and 20% past. i.e. most of the meeting should be discussing what we are going to do, not what has happened.
• At each meeting:
  • Update the team on what is happening outside the team.
  • Promote discussion on what the team can do to meet its goals.
  • Ask for suggestions on how the team can maintain harmony and work better together. Give praise.
• Look to provide opportunities to give people more responsibility, particularly freedom to make their own decisions.
• Provide an update on how you see the team as a whole performing and yourself as a manager – be humble and admit mistakes.

For further reading see "Leadership" and for more resources check out the "Recommended Books" section of this website.