During the past year I interviewed 30-plus leaders from different industries, sectors, countries and in various stages of their careers. My goal was to understand how people learn to lead. By answering the question of "how good leaders learn" and not simply "what makes a good leader," I hoped to discover important insights into how management educators and organizations alike can help people to become good leaders. Equally important, I wanted to show the next generation of leaders and current leaders some of the paths they can take to develop or enhance the leadership qualities vital to their continuing success. The results of the interviews will appear in the forthcoming book Good Leaders Learn.
Not surprisingly, all of the leaders I interviewed for this book agreed that good leadership can be learned. Many of the leaders started down the path to leadership when they were very young. It was equally clear that many leaders believe that learning to lead is an ongoing process. You cannot wait for a major disaster or a significant promotion to learn about leadership.
Through those interviews I learned that there are no silver bullets, or a single pathway forward, to becoming a leader. The fact is that different leaders learn to lead along different pathways. Since their experiences and careers are so diverse and wide-ranging, the leaders interviewed for the book Good Leaders Learn underscore this fact. Nevertheless, the journeys of these leaders share several elements in common. The conversations revealed 10 clear pathways for learning to lead:
- Performing, or excelling in a role;
- Risking, or taking chances to lead and to learn;
- Stretching, or going beyond one's own personal comfort zone;
- Learning, or taking the time to reflect on past events to discern the lessons they offer;
- Self-awareness, or deliberately seeking to know one's personal strengths and weaknesses;
- Trusting, or relying on one's abilities and those of others to build a reputation of being trustworthy
- Adapting, or the ability to act in different situations in the appropriate way;
- Mentoring, or learning from other leaders and role models to develop as a leader;
- Observing, or watching others and oneself to better understand events and situations; and
- Integrating, or having the capacity to see and understand the "big picture."
Every leader I met was driven to produce results. They relished taking calculated risks and pushing beyond their comfort zones. Mistakes in this crowd are seen as opportunities to learn by people well aware of their strengths and weaknesses. The leaders I met value trust. They are prepared to adapt in "one size does not fit all" situations. In order to develop, they seek out mentors and constantly learn by observing others. They look at an entire organization, seeking to understand how the parts fit together as well as how the sum of all the parts fit in the world.
The following are brief explanations of each of these 10 pathways, together with a short video segment from the interviews. I elaborate on these pathways in the book. The leaders reveal how these pathways helped them to learn to lead or to lead more effectively. And I highlight the implications of each pathway for learning to lead and offer advice to the next generation of leaders on how they can learn to become good leaders.
1. Performing
To be a leader, you must prove that you can perform at a high level. Superior performance serves as the platform from which leaders can grow and develop. Executives and managers assign leadership opportunities to certain employees because they believe these employees have potential. As these employees excel in new roles and develop a good track record, they gain self-confidence in their abilities to lead. [Lieutenant General (ret.) Russel L. Honoré]
2. Risking
Leaders learn by recognizing and seizing opportunities to learn and then rising to meet the challenge. They push to get the experiences that will help them to develop their competencies - people, organizational, business and strategic - and their character. They may fail at times, but that does not discourage them from reflecting on their mistakes, setting goals for improvement, and then trying again. [Rahul Bhardwaj CEO Toronto Community Foundation]
3. Stretching
Leaders stretch. They have a personal plan and are committed to mastering the critical dimensions of leadership - competencies, character and commitment - that will make them better leaders. They are never complacent. Leaders are willing to step out of their comfort zone. They do things that others are reluctant to do. [Eileen Mercier Chair Ontario Teachers Pension Plan]
4. Learning
Good leaders take the time to continually learn and refine their leadership skills. They step back and reflect on their successes and failures. They are never complacent about learning, whether it's their own learning or the learning of the team or organization they lead. And often, good leaders are candid about their own limitations and what they need to do to become better leaders. [Charles Brindamour CEO Intact Financial Corporation]
5. Self-awareness
Good leaders are self-aware. They understand what motivates them and what drains them. They can tell you about their strengths and weaknesses. They are aware of their blind spots. They understand the impact their behaviour has on the environment and the impact the environment has on them. They take time to calibrate their perceptions and feelings. They are mindful of their thoughts, values, motives, and emotions. [Chaviva Hosek former CEO Canadian Institute For Advanced Research]
6. Trusting
Leaders truly understand the importance of trust. First, they trust themselves to make and then execute well-considered decisions. Self-trust is critical to dealing with the curveballs that life dishes out. Second, leaders learn to trust others. Leaders must be prepared to cede control to others because they cannot possibly be in control of all activities. Third, leaders must be perceived as trustworthy. To be effective, leaders need to ensure that their followers trust them to do the right thing. [Amit Chakma President and Vice-Chancellor Western University]
7. Adapting
Leadership is contextual; and the context in which leaders lead is ever changing, sometimes rapidly and unexpectedly. Good leaders recognize the relevant issues in different situations and match their leadership approach to each situation's specific demands. No one leadership approach or behaviour is effective in all situations. Good leaders are open to new experiences and over time they master a repertoire of behavioural approaches to lead under divergent situations. [Charles Brindamour CEO Intact Financial Corporation]
8. Mentoring
Most of the leaders I interviewed talked about how they had benefited from the guidance of mentors - individuals who helped them to learn and develop as a leader. Mentors provide a sounding board for leaders. [Carol Stephenson Dean Ivey Business School]
9. Observing
Leaders learn about leadership by watching the behaviour of other leaders. They observe how others handle challenging situations. They reflect on the behaviours of others, mindful of the consequences of these behaviours. They learn from the mistakes of other leaders. And they learn from their successes as well, modeling the effective behaviours they observe and practicing these behaviours until they are mastered. [Michael Shindler Executive Vice President Hotel and Casinos Hard Rock Café]
10. Integrating
Leaders go through distinct changes in their roles or functions. For example, good leaders are promoted, often moving from one area of the organization to another. Or, they may lead a major change initiative in their own department, which has an impact on all departments within the enterprise. These experiences help leaders to see and appreciate the bigger picture. This capacity to understand the whole and how its parts are integrated is critical to good leadership. [Barbara Stymiest Chair BlackBerry]
I believe that all of the leaders I interviewed, at some point in their careers or to varying degrees, used these 10 pathways to help them learn to lead. From our conversations, I know that all of them feel compelled to perform and produce results. I also sensed that many relished taking a risk, knowing that the bigger the risk, the more rewards it would bring. They liked stretching their boundaries, pushing themselves forward to test their abilities. They weren't afraid to make mistakes or to seek feedback because they saw these as opportunities to learn and improve. They also seemed self-aware with a deep understanding of their motivations, likes and dislikes. They appreciate the importance of trust. They know how to adapt to different circumstances, cognizant of the fact that "one size does not fit all" in every situation. Each leader also told me about their mentors and how much they valued their advice and guidance. They shared with me how they learned by observing others in action. They spoke to the importance of looking at your entire organization, how its different parts fit together and its place in the world.
And although I didn't ask this question during these interviews, many of the leaders told me that they really enjoyed learning. In fact, it was clear to me that these leaders are passionate about learning, even if they didn't overtly express that passion. Overall, I believe that their drive to excel through learning is what makes them good leaders.