Teamership: Is it worth investing in developing your leadership?
Leadership development will continue to be a significant priority and investment for leaders, team members and organisations. Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
One study found that leadership development gets about a third of the funding of cancer research globally. That means that leadership development is big business - and apparently pretty important.
I think that there is an opportunity for all of us to consider leadership development and how we can integrate key principles into our work.
For leaders
Leadership development is an important investment for organisations. They don’t do it for hits and giggles. Organisations invest in leadership development because they recognise the value of leadership and growing leadership capacity.
For you as a leader, there is a parallel for your performance and career growth.
If you want to do well in your current role and future roles, then you need to commit to developing yourself as a leader. This can be through organisation sponsored programs, but just as importantly by creating your own leadership development opportunities - often at little to no cost.
You can read books, listen to podcasts, attend events, establish peer networks (inside and outside your organisation) and develop reflective practices that mean that you are giving your development the energy, attention and time that they deserve.
For team members
As a team member, it can feel like leadership - and leadership development - is your boss' job. There is some truth to that, but I would argue that developing as a leader is something that can serve everyone well (irrespective of what the org chart says). Here are a few thoughts about why team members ought to consider their own leadership development:
75% of teams don’t exist on the org chart. That means that even if you haven’t got a reporting line, a lot of the capabilities of leadership will be useful for all of us if you want to get work done in and across organisations. A few I’m thinking about include communication, influence, coaching, thinking strategically and collaboration.
If you aspire to become a leader, then it makes sense to develop the mindsets and skillsets before you are in those roles. It also makes it more likely that others will offer you opportunities on projects that let you flex those muscles.
Leadership is more about mindset than skillset. Taking more of a leadership mindset allows you to be more proactive in your job today and your ongoing career.
For People, Learning and Organisational Development professionals
As I was digging into the research this week, here are a few thoughts that came up for me that I hope stimulate some thinking for you:
Leadership development is always important, but rarely feels urgent (until it’s too late!).
Leadership development done well is a game changer and one of the best investments your organisation can make.
Leadership development done poorly is a career derailer (for you and the leaders in your organisation).
Leadership is about behaviours, not positions on the org chart.
Investing in leaders is a lever that can amplify the performance of people across your organisation.
Leadership development will continue to be a significant priority and investment for leaders, team members and organisations. It is worth taking approaches informed by evidence to give yourself the best chance of significant return on investment.
Here are a few things to consider this week:
How is leadership development important in your role?
Are there ways that you can get a better return on your investment in leadership development?