Leadership development never had to be agile in the old days. If the competitive environment changed, there was always time to put together a training program, No more. Today, the demands of a fast-moving business world force leaders to learn and adapt quickly.
We want agile leaders who are agile learners. Jesse Sostrin makes the case in a Strategy+Business article, “A Practical Plan to Become a More Agile Learner.†Here’s the opening paragraph.
“To be ready for change, leaders must learn every day they’re on the job, taking each communication, decision-making event, or problem-solving test as a potential growth experience. By deliberately mining the workday for opportunities to learn, managers can form the good habits that accelerate learning agility and avoid the bad habits that slow it down.”
There are three things you must do to develop agile leaders who are agile learners.
Leadership development and leadership by example
Aspiring leaders need a mental model of agile learning and agile leadership. Senior leaders must model both and voice the expectation that they expect agile leadership.
Leadership development and resources
Agile learning requires resources that leaders can use when they need them. Provide ways for all leaders to find learning resources and knowledgeable peers without help.
Leadership development and action learning
Give aspiring leaders assignments that challenge them. Action learning assignments are great choices. Assign aspiring leaders to teach others what they learned.
