Leadership development is learning and much more. Effective development converts learning into understanding and acting. But wait, there’s more. Learning and acting and getting feedback and reflecting must reinforce each other.
Mike Taylor’s post, “Instead of Microlearning, it Should Be Micro-doing†started that line of reflection. Mike’s post is great, but it’s only about one part of leadership development. The parts are important, but effective development is about growth.
Leadership development is more than learning
Aspiring leaders have a lot to learn and many ways to learn. Then they must convert that learning into doing. Mike’s article is about how that can happen.
Learning and doing is not the end of development. It’s the beginning. A developing leader must get feedback on what he or she did. Then reflection deepens a leader’s understanding of what’s working and what’s not and what must change. Effective leadership development is about learning and doing and then learning more and doing more. The cycle doesn’t end.
Peers and coaches and mentors help. They can help a developing leader find the right learning and the right pace.
Leadership development is about human growth
The best leaders I’ve seen up close are more than lifelong learners. They work hard every day to get better. They suck up learning from many sources. Then they convert that learning into action. Action generates experience and fuels reflection.
