Last month I touched on the fact that we are all leaders and how our actions and responses influence the world around us. This month I would like to touch on developing our leadership habits.

The amount of material on leadership development is staggering, and yet, the question remains, if we have access to all this material, why is there a suffrage of good leadership?

In order to develop leadership (or any new skill), you need three things: A plan, a defined course of study with measurable progress, and finally, accountability.

Finding material on leadership is relatively easy. The challenge isn’t a lack of availability of knowledge; it’s knowing how to implement the knowledge in a way that becomes habitual.

A few years ago, I had to make some significant changes in my life. These changes didn’t necessarily involve learning new material. The challenge was understanding how to put the information together to form a manageable plan and embrace new patterns of living. As I embarked on this journey of lifestyle change it was stated. “You’re not going to change overnight, but implementing small manageable changes over time, you will see results.” This program, facilitated by a handful of people ensured I stayed with the plan and I’m happy to report that so far, I’ve stayed on track!

I believe the critical component of developing our leadership is accountability. Who is going to walk with you as you wrestle with new ways of thinking and how to approach your responsibilities? This is often the missing ingredient in most leadership development programs. We all need someone to help us stay on track, be a sounding board, and celebrate with us as positive change becomes evident in the way we lead.

If you would like to learn more about how you can develop your leadership skills, or those of your team, I’d be more than happy to speak with you.

Lowell Harder
lowell.harder@crestcom.com | 403.479.9582

Working with good people to build productive, successful teams