Defining Leadership Development

leadership development

Defining Leadership Development: The Technical Definition

According to BusinessDictionary, defining leadership development is as follows:
“Teaching of leadership qualities, including communication, ability to motivate others, and management, to an individual to an individual who may or may not use the learned skills in a leadership position.

However, this definition does not cover all of what leadership development must encompass.

What is Missing?

Simply offering or encouraging leadership training only marginally addresses leadership development. Often, growth comes to a halt when the training stops. In essence, this becomes problematic because, after all, training itself is merely a beginning.

Putting it Together

Although leadership development includes training, leadership development is an iterative process. Process is key. Essentially, an efficient leadership development process should include all of the following procedures:

  • Assess team members
  • Take action (seminars, workshops, activities, etc.)
  • Provide development time, encourage actual growth
  • Reassess team members (validation) and repeat

Specialists in the field of Emotional Intelligence label this an integrated solution for creating sustainable behavioral change.*

integrated solution

Defining Leadership Development with Emotional Intelligence

Assessment

When it comes to organizational leadership, emotional intelligence takes precedence. After all, the leader sets the tone for team collaboration and productivity. In fact, research points to emotional intelligence as the #1 factor characterizing leadership that effectively enables teammates to fully engage and achieve superior business impact.

Action

Following assessment, comes action. This action can be as complex as a dedicated seminar or as simple as a group activity. Of course, the goal of action is decisive reaction – or growth. In short, emotional intelligence is integral to skill building.

Development Time

Intentional focus on development integrates practical application of new skills. Accordingly, our goal is to facilitate increases in emotional intelligence as employees gain critical experience applying the skills. Emotional intelligence supports psychological safety which, in turn, fosters innovation, creativity, engagement, and job satisfaction.

Reassess and Repeat

Validation is the final iterative step. Much like the initial assessment, we reevaluate specific skills and analyze the results in direct relation to growth. When facilitated with expertise, the process perpetuates a seamless repetition of growth and development.

Workplace trust, or psychological safety, is the number-one factor at work on successful teams. Everyone on the team plays an important part in supporting the team’s culture of trust, but it’s the leader who sets the tone. An expert leadership development process helps build action-oriented leaders, ready to enhance team success and execute company strategy.

*BlueEQ™

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