What are the best ways to develop leadership skills in adult learners?

Forget your weaknesses. Focus on your strengths. Why? It's like paying attention to the heckler when the rest of the audience is supporting you. Spending time shoring up your weaknesses can take years. Leaning into strengths creates results.

Starting from a position of identification of the strengths of an individual can increase the readiness to learn and move forward. By assessing those areas where the competencies are high and which behaviors have been supporting and enhancing the role function and performance of the individual, it becomes a natural progression to build upon what is working best and the next step then is to start managing and letting go of those behaviors which do not serve or support the performance.

You can't measure transformation unless you know you have both "before" and "after" state. An assessment before coaching gives us the "before" state of the learner. 1) It helps us not just identify the strengths and weaknesses but also those most important one or two areas that need to be focused upon to create an overall positive ripple effect. 2) It helps us design a customized path which is in alignment with how the learner is as a person. 3) It helps to keep the coaching process scientific by helping us objectively measure the ROI of work done.

Assessing the strengths and gaps is a pivotal first step in cultivating effective leadership skills. Understanding their existing competencies provides a solid foundation. In my experience, this involves conducting comprehensive assessments, such as 360-degree feedback, personality assessments is a good way to start. I would recommend the Gallup StrengthsFinder 2.0. This holistic approach not only highlighted the individual's strengths but also uncovered blind spots and areas for improvement. This awareness became a catalyst for targeted skill development and personal growth. Remember, a thorough assessment sets the stage for personalized leadership development tailored to individual needs and aspirations.

Get coaching. There is no better way to learn and a master a skill than walking side-by-side with someone who: 1. Is an expert in the field. 2. Traveled the same path you are starting. 3. Has a proven track record of success.

The next crucial step is setting SMART goals — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. I've found that establishing clear objectives provides adult learners with a roadmap for their leadership journey. If you want to succeed, it is important to add intentions, and defining your WHY can also be very useful. These SMART goals served as beacons, guiding learners through focused efforts and ensuring tangible progress. Whether enhancing communication skills, decision-making, or adaptability, SMART goals provide a structured approach to leadership skill development.

If you can’t say your goal as SMART- that’s not a goal, that’s just a dream or wish ;) “I wanna earn a lot of money”- is it goal or wish ? “Next year I am planning to earn $1million expanding business to new markets” - is it goal or dream ? I am sure you see the difference;)

Your first goal should be to get experience. Programs don't develop leaders. Experiences do. If you are in a program, make sure it is predominantly experiential learning.

Many suggestions point to things you can be ‘doing’ to sharpen your skills, but leadership also requires ‘being’. Being present in the moment and practicing mindfulness, being flexible and adaptable to dynamic change, being mentally and emotionally agile, being bold, decisive, courageous, instinctive or daring are all leadership characteristics and skills that develop over time with experiences that stretch outside of one’s comfort zone. Being open to unconventional wisdom and trusting one’s intuition is essential. Being caring, kind, collaborative are marks of great leaders. Embracing the distinction between doing’ and ‘being’ is an important step towards growing leadership skills and expanding personal development.

To truly nurture leadership skills in adult learners, it's essential to provide them with relevant resources and opportunities tailored to their developmental needs. This involves creating a supportive environment that offers access to tools, training, and experiences aligned with their goals and personality. In my experience, I've observed that diverse source of learning provide better results (workshops, online courses, and exposure to real-world leadership scenarios). For instance, as part of a leadership development program, we introduced a mentorship initiative pairing learners with seasoned leaders in their respective fields. Remember, leadership is not just about theoretical knowledge; it is an Art and a Skill.

Not all resources are helpful. Why? Because each of us has a unique learning style. Some people will swallow books whole, while others prefer to learn by doing. As adult learners we can be bold and step into the resources and learning opportunities which match how we learn. This makes learning new things far easier. Spending quality time with people already in a role which we're attracted to will provide us with a first-hand learning opportunity. Again let's be bold! Ask not only obvious questions but curious questions too. In this way we stand out from the crowd. Let's ask questions from the heart (e.g. "What does it feel like to be in this role?") as well as from the head. Visualise, imagine being already in the role you desire.

Opportunities are everything. Programs don't develop leaders. Experiences do. That means practice, role play, experiential learning, shadowing, temporary assignments, presentations, and assisting all do more to develop a leader than consuming information.

As the saying goes “experience is the greatest teacher” and the more adult students realize the potential of said experiences, they will be able to use them as a tool for academic success. Nothing like an aha moment in class for an adult student as they connect the dots between their experiences and theory to fuel scholarly achievement!

Constructive feedback is the compass that guides leadership development. It's crucial to offer feedback that not only identifies areas for improvement but also highlights strengths. The key is to create a feedback loop that promotes continuous growth and dialogue. In my journey, I've found that constructive feedback, when delivered effectively, acts as a catalyst for improvement. One approach is the 'feedback sandwich', where constructive criticism is framed between positive affirmations. For example, acknowledging effective communication skills, providing specific areas of improvement, and closing with encouragement and support. The goal is not just to point out flaws but to inspire and guide learners toward their leadership potential.

Develop leadership is a paced work, adult learners need to increase self awareness, develop a positive mi dear and focus at first on others.

Il me semble important que nous répétions que le leadership n'est pas le management d'équipe. Un bon leader pourra stimuler tout un secteur d'une entreprise, une entreprise ou même un secteur d'activités. Toutefois, le management fait appel à d'autres compétences. Ainsi un bon chef d'entreprise peut se révéler un manageur médiocre. Mais je suis convaincu qu'il saura bien s'entourer !

I agree@ Dr. Gbemisola, learning what your leadership style is definitely the first step. Once you know what your style is, then I would suggest purchasing a book or two that will teach about the strengths and weaknesses of your style and how to enhance yourself from a leadership perspective. Lastly, realize that this journey never ends.

"No se sale líder de un curso de liderazgo" (MHC) Si bien el conocimiento es la mayor competencia, y está implícito en todas las demás (sobre todo en las "competencias duras") Las competencias relacionales como el liderazgo, y las evolutivas como el pensamiento crítico y la creatividad, por más que se enseñen, NO SE TRANSFIEREN, por el contrario, se descubren, se desarrollan y se fortalecen en cada persona Y si a eso se le agrega que el verdadero liderazgo ES UN CATALIZADOR DE LA CULTURA, que es DISTINTO de sus tres falacias: i) Conjunto de atributos de una persona ii) Esquema jerárquico entre personas, y iii) Estrategia extrínseca para empoderar Lo que se ha de potenciar es el Auto-Conocimiento y el Re-Conocimiento del otro como Par

One of the best ways to develop adult learners is to first learn from their experience. The adults need a wide listening space. Their life experience itself would have a lot to say about their own learning modes and methods. Someone who is vested to develop leadership skills in adults should use these experiences effectively to put the learning methodology in place.