Knowing Is NOT Half The Battle - Especially With Leadership Skill Development

Knowing is not “half the battle”. It’s never been, although this may have sounded like a plausible way of looking at skill development (or anything I suppose). Think about how many things you know about, but lack deep experience at doing. I know about car engine design, but am far from being an expert who could take apart and then reassemble an engine-or modify it to perform better. One doesn’t become a biologist just by reading a book on biology. Just being informed does not translate to being most effective.

With there being at least 67 studied leadership competencies and 24 strengths of character, becoming more effective at influencing requires a mindset of committing to constant focused learning, application, adapting, habit/behavioral change, feedback and development. This involves putting new behaviors into action and taking a risk at times. There’s no simple path to success and certainly no formulaic, cookie cutter, once and done method. There are far too many (millions) of degrees of combinations of those competencies and character strengths that each of us possess as strengths or not, in our own unique way.

We should NEVER put ourselves in a position where we think that a little knowledge can be extrapolated beyond our skill and experience level. Have a formal personal development plan that you check progress on and keep it updated. Journal and celebrate/savor your progress. Find someone who can provide you some mentoring and coaching. Work with someone you respect and who has deep and diverse leadership experiences. Look at your plan everyday and put focus on specific behaviors you want to change. Finally, be a student of leadership development and commit to it being a journey and not just an event.