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Well, what do leading minds in the study of leadership suggest? Warren Bennis, who is widely regarded as a pioneer of the contemporary field of Leadership research, put it this way, “Leadership is like beauty- it’s hard to define, but you know it when you see it!”. In Peter Northouse’s landmark publication, Leadership Theory and Practice, he defines leadership as “a process whereby an individual influences others to achieve a common goal”. And world-renowned leadership expert, John Maxwell, famously simplified this to "Influence! Nothing more, nothing less."
So, if leadership is all about influence, the critical question for you as a leader is- how influential are you?
Warren Bennis warned that "The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born -- that there is a genetic factor to leadership. That's nonsense!" Scholarly consensus suggests that leaders are both born and made, with research suggesting leadership is approximately one-third born (innate traits) and two-thirds made (skill development and experience). While some individuals are born with natural inclinations such as self-confidence and charisma, effective leadership is primarily acquired through experience, training, and deliberate effort. In Psychology Today, leadership scholar Ronald Riggio, says this, “This is the most basic and most often-asked question about leadership. To cut to the chase, the answer is: mostly made.” Although people possess varying amounts of aptitude to lead, their skills can be improved through learning, coaching and practice. This is the rationale for the establishment of leadership schools such as -- Plato's Academy, 387 BC; Aristotle's Lyceum, 355 BC; Oxford University, AD 1117; Harvard University, AD 1636; as well as over 2,000 corporate universities found in business, industry, and government. Mahatma Gandhi once said, "A sign of a good leader is not how many followers you have, but how many leaders you create".
So, as a leader, are you focused on ‘making’ more followers or leaders?
Leadership development is the intentional, ongoing process of enhancing an individual’s skills, behaviors, and mindset to lead effectively. It involves practices and strategies designed to improve skills like communication, decision-making, strategic thinking, and emotional intelligence. The goal is to build leaders who can inspire teams, drive organizational goals, manage change, and foster a positive culture. It is a cornerstone of organizational performance that fosters individual and collective growth and aligns leaders’ efforts with strategic goals, prepares employees for future leadership roles, and improves overall team productivity. A recent report by the World Economic Forum projects leadership to be among the fastest-growing workplace skills. Helping current and future leaders refine their leadership styles and practices may include formal training, 360-degree feedback, coaching, mentoring, action learning projects, workshops and on-the-job experiences. Key aspects of effective leadership development include communication, decision-making, adaptability, strategic thinking and emotional intelligence.
What are you doing to develop your own leadership and others in your organization or business?
Peter Drucker, considered to be the father of modern management, said that "Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes." Becoming a more effective leader means shifting from merely managing tasks to inspiring, empowering, and influencing others to achieve shared goals. It involves developing high emotional intelligence, fostering a culture of trust and accountability, and clearly articulating a vision while adapting to challenges. Effective leaders focus on fostering a positive, inclusive environment where team members feel supported, engaged, and aligned with a purpose beyond just daily tasks.
Are you an effective leader? How do you know?
John Maxwell said “As a leader, the first person that I need to lead is me. The first person that I should try to change is me.” Reflecting on how you see yourself as a leader is the first step in an ongoing process of constantly heightening self-awareness. Reflective leaders know how they got where they are and where they want to be. They have a clear sense of their key leadership strengths and potential areas for development. The Canadian College of Health Leaders states that ‘Leading Self’ means that a leader is self-aware, manages self and develops self. They are aware of their own assumptions, values, principles, strengths, and limitations and they take responsibility for their own performance. They actively seek opportunities and challenges for personal learning, character building, and growth.
When was the last time that you really reflected on who you are as a leader?
Once you know who you are as a leader, it’s important to understand how others see you as a leader, particularly those people that you are trying to lead. It is not uncommon for people to experience a perception gap in their leadership. That is, the way they see themselves and how others see them are not aligned. Sometimes our intentions are expressed in a way that is misinterpreted by others, creating a perception gap between our leadership intentions and our ability to influence. Knowing how other people interpret our thoughts, behaviors, actions and even our facial and body language can define how they perceive us as leaders. 360 leadership psychometric assessments are an effective way to discover how others see you as a leader. And, for many people, it can be a rather intimidating and vulnerable exercise to seek feedback.
So, do you have the courage to find out how others see your leadership?
Warren Bennis famously claimed that “Failing organizations are usually over-managed and under-led.” Management and leadership are different sides of the same coin and each side is critical. Managers tend to advance policies & procedures, improve efficiency, understand organizational structure, focus on accountability & compliance, maintain the status quo and use analytical thinking to make decisions. Leaders, on the other hand are visionary and strategic, inspire and influence people, improve effectiveness, understand organizational culture; focus on affecting change, performance and achieving results and use creative thinking to make decisions. Both skill sets are important but, too often, people in positions of leadership spend most of their time and energy managing, not leading.
So how much time do you spend actually leading your organization or business?
Psychometric leadership assessments are standardized, science-backed tools designed to objectively measure an individual's personality traits, cognitive abilities, behavioral styles, and potential for leadership roles. These tools reveal strengths, uncover blind spots, and help leaders align intentions with actions while understanding how they are perceived by others. They can include self-assessments or 360’s. As a certified Hogan Assessment provider, Leading Minds offers a suite of proven Hogan tools designed to predict workplace performance and accelerate leadership growth. Hogan Assessments are considered highly scientifically valid, evidence-based tools designed specifically for the workplace, backed by over 40 years of research and over 400 peer-reviewed studies. They are utilized by 75% of the Fortune 500 for selection, development, and team building, focusing on predicting job performance. The Dalai Lama once said that, "We should approach feedback with a spirit of curiosity and a desire to learn."
A Hogan leadership assessment could help you and your team get a better understanding of your leadership profile. Are you curious?
Cognitive bias is a systematic, often unconscious, error in thinking that deviates from rational judgment, causing individuals to create their own "subjective reality". We have evolved to use shortcuts in our thinking, which are often useful; however, a cognitive bias means there’s a kind of misfiring going on that causes us to lose objectivity. These mental shortcuts, or heuristics, allow for faster decision-making but often lead to distorted perceptions, illogical interpretations, and inaccurate judgments. They are predictable patterns based on personal experiences, emotions, or social influences. Cognitive biases make our judgments irrational. People tend to favor things that confirm their existing beliefs. We are primed to see and agree with ideas that fit our preconceptions, and to ignore and dismiss information that conflicts with them. Examples of common cognitive biases include anchoring bias, cognitive dissonance, confirmation bias, Dunning-Kruger effect and groupthink. Our cognitive biases can affect our ability to lead. A cognitive bias is a kind of blind spot that can block or distort how we process information and experiences.
What is your dominant cognitive bias and how is it affecting your leadership?
The Ivey Business School, Canada’s leading provider of business education, describes executive coaching as a thought-provoking and creative partnership that inspires leaders to maximize their personal and professional potential. It involves a structured process where a trained coach helps executives reflect, set goals, build self-awareness, and develop actionable strategies that align with organizational objectives. The International Coaching Federation (ICF), the leading global organization for coaches, consistently reports strong data to support the impact of executive coaching. According to the ICF’s 2023 Global Coaching Study:
Executive coaching is a personalized and confidential relationship between a qualified coach and an individual which focuses on improving self-awareness, decision-making, and emotional intelligence to help leaders navigate challenges and reach their full potential. Coaches work collaboratively with their clients to unlock potential, define clear objectives, and devise innovative strategies to address leadership challenges. Unlike conventional leadership development programs that might follow a set curriculum, executive coaching is distinctly customized to cater to individual growth and specific situational needs.
Are you open to a coaching conversation?