How are you developing the people around you?

How am I becoming a better leader? This is a question that I encounter a lot during my engagements. And the question is not: what is good leadership? Most people know. The question is, how am I practising good leadership on a daily basis? This is so hard!

One of the key focuses as a good leader is developing your people; creating a learning organisation. In whatever we do, we want to learn. We want to become better. This is where the core of growth is hidden.

For this 'learning first' focus, there is a base mindset which is important. I am not here to teach others. As a leader, I need to create the environment for learning. Here is a ladder of this mindset.

1. I simply don't have the knowledge and the skills
2. I do have some knowledge but I don't feel safe or feel confident to share it
3. Hey, I know it and the others around me better learn from me
4. Ok, I have quite some experience and knowledge; let me coach others to discover the same knowledge
5. Mmh, do I really know that much? The others around me have great knowledge as well. Let me learn from them; let's learn from each other

This means, as a leader, I need to focus on my own learning; learning from the people around you. And with this, you can stimulate the desire to learn; and create the foundation of a learning organisation.

When will you start to question what you really know?