The Most Effective Leaders Never Stop Learning

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” – John F. Kennedy

Excellent communication skills, a clearly defined vision, decisiveness under pressure, and the ability to successfully inspire and support a team of people – these are the some of the positive traits commonly attributed to effective leaders. One important quality that isn’t talked about quite as often, however, is a thirst for continuous learning.

According to a study from the Journal of Applied Psychology, leadership training participants were found to have a 25% increase in learning and 20% in overall job performance. They also cited a 28% increase in leadership behaviors and an 8% climb in performance from the participating leaders’ team members.

Lifelong learning is a healthy path for any of us to follow, but for executive leaders it can mean the difference between achievement and irrelevance. Executive burnout is a common affliction among leaders who have spent years working relentlessly in the corporate trenches. Leadership training can bring much-needed perspective while teaching techniques designed to improve both executive effectiveness and job satisfaction.
Another key factor to consider when considering leadership training is the positive effect it has on an organization’s bottom line. According to a recent Gallup poll, 70% of a team’s engagement is dependent upon the team leader, and teams with truly effective leaders see 27% more revenue per employee.

Writing in Forbes magazine, author/executive coach Aaron Levy stresses the importance of leadership training in providing a compass for corporate direction and smart growth.

“A good leader, at the very core, brings their people together to drive toward a common goal,” Levy says. “Without leadership, everyone in the boat will be rowing haphazardly in a variety of directions, ultimately getting nowhere.”

At FocusWorks, we’ve helped countless executives to be more effective in their leadership roles. Our “Leadership That Works” signature series, along with Ntrinsx Temperament Assessment and Social Intelligence Platform, focuses on developing the interpersonal skills and self-awareness necessary to manage challenging team dynamics and equipping you with the skills and behaviors to influence outcomes and get results through others.