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John Maxwell’s 4th level (of 5) of leadership is People Development. He and many other experts believe that great leaders invest a lot of time and energy helping others grow. If you’re struggling to cultivate capabilities in your people, your mindset may be a barrier.

Humanergy’s John Barrett talks about a continuum of three mindsets when it comes to developing others, from clueless (I don’t think about people) to clone (What would I think/do? Anything different is a problem) to customized (People are different and I need to adjust).

Do you aspire to be a positive force in people’s lives? Presuming you’re up for a customized approach to coaching others, the Leadership Freak blog suggests 6 Core Skills of a Leader Who Develops Talent. Read the entire article, but here’s a short summary:

  • Self-awareness – Be aware of and manage your energy state and its impact on others
  • Open listening – Listen fully without judgment and pick up on body language
  • Curious questioning – Invite input and respect differing opinions
  • Appreciative discovery – Look for untapped potential and opportunities in people and situations
  • Catalytic feedback – Talk about what is working and what isn’t, feed positives with praise and set achievable goals
  • Heightened engagement – Stay focused on goals AND relationships, define success together and monitor progress

A good first step might be to share the article with a few people and ask for feedback on these 6 capabilities. Then create a plan to boost a strength or mitigate a weakness. These 6 skills are will set you up for leadership success, as defined by John Maxwell: “Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.”

Tell us about your people development strategies!

Photo from Dollar Photo Club.