“Any one can hold the helm when the sea is calm.” – Publilius Syrus
Many managers who just graduated from a leadership training program are excited to get back to their team and start practicing their new skills.
What are the chances that they’ll be able to quickly and dramatically improve their team’s performance?
It’s common to assume that with enough training, anyone can be a great leader… and can then get the best out of any team.
But when a leader participates in additional training, does that guarantee better team performance?
I know this may ruffle some feathers, but…no. I don’t believe so.
Think about it. Is it really so surprising that there’s more to an effective team than a talented captain?
See, developing a leader’s skills is only one piece of the puzzle.
A powerful leader, who can align a team with his vision in spite of tough situations, is developed over time… and plenty of practice.
But leaders are handicapped in two ways. The first limitation is their current skill set and behavior patterns. When they get additional training, that skill set expands and so does their ability to be more effective.
The second limitation is the skill set and behavior patterns a leader’s team expects him to have. In other words, a leader’s newfound abilities may be bounded by team norms. What that means is that if you want to try new ways of doing things, but your team views you or the situation in the same way they always have, they may resist the changes you want to implement.
That’s why leadership development alone isn’t sufficient for increased team performance. It’s important for a leader to be able to influence the team to overcome resistance to change. That’s where team development comes in. The team needs to be trained too, so that both can continually improve together.
What training would be most beneficial for your team as a complement to your own growth?
If this applies to your organization, check out our programs for teams.
