The ability to take ownership of one’s continuous growth by actively seeking feedback, learning new skills, and adapting behaviours to meet evolving challenges. Effective self-development requires self-awareness, humility, resilience, and a commitment to future readiness.
“There is no passion to be found playing small, in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” Nelson Mandela
Barriers to self-development
Overconfidence in their own abilities: Some leaders believe they have no weaknesses and see no need for improvement.
Defensiveness: A tendency to resist constructive feedback prevents some leaders from recognising and acting on areas for improvement.
Unclear development goals: Some leaders may not know what skills or behaviours to focus on improving, leading to inaction.
Lack of actionable strategies: Even when aware of developmental needs, some leaders may not know how to address them effectively.
Overconfidence in existing skills: Some leaders assume their current abilities will remain sufficient, making development seem an unnecessary waste of time or effort.
Scepticism: If a leader believes that people cannot change, this will discourage or remove their investment in personal growth.
Fear of failure: Concerns about exposing vulnerabilities or making mistakes can deter leaders from taking developmental risks that come with learning.
Resistance to feedback: Some leaders suffer from arrogance or defensiveness, and this can render them immune to both constructive and critical feedback.
Inability to adapt: Some leaders are reticent to adjust their approaches to suit diverse audiences or situations, which can hinder their growth.
Overload: Some leaders prioritise immediate tasks over personal growth, claiming to be too busy to engage in self-development.
“Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.” John Maxwell
Enablers of self-development
Start with a Skills Audit: Conduct a thorough self-assessment using tools like a 360° feedback survey to ensure you focus on areas that truly matter.
Understand your strengths and gaps: Categorise your skills into strengths, overdone strengths, hidden strengths, blind spots, and weaknesses to pinpoint where to build or balance.
Align development with future roles: Identify the skills critical for your next career step and compare them to your current capabilities.
Leverage your strengths daily: Apply your strengths strategically by seeking new projects or assignments that utilize your best assets.
Balance overused strengths: Ensure your greatest strengths don’t become liabilities (e.g., creativity leading to disorganisation) by mitigating their unintended consequences.
Develop key skills: Follow the 70-20-10 rule: 70% from on-the-job challenges, 20% from feedback and coaching, and 10% from formal learning.
[Image of 70-20-10 learning model diagram]
Use strengths to offset weaknesses: If a weakness is hard to improve, compensate by using a strength or delegating that specific task to someone who excels at it.
Explore untested areas: Take small steps to build new skills before they are urgently needed, gradually taking on more responsibility.
Minimise blind spots: Gather honest feedback and study those who excel in areas where you may be underperforming to close the gaps.
Seek Support: Share your goals with others. Vulnerability and a commitment to improvement earn trust and encourage others to help you succeed.
“Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Reflection questions on self-development
- Could you clearly identify your strengths and development areas? Are there any hidden strengths or blind spots you might be overlooking?
- How do you ensure your development aligns with your future goals and the requirements of the next role you aspire to?
- Are you leveraging your strengths to their fullest potential in your daily work?
- Do you recognise when you are overusing your strengths? Is there a strength that sometimes creates unintended negative consequences?
- What specific plan have you created to address key weaknesses using challenging tasks, feedback, and formal learning?
- How do you adapt when facing tasks you find particularly challenging? Could you restructure tasks to play more to your strengths?
- Have you explored skills or areas you’ve never tested before? How are you reflecting on and learning from these experiences?
- Who do you trust to provide honest feedback about your blind spots?
- Do you dedicate sufficient time to your own development, or do you let day-to-day demands take priority?
- How do you involve others in your development journey? Are you creating an environment where others feel comfortable contributing to your growth?
“There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.” Aldous Huxley