Being The Captain Of The Boat: Leadership Development And Why You Need It When you become a leader, whether it be that of a small team or a large company, the prospect is always daunting. Leadership is always a large responsibility and it can be a crushing burden if not handled properly. History is littered with leaders who weren't able to handle the pressure. Do your best and don't falter. Afterwards, when the dust settles, it's time to assess your performance did you reach your goals? How well did it go? How difficult was it and what lessons will you be taking in to the next time you do this? There you have it a simple leadership development plan outline. It is important to note that participation in a leadership development program means you're earmarked for a promotion this is why some people want to be able to get the most out of such programs. If you're one of those people, here's a few hints on what you should be focused on: 1) Be open-minded One of the hallmarks of being a good student of a leadership development program is being open-minded. Key to effective training People who are in the field of leadership development would agree that leaders who want to be effective should realize how big self-motivation can create in their lives. Studies show that although there are countless advantages of self-motivation, it's saddening to think that many leaders still don't know how to adhere with it. More often than not, people who compare themselves with others are the ones who are left behind without anything because they spend too much time thinking how they could outlast the other person, thus, neglecting his or her own priorities. To help that person motivate him or herself to be a better leader during leadership development, it would be best that they understand the importance of self-motivation so they won t feel too much pressure. Even if it is still an important factor, producing individual leaders is no longer the main target in leadership development. Also, the definition of leadership had undergone some shift these days. More and more, leadership is perceived as not what leaders do. Rather, it is seen as a process that results from relationships interactions of both leaders and collaborators and not just the competencies of leaders.