The skills needed for leadership change at a rapid pace, and leaders have to be more agile now than ever before. However, many of the methods devoted to developing leaders remain static. While the majority of managers ‘learn on the fly’ in their roles, the new business landscape does not permit this format to be effective any longer. 

According to Brent Gleeson, author of TakingPoint, many managers have become experts on the "what" of leadership, but they remain novices in the "how" of their own development and the development of their teams. As a result, traditional leadership programs and general leadership books fall short. 

What is lacking in leadership training? The new era of leadership training needs to evolve the way a leader thinks and views the environment around them. Glesson believes, in combat or in business, leaders with a higher level of cognitive development perform better in complex situations. They become adaptive and analyze data in a more sophisticated manner and, therefore, have the ability to make better decisions faster. 

How does one develop the adaptive leader's mindset? Try this three-step process: 

1. Awaken: The leader becomes aware there is a different way of making sense of the world around them, and that approaching challenges in new ways is possible. 

2. Unlearn: Old assumptions are analyzed and challenged. New assumptions are tested and experimented with as new possibilities for one's day-to-day work and life. 

3. Advance: After practice and effort, previous habits and ways of thinking diminish while new leadership logic starts to take hold. 

Cognitive development can be measured and elevated not only at the individual level, but also across teams. Organizations seeking to create lasting change must create a leadership culture while also developing their individual leaders. This requires several phases starting with elevating the senior leadership culture before targeting middle management. Personal vertical development impacts individuals, while vertical culture development impacts entire organizations. 

How do you get started? Register for a subscription with the Ascendis Leadership Academy, your source for eLearning and self-paced online leadership courses for all levels of your organization. If you’re ready to inspire a culture of learning in your organization, look no further than the Ascendis Leadership Academy for multimedia online training content. You and your team can enhance your skills in more than nine competencies under the categories of Leading Self, Leading Others and Leading Organizations. 

Go to the Ascendis Leadership Academy and create your account today to get started on your path to define a successful future of leadership.