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. 

So, 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.

So how does one develop the adaptive leader's mindset? Try Glesson’s three-step process:

1. Awaken: The leader becomes aware that 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.

Organizations seeking to create lasting change must create a leadership culture while also developing their individual leaders. You can start by having your staff learn more about Leading Self, Leading Others and Leading Organizations via the Ascendis Leadership Academy. Start by subscribing today at ascendisacademy.com.

Source: Inc.