Everyday Habits to Improve your Leadership Skills

I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t call myself a traditional learner. And by that, I mean I never really retained much from a textbook in high school, and I could zone out fairly quickly during a lecture in university. Maybe it was the dry topics or maybe it was my undiagnosed ADHD...who knows!

But what I do know is in my time as a leader I have learned a great deal and grown a ton! I have just done it through hands-on experience, working with other mentors and leaders, and of course by good old trial and error and making mistakes.

I’ve learned over the years how to take what resonates with me and leave the rest, how to actively listen when I am working with someone more knowledgeable than me, and how to take a lesson from just about anywhere. There is still a phrase I use to this day that I picked up in a conversation with one of my first bosses in my HR career.

I have worked with coaches that are both effective and ineffective and I have taken training that was incredible helpful and definitely move my skills forward and some that could be considered a waste of time. But if you have a growth mindset and look at even “poor” training as a lesson in what not to do then was it really a waste of time? (hint: no, it wasn’t)

Well, if you don’t learn from and retain lessons delivered to you the old fashioned way, then you are in luck my leader friend!

The lessons you can learn and apply to your leadership role are literally everywhere!

All you have to do is look 👀

Provided you always have your leader hat on, and truly adopt a growth mindset, these daily habits can not only help you improve your leadership skills, they can also help you gain a well rounded perspective and leadership approach.

Below is a list of all the non-traditional, think-outside-the-box, not your average approach to leadership training and improving your skills.

Commit to Learning as a Daily Habit

Soak it all up and learn something new everyday! Whether your preference is listening to podcasts, reading a book or blog, or watching a YouTube video…there’s something for everyone (and as a bonus it’s usually free or available at a low cost). There’s lot of great material out there on a variety of leadership topics delivered in various coaching methods and styles.

What I love about these methods is I can fit them into my life without having to find time in my schedule. I love to have a podcast on when I’m running errands, doing school drop-off/pick-up, or when I’m out for a walk and I usually have my phone in front of me watching a YouTube video while I’m cooking dinner. Find a method that works for you in a way that fits best into your lifestyle.

Now you may find that when you start looking for leadership topics, not a lot of it is geared towards new managers, but I’ve got you covered 😊

Learn from Everyday Conversations

Some of the best leadership lessons happen outside of the office, in the most ordinary conversations. Whether you're chatting with friends, family, or even a barista, each interaction is an opportunity to sharpen your skills. Pay attention in conversations you’re having outside of work and you may be able to get inspired or pick up a tip or two on how to handle certain situations at work (or in some cases, how not to handle situations).

When your friends start to vent about their boss or something that’s happening at work, listen to how the situations were handled. Were they handled well? What would you have done differently? And don’t be afraid to be direct. Ask you friends and family specifically about their manager. What do they like/dislike about their leadership style. Ask them exactly what they do that makes them a great leader.

Pro Tip: These conversations are also a great opportunity to practice active listening.

Think Outside the Box 

Look for leadership lessons you can steal and use in your own role. Areas like sports, military, and parenting often offer a lot of useful insights that you can implement in your own day-to-day role as a leader.

Sports teams win through strategy, teamwork, and constantly reviewing their performance to improve. You can look to the military for lessons on clear communication, well defined roles, and how to adapt in high-pressure situations. And parenting can teach us patience (sometimes…), empathy, and clear communication. 

Reflect Daily (or Weekly) and Write it Down

For all my journal lovers out there! (Hi, it’s me!) Take 5 minutes at the end of each day (or end of the week) to ask yourself: “What did I do well today as a leader? Where could I improve?” Write it down to track your progress over time.

If those prompts don’t resonate with you, come up with your own journal prompts and record those. Or just free-form journal and get your thoughts from the day out on paper.

Pro-tip: This can also be very helpful for overwhelm. If you feel you are bringing your work home and not able to unwind at the end of the day, sometime doing a “brain dump” of everything going on at work can help relief some stress so you can have a proper mental break.

Take a Break

Now I’m going to contradict myself a tad here, but if you are really in the thick of it and truly soaking in all the leadership knowledge you can or just overwhelmed in your new role, it’s a really good idea to take a break and give your brain a rest by reading or listening to something non-leadery (it’s a word I swear).

Just like how you need a rest day from working out to help your muscles grow, you need to give your brain a break from consuming leadership topics all the time. Sometimes taking a break from what you’re trying to learn will help you gain new perspectives on problem-solving or your leadership approach.

When I’m maxed on leadership or business topics, I like to listen to podcasts like Smartless or Conan O’Brien or I’ll watch a home decorating or cooking channel on YouTube.

At the end of the day, there really is no final stop in leadership. It is ever-evolving, just like the people on your team. So, while this sounds cliché, it truly is about the journey, not the destination. It’s important to invest in yourself and keep striving to learn and improve your skills as you grow as a leader. Staying stagnant will not help you in the long run and you’ll find you’ll eventually get left behind.

Small steps in the right direction is the way to go!

Tell me, do you have any daily habits you incorporate to improve your skills? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy Leading!

Emily