It’s my favorite month of the year! I love September for many reasons. I hope you are enjoying these last few days leading up to Fall and the energy that comes with new seasons!
We recently explored the leadership behaviors that create ripple effects and build magnetic followership. Now I want to dive into what I believe separates good managers from truly transformational leaders: their commitment to actively developing individuals and teams.
Former GE CEO, Jack Welch, famously said: “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”
Yet many leaders get so caught up in delivering results that they forget their most important job is growing the people who deliver those results. After decades of coaching leaders, I’ve seen this truth play out repeatedly: Self-aware leaders understand that their success fundamentally changes when they become responsible for others; in fact, it multiplies through the growth of their people.
Here are 5 Ways Self-Aware Leaders Excel at Developing Others
1. They Know Each Person’s Complete Development Story
Self-aware leaders don’t operate on assumptions about their people. They invest time to truly understand each team member’s capabilities, motivations, and development needs. They can tell you not just who’s struggling, but exactly why and what specific support each person needs to excel. They can describe career aspirations and actively connect daily work to bigger goals.
2. They Create Individual Development Plans That Actually Get Used
Rather than checking a box with generic development goals, these leaders collaborate with each team member to create meaningful growth paths. They connect development activities to real work opportunities and follow up consistently on progress.
3. They Engage Beyond Their Direct Reports
Self-aware leaders understand that development happens at all levels. They regularly connect with people throughout their organization through skip-level meetings, informal check-ins, and cross-functional projects. They see talent development as an organizational responsibility, building bench strength across teams, not just within their immediate scope.
4. They Turn Everyday Work Into Growth Opportunities
Every project becomes a chance for someone to stretch. Every challenge becomes a learning moment. These leaders actively look for ways to expand their people’s skills through meaningful assignments that align with both business needs and individual growth goals.
5. They Measure Development Success, Not Just Business Results
While they certainly track business outcomes, self-aware leaders also monitor the growth of their people. They celebrate promotions, skill advancement, and increased confidence as much as they celebrate hitting targets. Their team knows that learning and growing are valued alongside achieving.
Here Are Some Resources for Developing Your Development Skills
📖 Read: Harvard Business Review’s “The Leader as Coach” – This all-time classic article provides research on how development-focused leadership drives performance.
📚 Read: Another classic book, The Wisdom of Teams by Jon Katzenbach and Douglas Smith defines a true team as a small group with complementary skills, committed to a common purpose and performance goals.
📻 Listen: Check out Star Coaches podcast and my interview with Meg Rentschler on Coaching Mid-Level Managers Affordably. You can also watch it here.
Your leadership legacy isn’t measured by what you accomplish—it’s measured by who you develop to accomplish even more. Are you building tomorrow’s leaders today?
Warm Wishes,
Loretta Stagnitto