How Do Leaders Really Develop?

What is the leader development process?

To truly develop as a leader there are two distinct processes at work. We refer to these as top-down and bottom-up processing. They work together in leader development.

Top-down processing involves acquiring knowledge about leadership. This can be from leadership/management classes, from observation of good leaders, from reading about great leaders, or from learning from mentors.

Bottom-up processing comes from leadership experiences either on the job, or in trainings/simulations. Bottom-up processing involves analysis of the situational elements in which one leads; and learning first-hand about the dynamics of leader-follower relationships, organizational politics, and norms and roles in the leadership situation.

These two processes work together in leader development. Top-down processing provides information and ideas that can be used in developing leadership strategies. Bottom-up processing allows the leader to ascertain how effective different leadership strategies are in the actual work or community setting. Both are important.

In this guide, we will offer both top-down and bottom-up strategies. You will learn about leadership, as well as learning how to lead.

For Development: Learning about leadership — about theories, methods, and techniques — actually helps because it provides understanding of the dynamics and processes of leadership. Read regularly about leadership, but also learn to profit from experiences. Put the two together, and this is how great leaders develop.