Why It Is So Important to Learn Whilst You Lead

Even If you are in a position of leadership, it’s still important to keep training, learning, and refining your competencies. With many years in the world of work under your belt, you may well be an experienced manager. However, simply being a ‘veteran’ in your field doesn’t necessarily elevate your skillset.

Employees are expected to widen their knowledge and embrace new abilities on a regular basis, and, ultimately, so should you. As well as helping you keep in step with the times, enhancing your skills will have several significant benefits at an individual level too.

Here, we explore how continuous learning as a leader can drive personal development and cement your team’s efficiency and dedication.

Maximise your functionality

First, understanding the importance of lifelong learning can increase your versatility and functionality. In a competitive world, it is crucial for workers to assimilate as many things as possible.

For instance, by brushing up on your technology and IT notions from time to time, you will be able to keep up with new software and modern tools that could aid your professional duties. Likewise, by attending management and communication courses, you may find useful, alternative ways to bond and connect with younger members of your team.

Embracing a lifelong learner mindset can make sure that, as a leader, you always have an ace up your sleeve. No matter what challenge is thrown at you, you will have the confidence to tackle any situation and guide your team through unusual, unexpected assignments.

Set the example and retain talent

It is worth remembering that, within an organisation, leaders and managers should act as an example for the wider business to follow. If you show commitment towards learning and improving your own abilities, your people will feel encouraged to nurture their competencies too. Therefore, not only will you be favouring your own personal and professional growth process, but you will also be laying the foundations for strong, consistent team development.

What’s more, a leader who is constantly on the hunt for new learning opportunities is bound to become a source of inspiration for their employees. In fact, knowledgeable and on-the-ball managers attract and retain like-minded, diligent workers. With a solid learning mentality in place, you can actively reduce staff turnover and keep your talented people happy, motivated, and by your side.

Increase empathy and compassion

Attending learning sessions and courses can teach us a lot about ourselves. And when we learn about ourselves, we discover infinite facets about our colleagues, employees, and customers too.

Indeed, lifelong learning opens your eyes to ideas and opinions that differ from yours, which is a crucial ingredient in developing empathy and emotional intelligence. By recognising that everybody functions in their own unique way, you can tailor your communication and find new ways to interact with employees who come from different industries, generations, backgrounds, and walks of life.

Furthermore, empathy and compassion work as excellent assets to forge strong relationships with your team. Employees are at the heart of every business, and it is vital for a manager to appreciate and acknowledge their perspectives, worries, interests, and ambitions. This will show them that you care, motivating them to give their best for you and your company.

Improve life satisfaction

It is fair to say that jobs consume lots of energy and take up most of our time. But as the famous proverb goes, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.

It is essential for leaders and managers to pursue interests and passions outside of work. As well as helping you unwind from your habitual duties, hobbies can offer a wide array of learning points you can implement in your managerial role. Sports such as football and netball, for instance, can enhance your teamwork abilities. Other activities such as painting, acting, and dancing, instead, can favour creativity, which may help you think out of the box when presented with a tricky, stale task at work.

Learning can take place in many different contexts and scenarios, and practising a hobby in your spare time is one of them. Hence, as well as benefitting your professional development, there is no denying that – through passions and interests – learning can increase feelings of happiness and improve your life satisfaction on the whole.

As a business owner or manager, you are faced with endless challenges on a regular basis. This is why learning is so important, as it can give you the necessary tools to perform your job to the best of your ability while also favouring your team’s well-being.

From maximising your skills and helping retain talent to increasing sentiments of empathy and spurring life satisfaction, embracing a pro-learning attitude will enrich your personal and professional journey.