Use Your Past Experiences in Leadership Courses

Sometimes, people think that they have to be very experienced if they want to lead other people.  They might assume that you can’t be a leader if you’re young or you don’t have too much experience in the field.  However, being a leader isn’t only about how much you’ve done in the past but also about how you utilize your experiences.  Do you learn from your experiences or do you forget about them once they’re over?  Leadership courses can help you put these things in perspective.

Owning Your Experiences

If you think about it, everyone has had experiences.  Even the most uneventful lives are composed of doing things, seeing things and understanding things.  If you work a 9-5 job, you’re still going to work, either by public transportation or by car, both of which can be experiences in themselves.  You’re spending eight hours a day dealing with certain people, tasks and problems. You probably know enough about your field and these people to write a novel.  Consider The Devil Wears Prada which is a book about spending a year working in the fashion industry.  It’s not far-fetched to imagine that the author spent a year working in this industry herself before she wrote the book.  Most creative work, leadership included, is autobiographical in nature.

Going Over Your Past Experiences

When it comes to leadership, the most important thing is learning to deal with people.  In order to do this, go back over your experiences with individuals you have met in your life.  When have your relationships been successful and when have they fizzled out or ended with a bang?  What types of behaviors do you need to adopt and what types do you need to avoid?  Are there certain personalities that you work well with and others that you don’t?

Providing the Support That People Need

A leader can’t afford to work well only with certain people.  You have to be able to deal with all types of personalities.  Sometimes, it’s about adapting your behaviors but sometimes, it’s about getting through to that other person and letting them know that you are on their side.  After all, this is what everyone looks for in a leader.  They want someone’s praise, appreciation and support.  No one can live without the support of others.

Often, you may find that people grow angry with you when you’re giving them support but it’s not the type of support that they need.  Someone might need encouragement to be a writer but you keep telling them they’re doing a great job in their current occupation which is not what they want to pursue.  So being a leader is about having the finesse to dig deep into a person’s heart and figuring out what they really need before you’re able to give it to them.

Contact us for more information on bringing leadership training to your organization.