What Separates Leaders Who Develop, From Those Who Do Not?

Can I Still Develop?

Before we delve into conversation about leadership development and the difference that makes the difference, we first need to understand what we mean by the term talent. Often associated with something that an individual has been born with, the term talent is a concept that has been widely discussed as part of the nature-nurture debate for decades. Whilst I subscribe to the belief that some psychological and physical attributes can be easier for some to develop than others, owing to pre-determined or underlying biological or psychological traits, I also believe that there is a lot that individuals can do to refine their ultimate behaviour and therefore their impact on their context.

The work by Rotter on Locus of Control¹, makes a clear distinction between two differing mindsets and the subsequent behaviour exhibited by these individuals. External locus of control outlines the belief that outcomes occur as a result of external factors such as fate, chance, or luck and therefor leads to more passive or reactive tendencies. In stark contrast to this, those with an internal locus of control believe that their results are driven by factors which are within their control such as effort, focus and determination.

So it appears that we each have a choice to make. Relinquish control to pre-determined factors, sit back and see how things turn out, or accept responsibility for the future, commit to development, make plans and invest in our own development. If you are still reading, I’m willing to bet that you subscribe to the latter. If my assumption is right, I would urge you to read on to see what you should be focusing on and why.

It is widely acknowledged that Emotional Intelligence is a key component of effective performance in roles with a high emotional labour, including for example roles involving people leadership². The good news for all leaders is that two key meta-analysis studies^3,4 (studies that combine the findings of multiple other research studies) have shown that emotional intelligence (EI) is something that can be developed with the right effort and focus. This means that by focusing on this type of development we are highly likely to increase our EI and therefore also positively impact the way we lead and the results we drive.

What Prevents Development?

Most leaders do not fail to develop because they lack ambition, or that they fundamentally prescribe to beliefs associated with an external locus of control. Instead, they fail because their effort is passive, or sporadic in nature. In some cases, both of these hinderances may be true.

Deliberate practice research, most associated with psychologist Ericsson and colleagues⁵, found that expertise builds through sustained, targeted repetition rather than occasional intensity. This means that a single demanding course does less for a leader's capability than a shorter, repeated habit aimed at a named gap. Yet when we look at how individuals target their development, they are usually seen to do this through 2-5 day courses, or a fixed program of education that promises to address certain gaps concerning knowledge or skill.

Frequency matters because the brain consolidates new behaviour through repetition. Development that happens once a quarter asks a leader to relearn the same ground each time. In contrast, development that happens weekly builds on what came before and results in greater integration of positive habits.

The focus of that developmental work matters just as much. Goal-setting research from Locke and Latham⁶ showed that specific, challenging goals only translate into performance when effort is directed clearly at them. A leader who spends an hour a week on the wrong skill is still in effect, wasting much of their effort rather than filling their developmental container.

Picture two leaders starting the year with identical intentions. One treats development as a weekly habit, aimed precisely at the behaviour holding them back. They also leverage regular reflection on challenges they face which enables them to better understand their own limiting beliefs, in turn unlocking vast potential gains. The other treats it as something to fit in when time allows, often without pausing to ask whether the activity chosen is even the right one. On reflection of these two contrasting approaches, the differences are not subtle, instead they can be substantial.

Reflection

A few questions worth asking:

• How much development time have you actually put in over the last three months, and was it on a repeatable schedule or in scattered bursts?
• For the last course, book, or session you completed, could you name in one sentence the exact gap it was meant to close?
• If you were honest, how much of your recent development effort landed where it was aimed, and how much landed somewhere else entirely?
• When was the last time you proactively sought feedback from those who know you best? How long did you spend reflecting on this feedback and how did you leverage it to support your future development?

Implementation

1. Reflect on where you are currently. I’ve created a very short quiz so that you can do this today. Once you know what your Leadership Learning Style is, prioritising your next step will also be super easy to achieve. The quick, simple and free quiz can be accessed here: https://www.theeiroom.com/leadership-learning-quiz
2. After completing the quiz, you will be provided with a one page guide which will inform you about your current Leadership Learning Style. Whether you are currently stronger with regard to your focus or your regularity, you will be guided through the next steps that you need to take to support your growth.
3. Block one recurring slot in the diary, same day and time each week, and protect it the way you would protect a meeting with a senior stakeholder. Before each session, reflect on the commitment you have made as part of your current Leadership Learning Style, and remind yourself of the specific behaviour or gap it is meant to address.
4. Keep a short weekly log, two or three lines is enough, noting what was done and what shifted as a result.

Remember. Small, reoccurring, proactive and well-aimed actions will outperform occasional or general actions almost every time. The development container fills up one drop at a time.

If you want company on your journey, reach out to us for further guidance, support, and community.

Sam Bruce

Business Psychologist and Coach, Founder of The EI Room.

References:

1 Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 80(1), 1-28.

2 Talogy (2024). The Impact of Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace: An Evidence-based Review. www.talogy.com.

3 Hodzic, S., Scharfen, J., Ripoll, P., Holling, H., & Zenasni, F. (2017). how Efficient Are Emotional Intelligence Trainings: A Meta-analysis. Emotion Review, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 138-148.

4 Mattingly, V., & Kraiger, K. (2019). Can Emotional Intelligence Be Trained? An Meta-analytic Investigation. Human Resource Management Review. 29, pp. 140-155. (p. 152).

5 Ericsson, K. A., Krampe, R. T., & Tesch-Römer, C., (1993). The role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of expert performance. Psychological Review, 100(3), 363-406.

6 Locke, E. A. & Latham, G. P. (1990). Goal Setting Theory, In. E. A. Locke & G. P. Latham (Eds.), New developments in goal setting and task performance (pp. 3-15). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.