Introduction

Have you always thought that all leaders were just naturally born like that? Or can leaders actually be made? Is it possible for you to develop leadership skills through learning and practice? Or is leadership just an inborn talent? Early leadership theorists saw leadership as an inherent talent. However, numerous studies have now confirmed that 70% of leadership qualities come from learned behaviours. Behaviours, not knowledge

This book shows that rote learning of leadership facts is not the right approach for acquiring leadership behaviour. Instead, key leadership skills can be acquired by practising a set of micro-behaviours. What are those micro-behaviours? 

The Leader Habit: Master the Skills You Need to Lead--in Just Minutes a Day (2018) by Martin Lanik shows how the science of habit formation can help develop key leadership skills. Perfect for entrepreneurs and business school students or anyone who wants to improve their key leadership skills, the book comes with a step-by-step guide and will help you master leadership skills in no time. 

Martin Lanik is the CEO of Pinsight, a platform that fosters leadership development. His platform has helped leaders in more than 30 nations worldwide. Top corporations like AIG and CenturyLink use Pinsight’s leadership development solutions for their teams. Martin holds a PhD from Colorado State University in industrial-organisational psychology. The book is a practical guide to help you in developing leadership skills through practice and habit learning. 

Summary

Anyone can cultivate leadership skills by following the Leadership Habit Formula.

The basic idea behind the book is that leadership is not an inborn talent. Cultivating leadership habits is a simple process (and you definitely don’t need to study a tonne of books & theories). Follow the step-by-step guide from The Leader Habit, repeatedly practising & perfecting your response to cues linked to each micro-behaviour, and you'll find yourself mastering a chain of behaviours that build skills required in a world-class leader. This process can even be fast-tracked & multiple leadership habits can be learned together if a person focuses on learning keystone habits. 

Take-home advice

Leader habits are small, specific actions that you can perform daily to reinforce desired leadership behaviours. Don’t rush and try to learn each habit one by one. If you want to lead, you should promote a sense of team spirit. Listen to the views and complaints of others, and work together to find solutions. Encourage team members to share ideas and feedback. Regularly provide updates on team goals, and progress, and celebrate achievements together. Encourage a sense of shared purpose and emphasise how each member contributes to the team's success.

How forming new habits can help you develop leadership behaviour?

Perhaps, most of us got our very first taste of leadership at school. A high school kid being named the captain of a volleyball team understands the responsibility and learning that’s associated with getting a leadership role. Whether your goal is to become a company president or a head boy at school, or even managing your family, leadership skills are relevant in all areas of life. But how can you master these skills?In the past, it was believed that leadership...