The Benefits of Professional Leadership for Your Personal and Professional Growth

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What is professional leadership?  Professional leadership is the ability to influence and guide others in your field or organization based on your knowledge, skills and experience. It involves setting goals, making decisions, solving problems, managing change, and communicating effectively. Professional leadership can be learned and improved through self-awareness, feedback, reflection and practice.

Jennifer Herrity, a career coach, shares her strategies to effectively promote your professional growth and notably suggests seeking out a mentor.  She writes:

“A mentor can help guide you by offering professional or personal advice, developing trust and listening, responding to your questions and concerns and exposing you to a new perspective. A good mentor will be someone who has succeeded in the role you hope to achieve and has used that success to advance in their career. If you’re looking for a mentorship, ask your supervisor if they know a good candidate or ask a coworker for advice privately.” 

Professional leadership can have many benefits for your personal and professional growth, as it can help you to:

1. Enhance your confidence and competence

Professional leadership can help you to develop your knowledge and skills in your field or organization and to apply them in various situations and contexts. It can also help you to recognize your strengths and areas for development and to seek feedback and support from others.

• By developing your confidence and competence, you can improve your performance and productivity, and overcome challenges and obstacles.

2. Help you to achieve your aspirations

 Professional leadership can help you to clarify your values and vision and to align them with the goals and mission of your field or organization. It can also help you to set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant/realistic, and time-bound) goals for yourself and for others, and to create action plans for achieving them.

• By pursuing your aspirations, you can advance your career and reach your full potential.

3. Build positive relationships with others

Professional leadership can help you to communicate effectively with others, using different styles and methods according to the situation and audience. It can also help you to collaborate with others, by sharing ideas, information, resources and feedback.

• By building positive relationships with others, you can create a supportive and trusting environment, where everyone feels valued and respected.

4. Contribute to the quality of your field or organization

Professional leadership can help you to influence and guide others in your field or organization, by providing direction, motivation and encouragement. It can also help you to lead and manage change and improvement, by identifying opportunities, challenges, and solutions.

• By contributing to the quality of your field or organization, you can make a positive difference for yourself and for others.

Professional leadership is not only a skill but also a disposition that can enrich your life as a professional. Engaging in professional leadership opportunities, facilitates a way to enhance your own personal and professional growth, as well as the quality of your field or organization.  

© Gaynor Clarke, 2023

Gaynor Clarke

B.Ed (Teaching), Cert Tertiary Teaching, PGDip Ed, MEd Leadership

Reach. Teach. Lead.

Reach Education Ltd

Teacher Leadership Mentoring and Life Coaching.  Personal and Professional Development.

Gaynor is a teacher educator and mentor facilitating personal & professional leadership wellbeing outcomes for teachers.

About me

If you are an early childhood teacher or leader looking to enhance your leadership skills, I would love to work with you. As a leadership mentor and coach, I specialize in helping early childhood educators develop their leadership potential and make a positive impact for the ākonga they serve. If you are interested in learning more about my leadership mentoring services, please visit my website or contact me directly to schedule a consultation. I would love to work with you!

www.reached.co.nz