Effective leadership in developing others relies on more than just subject matter expertise—it demands key interpersonal and introspective skills. This article outlines how communication, empathy, and self-awareness form the foundation of successful development efforts within teams and organizations.
Key Insights
- Strong communication skills, including active listening and adapting to different behavioral styles, are essential for conveying guidance and ensuring mutual understanding during development conversations.
- Empathy allows leaders to recognize and respond to the emotional and motivational needs of individuals, ensuring equitable access to growth opportunities across personality types.
- Self-awareness enables leaders to manage their own behaviors and biases, promoting more effective and personalized approaches to mentoring and support.
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Skills used when developing others. What skills does a leader need to effectively develop someone else? There are three main ones we’ll focus on: communication, empathy, and self-awareness.
First, communication. It’s nearly impossible to develop someone without communicating with them in some way. Communication is fundamental to all aspects of leadership and teamwork. Effective communication allows us to share information clearly—whether verbally or in writing. In the workplace, communication often involves explaining what needs to be done, when and how it should be completed, or making and responding to requests. These exchanges are essential to ensuring understanding and collaboration.
When developing others, communication is particularly vital. We use it to share information, provide guidance, and present opportunities. To be most effective, we need to adapt our communication style to the preferences of the person we’re developing. This is where the DISC behavioral styles come into play. For instance, when communicating with someone in the Dominant quadrant, it’s best to be brief, direct, and logical. They appreciate clarity and concise information. By adapting our approach to match the other person’s communication style—rather than relying solely on what feels natural to us—we increase the likelihood that our message will be understood and acted upon.
Active listening is another key part of communication. It’s not just about hearing the words someone says, but truly understanding their meaning and intent. In hybrid or virtual settings, this can still be done effectively. Tools like Zoom or Teams allow for face-to-face interaction, which helps us “listen with our eyes” as well as our ears. Visual cues such as facial expressions and body language help us gauge understanding, emotion, and engagement. This feedback lets us adjust our pace, clarify points, or address questions in real time, ensuring more meaningful communication.
The second key skill is empathy. Empathy means recognizing and understanding others’ emotions and perspectives. It’s the ability to notice how someone might be feeling, why they might feel that way, and how their experience might differ from yours. Seeing others—literally and figuratively—helps build this understanding. Observing facial expressions or tone of voice can reveal much more than words alone. Empathy allows leaders to meet people where they are, offering support and inclusion to everyone, not just those who ask for it.
For example, some employees eagerly seek development opportunities, asking for stretch assignments or leadership roles. Others may want those same opportunities but feel less comfortable speaking up. An empathetic leader looks for those individuals too—ensuring everyone has a fair chance to grow and contribute.
The third skill, self-awareness, is equally essential when developing others. Self-awareness means understanding your own behavior, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. It also involves recognizing how your behavioral style—identified through tools like the DISC assessment—affects your interactions with others. Being aware of your own tendencies helps you avoid overemphasizing your natural habits or preferences when leading or mentoring someone.
For instance, if you have an Influence-style personality, you may naturally enjoy talking and engaging with others, but you’ll need to ensure you’re not dominating conversations or overwhelming quieter individuals. Similarly, someone with a Steadiness style might be inclined to avoid conflict or step back when developing others, which could limit their effectiveness. Understanding these patterns allows you to balance your own behaviors with those of others, fostering stronger, more adaptive relationships in the development process.
