- by Sophie Pinkoski

Great leaders aren’t born; they’re made. Every successful CEO knows that leadership is a journey of continuous learning, growth, and refinement. As a new leader, you may feel pressured to know everything from day one. But this expectation is unrealistic; no one can be an expert right away. In fact, 40% of CEOs stumble in their first 18 months, not for lack of talent, but because they lack support and ongoing development. You come into the role with your own strengths. What doesn’t come naturally to you will need to be further developed. For this reason, carving out time for professional development, regardless of how busy your role is, will matter in the long run. It may seem impossible to squeeze professional development into your busy schedule, but it should be prioritized as highly as you would strategy and operations. The 70-20-10 model indicates that for well-rounded development, a varied approach is most effective. Most of your learning will be on the job, while 20% will be through developmental relationships and the final 10% through structured education.

What matters most is finding the right combination for you and keeping your growth in motion.

Think of leadership like a muscle: it needs consistent challenge and care to stay strong. And remember, you’re not meant to do it alone. Your board, mentors, and team all play a role in equipping you to succeed. When they invest in your development, it’s a clear message that they believe in your potential — not just for today, but for the leader you’re becoming.

Here are some ways you can invest in your professional development as a leader:

Assess your skills–– Leadership growth starts with self-awareness. Begin your tenure from where you’re at. Acknowledge both your strengths and what you need to improve to become the best leader you can be. Take advantage of technology that can help you identify learning opportunities that fit your schedule. Once you allocate the time for continuous learning, commit to various forms of structured programs, including workshops, coaching, books, or online content. Prepare a development plan to hold yourself accountable and stay on track just like you would with other organizational priorities. Give yourself measurable goals so you can easily see how far you've come.

Seek mentorship–– Mentorship is a cornerstone of leadership growth. It’s not just crucial for individuals looking to advance their careers. CEOs can also benefit from finding a mentor who can walk them through every step of their leadership journey.

In fact, consider building a mentor relationship with your organization’s departing leader, even before the role is handed over. If that's not possible, identify others in your community who hae previously held similar roles.

Accepting advice from more experienced leaders isn’t just for your first days either– all through your tenure, you will face unique challenges very few people have experienced. Find someone who understands the nuances of your role who will help you work through complex decisions you have ahead of you. Ask them specific questions to develop that relationship and go from there.

Facilitate knowledge transfer–– Much of your success as a new leader will hinge on the effectiveness of knowledge transferred from the departing leader. Sit down with your board and predecessor to identify what information you need to ease your transition and set you up for success. Putting together a clear knowledge transfer roadmap can help give you a clear understanding of your organization and your role within it in an intentional, actionable way.

There will be two different types of knowledge passed down: easily documented explicit knowledge (policies, procedures, and governance), and tacit knowledge, that comes from lived experience on the job.

This unwritten or unspoken information is often harder to impart, as it tends to come naturally after getting to know the organization’s culture and operations. Tacit knowledge can be best transferred by first hand experience to get a sense of how the leader interacts with the team and board and approaches day to day operations. Storytelling and digital repositories can also be effective ways to transfer information in a holistic way. Not only does knowledge transfer ensure your success, it also protects your organization’s institutional knowledge from being lost over time.

Get to know your leadership style–– Every leader will have their own unique way of doing things that reflect their personality, values, and general approach. The key to discovering your own leadership style is finding one that meshes well with each of these things, as well as what’s going to facilitate a healthy culture for your team.

A successful leadership style will not only shape culture, but it will determine the effectiveness of your organization.

You may not identify your ideal leadership style right away; it could take some time, experimenting with different approaches to see what works best for you and your team. Play with different styles and keep an eye on how your team responds to each. Collect feedback for what’s working and what’s not to narrow down how best to proceed. You and your team won’t be the only thing to impact your leadership style. The size, purpose, and structure of your organization will also play a role. Experiment and seek feedback until you find what works best.

Professional development doesn’t stop once you rise to the top as CEO. Leadership requires a commitment to continuous learning as your skills and experiences grow and you adapt to a constantly evolving industry. It’s not a one and done thing but building yourself up to the best version of yourself over time. Investing in your growth, seeking guidance, and staying open to learning strengthens not only your leadership capacities, but also your organization’s future. Every lesson you embrace reinforces your confidence to rise to the occasion and shape what comes next.

Further Reading:

Professional Development Starts With Leadership: How To Make It A Priority, Forbes

The 70-20-10 Rule for Leadership Development, CCL

10 Emerging Skills for Professionals, Harvard Division of Continued Education

How to be a Better Leader: Practical Steps to Develop Your Leadership Potential, Schulich School of Business, York University of Executive Education

How to Determine What My Leadership Style Is, Harvard Division of Continued Education

How to Improve leadership Skills: Unlocking Your Potential, Mentor Cliq

8 Strategies for Successful Knowledge Transfer, IMD

Leadership Journey: How to Grow as a Leader at Every Stage, ITD World

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