Learning and Growing in Community Leadership: Professional Development Resources for Leaders
Written by: Sean Morris
If there’s one trait all leaders have in common, it’s a love for learning. Whether it’s digging into problems facing the community, exploring leadership and coaching strategies, or developing their own leadership skills, the best leaders are always seeking knowledge and personal growth. But as a lifelong learner, it’s not always easy to know where to look for your next lesson. That’s why we’ve put together this professional development resource guide for community leaders.
Where to Find Lifelong Learning Opportunities
Experience is a powerful teacher. Through hands-on community leadership, you learn what it takes to be a leader where you live. However, it’s also important to seek outside perspective as a leader. When you’re in search of learning opportunities, these are the best places to turn.
Leadership blogs: For quick bites of information and insights from fellow leaders, turn to blogs. Popular leadership blogs include Harvard Business Review, LeadChange, and the John C. Maxwell blog.
Leadership books: Want to take a deeper dive into leadership concepts? In addition to classic reads like The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, and How to Win Friends and Influence People, you’ll find plenty of new releases covering leadership topics like diversity and innovation.
Universities: While business schools like Harvard Business School and IMD Business School have the most clout in corporate circles, community leaders can find courses in communication, management, and other key leadership skills at local colleges too.
General leadership development resources: In addition to these resources, community leaders can turn to organizations like Toastmasters International that specialize in leadership development.
Online Short Courses in Leadership
Online courses are another great place to turn when you want to develop your leadership skills. Online courses range from massive online open courses to certifications from leading educational institutions. When you want high-quality content in a short format, enroll in one of these online short courses.
Get Smarter: With partners like MIT and the London School of Economics and Political Science, Get Smarter is known for its high completion rate and foundational courses in leadership, project management, marketing.
American Management Association: AMA is another great pick for leaders seeking a more formal learning experience. Certificate programs from AMA are taught by a faculty of business experts and cover topics like supervisory skills and project management.
Coursera and Edx: Coursera and EdX also partner with educational institutions, but unlike the courses listed above, classes from these sites vary in length and may not offer certification. However, they’re a useful resource when you need an introduction to a topic or are on a tight budget.
The Best TED Talks on Leadership
Are you feeling burnt out or uninspired in your leadership positions? When you need to reignite your spark for community leadership, turn to TED talks. These TED talks from iconic leaders are sure to inform, educate, and motivate.
What it takes to be a great leader: What are the traits that successful leaders have in common? Hear from leadership expert Rosalinde Torres about the necessary characteristics and habits for leaders in the 21st century.
How to start a movement: This short TED talk from Derek Sivers packs a big punch. In less than four minutes, learn the fundamentals of how leaders emerge and movements form around them.
What makes us feel good about our work?: Community change requires community action, but how do you persuade people to act? Behavioral economist Dan Ariely explores how people find meaning in their work in this TED talk.
How great leaders inspire action: Leadership expert Simon Sinek discusses how leaders mobilize engaged and effective teams in this 18-minute talk.
Networking Tips for Community Leaders
One of the best things community leaders can do to keep learning is to continuously connect with others. Here are the networking tips that will keep you connecting, learning, and growing as a leader.
Establish yourself as a resource: Sharing content on blogs and social media doesn’t only establish you as an authority in your field. It’s also a great way to connect with other like-minded people and grow your professional network.
Become the connect: Don’t just be the person people turn to when they need a resource. By positioning yourself as someone who can connect others with the opportunities they need, you create the trust that leads to lasting relationships.
Network locally: Some leaders get so focused on networking with respected names in their field that they forget to connect with the people around them. Don’t discount the perspective of everyday people in your community when you need to shift your mindset as a leader.
Lifelong learning doesn’t just make stronger leaders. It makes stronger communities. Make sure you’re committing yourself to lifelong learning by fitting these professional development opportunities into your schedule. From snippets of wisdom to in-depth courses, these resources will keep you learning and growing in your leadership ability.
