Why is there a need for leaders to learn more?

The story is told about a young man that got promoted to a leadership position in the land development company which he works for. The Chief Executive Officer of the company saw a promising future for the man. She therefore told the young man: “Keep on learning: Learn from your mistakes, learn from your interactions with the people in this organization and learn by taking a post graduate course for it would help you ascend the organizational hierarchy.”

Why is there a need for leaders to learn? Because leaders who learn and who use their learning are effective leaders, why? For the simple reason that they don’t stagnate, they make their minds work and it strengthens mental activity which reinforces their leadership skills.

If exercise is for the strengthening and development of the body, learning is for the strengthening and development of the mind. If a person is not anymore willing to learn it certainly would hasten his/her advance to the geriatric ward of life.  Henry Ford the founder of the Ford Motors Company once said: “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty.”   

We increase our value as a leader when we have an appetite for learning. Because it open us new avenues for promotion and other opportunities in the workplace. And it makes us desirable for piracy by other organization that would offer higher compensation.

But many are not inclined with learning anymore for the simple reason that it would entail burning the midnight oil/candle. It entails sacrifice, effort and time however everything that is invested into learning is worth it. Perhaps not immediately but it surely will come in handy in the future when there’s an opportunity for promotion.

So, keep on learning: Read books, read articles and commentaries that relates to your field of interest. Use google to the hilt to learn more.   For learning is the elixir of the mind. – Marino J. Dasmarinas