11 ways to make leadership skills contagious

The best leaders share a few predictable habits: They’re curious, self-aware, and genuinely invested in their team’s growth. But there’s a big difference between simply having these traits, and developing new leaders to embody these traits as well. A 2022 study published in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes found that when leaders visibly act with curiosity—by questioning, learning, and exploring—they signal to team members that the environment is safe for interpersonal risk taking. In turn, employees feel more confident speaking up, sharing ideas, and contributing meaningfully. In a new book, The Power of the Learning Mindset, authors Lilian Ajayi-Ore and Marshall Goldsmith identify eleven habits leaders should focus on to cultivate this environment. They call this concept leadership prowess—the mindset and practices that shape how leaders think, grow, motivate others, and develop their teams. “Leadership prowess is not about being the smartest person in