Test Test Testing 1 2 3

This past week, I had a couple of interactions that made me think back to my experience with ENACTUS, an incredible international organization that "educates, supports, and inspires young people to change the world through business." I first encountered ENACTUS over two decades ago and was even able to launch a team a few years after that first interaction. What captivated me then, and still does, is how it provides a vital testing ground for students to apply their skills in real-world scenarios. Reflecting on how these experiences transformed those students, I began to examine my own leadership journey, identifying my personal "testing grounds." This introspection also led me to consider how I’ve intentionally (or unintentionally) created such spaces for others, and how, in turn, others have done the same for me.

True leadership development, in my estimation, hinges on several key components: self-awareness, knowledge, and, most crucially, practice. These elements are inextricably linked through experience and experimentation—in essence, real-world tests. When I revisit the pivotal moments in my leadership growth, each one carried an emotional weight, a social dimension, and some form of challenge or difficulty. At the time, I wouldn't have labeled them as "tests," but looking back, their true nature is clear. They demanded that I apply my existing knowledge, compelled me to try new things or acquire new skills, and always provided a crucial layer of support. Even when the task felt solitary, there was invariably someone there to catch me if I stumbled. ENACTUS teams brilliantly mirror this approach: students must leverage their current skills and knowledge to tackle problems, they're pushed to learn new abilities and forge new relationships, and they benefit from the unwavering support of faculty and mentors. This powerful formula is the engine of transformation.

My current work is dedicated to enhancing teams and cultures within organizations. And what I'm continually discovering is how rarely this intentional approach to leadership development is embedded within organizations. For many, leadership growth is primarily self-driven. This intrinsic motivation is incredibly potent and can ignite profound personal transformation. There are countless instances in my career where my own internal drive and ambition to be a good leader were the primary catalysts for my evolution. I recall my very first job as a lifeguard and swim instructor. As I pursued my swim instructor certification, a cloud of doubt hung over me as the final testing weekend approached. I possessed the necessary knowledge and could demonstrate the skills, but my confidence and proficiency in teaching others were lacking. I could sense from the instructors that I might not pass. So, as I entered the final assessment—leading skill sessions for children—I made a conscious decision: no matter the outcome, I would have fun and simply be myself. When the session concluded, the instructors and assessors met with each student individually to deliver feedback and reveal our results. Being the last one called in, I braced for the worst. They began by acknowledging my proficient skills and knowledge, but then stated that my teaching ability wasn't strong. And then, surprisingly, they said I passed. The sole reason, they explained, was that in that final skill-building assessment with the children, I had revealed my true self to both them and the kids. I was someone who could engage and create an enjoyable learning environment. That simple choice to be authentic and embrace the moment secured my success in that test. That experience, coupled with the instructors' feedback, sparked an enduring transformation that charted the course of my career. At the time, I wouldn't have recognized this as leadership development, but my intrinsic motivation to simply be myself, rather than conforming to some idealized image of a "teacher," was the turning point of that success.

Leadership development can also be profoundly shaped by others. Unfortunately, it's often a negative interaction or circumstance, orchestrated by others, that propels our transformational growth. In my current work, I frequently explore with teams what makes their work unnecessarily difficult. In other words, what actions by others, or what existing processes and procedures, create barriers to success for both staff and the organization? Throughout my career, my team and I have encountered countless examples of these artificial and unnecessary obstacles to achievement. Whether it's an unanswered email or the dismissive response to a new idea—"we've never done that before"—these barriers have served as crucial tests, pushing me and my teams to apply our skills, acquire new ones, and actively seek out and generate support. These challenges forged the leadership strength of both myself and my teams.

One of the most striking examples of my leadership development being driven by someone else was the completion of my doctoral degree. I began the program fueled by anger towards someone, and I finished it because someone else simply wouldn't let me quit. Many years ago, I was covering a maternity leave at a university, responsible for programming and learning within a student housing system. A new Dean arrived, and in an early meeting, when discussing the direction of non-academic programming with the team, we were told to make a dramatic shift. When I voiced our concerns, the Dean retorted, "I have the Ph.D.," effectively dismissing the knowledge, skills, and experience of me and the rest of the team. That comment ignited my drive to earn a doctoral degree. I wanted to help rid the student affairs profession of leaders who wielded their academic credentials as weapons and demonstrate that being a relatable leader with strong academic credentials is entirely possible within higher education. So, I embarked on a doctoral program. All went well until midway through my dissertation process. I had enough; I loathed the endless reading and writing, and decided that "ABD" (all but dissertation) was sufficient. That is, until I informed my wife. She unequivocally stated that was not going to happen. After a well-deserved lecture on the significant costs (time, money, focus) of getting that far in the program, she insisted I wasn't quitting simply because I no longer enjoyed it. I earned the degree. The distinct extrinsic motivations in this example illustrate that using a negative experience as a catalyst for development can be effective, but its impact can be fleeting, requiring other sources of extrinsic motivation aligned with your intrinsic motivation to propel you to completion. The doctoral degree was another pivotal testing ground that led to a significant transformation in my leadership ability. It broadened my knowledge, honed weaknesses into strengths, and has served as the bedrock of my current perspectives and practices around leadership.

Only a handful of times in my career have my supervisors intentionally and purposefully challenged me to redefine and further cultivate my leadership abilities. The majority of my supervisors throughout my career did not view my leadership development as part of their responsibility. And I believe that's the common standard in most organizations. A frequent approach to leadership development is simply to burden high performers with more work. Through these additional responsibilities, individuals either succeed or fail, develop or regress, and the outcome dictates their perceived leadership ability. One particular moment stands out from a supervisor I had for a brief period. We were collaborating on a proposal to redefine one of the units in my department. I poured countless hours into crafting the new concept, meticulously outlining the optimal approach, and detailing the short-term work necessary for long-term success. The feedback I received was, "This is good," but it's unlikely to achieve what you desire. The challenge he presented was to reconsider the document and the entire approach. He explained that if I aspired to operate at a strategic level within the organization, I needed to recognize that decision-makers require proposals that solve their problems, in addition to addressing the broader organizational issues. My supervisor deliberately and purposefully sought to create a testing ground that would cultivate my leadership abilities. From that experience, I learned that approaching organizational decision-making solely from an organizational outcome perspective is insufficient; mastering the often-irrational influences on decision-making is equally vital.

To be a truly effective leader, you must relentlessly develop and refine your skills. You need the inherent drive to improve, the initiative to create your own "testing grounds," and the commitment to cultivate and nurture a supportive network for your success. An effective leader also possesses the remarkable ability to adapt and learn from negative situations imposed by external forces. Furthermore, a good leader sincerely internalizes feedback from others, gaining valuable self-awareness in the process. However, a great leader is the one who intentionally and purposefully designs testing grounds for their team. They view leadership development as their paramount responsibility, recognizing that true success springs from this unwavering focus. If your aspiration is to be a great leader, then cultivate an environment where your team can be both challenged and supported.

As I ponder how to transform culture within teams and organizations, I'm devising a small test to encourage people to think differently about their work. Here it is: Imagine you meet a stranger in an elevator that temporarily gets stuck between floors for fifteen minutes. The stranger asks what you do for work. You begin to describe your five main responsibilities. For the purpose of this test, write them down. Once you're done, examine those responsibilities. How many are directly related to making others successful? How many are focused on developing leadership in others? Now, reframe and rewrite those responsibilities through the lens of intentionally and purposefully developing your own leadership skills or those of your colleagues. Your behaviour will undeniably shift if you reframe your thinking and alter the language you use to describe your work.