Becoming a leader – first, take charge of your own learning process

Purpose: The article guides the process for each aspiring leader to develop his or her own unique approach to leading. Design/methodology/approach: Executives and managers can deepen theirunderstanding of leadership by mining three sources: the burgeoning archives of contemporary leadership theory and practice, case histories of leaders and leadership and the classic writings of literature, history and philosophy. Findings: More managers must learn to be leaders, and the best way to make it happen is to avoid the clichés, the leadership training marketing hype, the platitudes and the pseudo-scholarly research and take charge of your own leadership journey. Practical implications: The core of the do-it-yourself approach is to learn to lead by doing. Mastering the role of a leader is a challenge that, like mastering any craft, requires continual practice. Originality/value: The article is an antidote to leadership training marketing hype. Instead of buying dubious advice, potential leaders can seize the opportunity to be creative, to discover a personal approach to leading that fits the time and place and is compatible with their own persona, values and beliefs.