What do you do if you want to cultivate leadership skills as an early-stage Airport Manager?

1 Seek feedback and mentorship

One of the best ways to improve your leadership skills is to seek feedback and mentorship from more experienced airport managers. Feedback can help you identify your strengths and areas for improvement, as well as learn from your mistakes and successes. Mentorship can provide you with guidance, support, and inspiration, as well as access to valuable insights and networks. You can seek feedback and mentorship from your direct supervisor, peers, or external mentors, such as industry experts or professional associations.

2 Learn from others

Another way to cultivate leadership skills is to learn from other airport managers who have demonstrated effective leadership in different situations and contexts. You can learn from others by observing, asking questions, reading, listening, or participating in training or development programs. For example, you can observe how other airport managers handle challenges, communicate with stakeholders, or implement changes. You can also ask them about their leadership styles, values, and goals, and how they developed them. You can also read books, articles, or blogs, listen to podcasts or webinars, or enroll in courses or workshops that cover topics related to airport management and leadership.

3 Take on new challenges and responsibilities

A third way to cultivate leadership skills is to take on new challenges and responsibilities that stretch your abilities and push you out of your comfort zone. Taking on new challenges and responsibilities can help you develop new skills, gain confidence, and demonstrate initiative and value. You can take on new challenges and responsibilities by volunteering for projects, tasks, or roles that interest you, align with your goals, or offer learning opportunities. You can also seek opportunities to lead or collaborate with others, such as by forming or joining teams, committees, or networks.

4 Reflect and evaluate

A fourth way to cultivate leadership skills is to reflect and evaluate your performance, actions, and outcomes on a regular basis. Reflecting and evaluating can help you assess your progress, identify gaps, and plan for improvement. You can reflect and evaluate by keeping a journal, diary, or portfolio of your achievements, challenges, and learnings. You can also use tools such as self-assessments, surveys, or feedback forms to measure your leadership competencies and impact. You can also set SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) and track your results and feedback.

5 Adapt and innovate

A fifth way to cultivate leadership skills is to adapt and innovate in response to changing needs, demands, and opportunities in the airport industry. Adapting and innovating can help you cope with uncertainty, embrace change, and create value. You can adapt and innovate by staying updated on the latest trends, developments, and best practices in airport management and leadership. You can also seek new ideas, perspectives, and solutions from various sources, such as research, data, or feedback. You can also experiment, test, and implement new approaches, methods, or technologies that can enhance your performance, efficiency, or effectiveness.

6 Inspire and empower others

A sixth way to cultivate leadership skills is to inspire and empower others to achieve their potential and contribute to the airport's vision and mission. Inspiring and empowering others can help you build trust, engagement, and loyalty among your staff, colleagues, and stakeholders. You can inspire and empower others by communicating clearly, openly, and positively. You can also recognize, appreciate, and reward their efforts, achievements, and feedback. You can also delegate, coach, and support them to develop their skills, confidence, and autonomy. You can also involve them in decision-making, problem-solving, and innovation processes.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?