In 1965 the American folk rock band The Byrds recorded the song Turn! Turn! Turn!  The message of the song is, to quote from one line, “There is a time to every purpose under heaven.”

We can all think of examples of this timing:

• The seasons always come in order – spring, summer, fall, and winter
• The phases of the moon always move in the same order from new moon to new moon.
• The farmer has to till before planting and water before harvesting.

I have found that leadership also has a time to its purpose.  I call it the Three Phases of Leadership Development:

• Relationship – Through the forming of a trusting relationship, the team will follow as the leader shows them how to be successful.
• Understanding – By modeling after the leader’s example, the team will understand how to achieve their own success.
• Knowledge – Through mentoring, the team will gain the knowledge of when to apply what is understood.

For your leadership journey to be successful, follow the Three Phases of Leadership Development with every new team.