20 SMART Goals for Leadership Growth

Being a good leader isn’t something that just happens. It takes work, planning, and the right goals to help you grow. Maybe you’re new to leading a team, or maybe you’ve been doing it for years but want to get better. Either way, setting clear goals can help you become the leader you want to be.

I’ve worked with many teams over the years, and I’ve seen how the right goals can change everything. Good goals give you direction and help you measure your progress. They turn big dreams into steps you can actually take. That’s why I put together this list of leadership goals that will help you grow.

SMART Goals for Leadership Growth

These goals follow the SMART method – they’re Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Pick the ones that speak to you, or use them as starting points for your own leadership journey.

1. Hold Weekly One-on-One Meetings With Each Team Member

One-on-ones give you time to connect with your team members as people, not just workers. They help you understand what makes each person tick, what they need from you, and how you can help them grow.

Set a goal to meet with each team member for 30 minutes every week. Use this time to listen more than you talk. Ask about their challenges, wins, and ideas. The trust you build in these meetings will make your team stronger.

“I will schedule and hold a 30-minute one-on-one meeting with each of my five team members every week for the next three months. During these meetings, I will ask at least three open-ended questions and take notes on their responses.”

2. Read One Leadership Book Each Month

Books are like having coffee with the smartest leaders in the world. They let you learn from other people’s mistakes and wins without having to make all those mistakes yourself.

Pick books that cover different parts of leadership – from how to have hard talks to how to build a good team culture. After you finish each book, write down three ideas you can use right away.

“I will read one leadership book each month for the next six months. I’ll set aside 20 minutes each day to read, and I’ll keep a notebook where I write down the three most useful ideas from each book and how I plan to use them.”

3. Improve Your Public Speaking Skills

As a leader, you often need to speak to groups – whether it’s your team, other departments, or outside partners. Being able to speak clearly and with confidence helps you get your ideas across and inspire others.

Join a local speaking club or take an online course. Practice gives you the skills and the confidence to speak well, even when you’re nervous.

“I will join Toastmasters and attend meetings twice a month for the next four months. I will give at least one prepared speech and volunteer for Table Topics (impromptu speaking) at least once per meeting to build my confidence and skills.”

4. Learn to Give Better Feedback

Feedback helps your team members grow, but only if you give it the right way. Good feedback is clear, kind, and focused on helping the person improve.

Practice giving feedback that is specific and actionable. Talk about what you saw and the impact it had. Then work together to find ways to improve next time.

“I will learn and practice the SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) feedback method over the next two months. I will use this method to give at least one piece of positive feedback and one piece of constructive feedback to each team member each week.”

5. Develop a Personal Mission Statement

A personal mission statement is like a compass that helps you stay on course. It captures what matters most to you as a leader and the impact you want to have.

Take time to think about your values and what kind of leader you want to be. Write a short statement that captures this vision. Use it to guide your choices and actions.

“I will create a personal leadership mission statement within the next three weeks by reflecting on my values for 15 minutes each day. My statement will be no longer than two sentences and will clearly express who I am as a leader and what impact I want to have.”

6. Get Better at Time Management

Leaders often have many demands on their time. Learning to manage your time well helps you focus on what matters most and avoid burnout.

Try different time management methods to find what works for you. Block time for important tasks, learn to say no to things that aren’t priorities, and find ways to batch similar tasks together.

“I will track how I spend my time for two weeks, then create a new schedule that sets aside blocks of time for my most important work. I will stick to this schedule for one month, then review and adjust it based on what I’ve learned.”

7. Build a Diverse Network of Mentors

No one leader has all the answers. Having mentors with different backgrounds and skills gives you a wider range of perspectives and advice.

Look for mentors both inside and outside your company. They can be people you meet with regularly or people you reach out to when you need specific advice.

“I will identify and reach out to three potential mentors in different fields by the end of next month. I will have at least one conversation with each mentor and create a plan for ongoing learning from their expertise.”

8. Practice Active Listening

Good leaders listen more than they talk. Active listening shows respect for others’ ideas and helps you make better decisions based on more information.

When someone is talking to you, give them your full attention. Don’t check your phone or think about what you’ll say next. Ask questions to understand better, and sum up what you heard to make sure you got it right.

“I will practice active listening in all my meetings for the next month. I will put away distractions, ask at least two clarifying questions, and summarize what I’ve heard before responding. I will ask for feedback from one trusted colleague about my listening skills at the end of each week.”

9. Learn to Delegate Effectively

You can’t (and shouldn’t) do everything yourself. Good delegation helps your team grow and lets you focus on the tasks that only you can do.

Start by mapping out all your tasks and thinking about which ones could be done by someone else. Match tasks to team members based on their skills and growth goals. Give clear instructions and check in at the right times.

“I will identify five tasks that I currently do that could be delegated within the next week. I will delegate at least three of these tasks within the next month, providing clear instructions and the right level of support to ensure success.”

10. Create a Personal Development Plan

A personal development plan helps you grow in a structured way. It’s like a roadmap for building the skills and knowledge you need to be a better leader.

Start by thinking about where you are now and where you want to be in a year. What skills do you need to build? What experiences would help you grow? Write down your goals and the steps you’ll take to reach them.

“I will create a personal development plan in the next two weeks that identifies three key leadership skills I want to improve this year. For each skill, I will outline specific actions I will take, resources I will use, and how I will measure my progress.”

11. Improve Your Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is about understanding and managing your own emotions and connecting well with others. It’s one of the most important skills for good leadership.

Start by becoming more aware of your own emotions and how they affect your behavior. Practice naming your feelings and noticing the physical signs that you’re getting upset or stressed.

“I will spend 10 minutes each day for the next 30 days reflecting on my emotional responses to situations at work. I will keep a journal where I note the situation, my emotional reaction, and how I handled it. At the end of each week, I will review my notes and identify one area to focus on improving.”

12. Learn to Lead Through Change

Change is a constant in today’s world. Good leaders help their teams navigate change with confidence and flexibility.

Study change management principles and look for chances to practice them in small ways before big changes happen. Being open about the process and listening to concerns helps build trust during uncertain times.

“I will take an online course on change management in the next month and apply what I learn to a small change initiative in my department. I will gather feedback from at least five team members about how well I communicated and supported them through the change.”

13. Build Better Work-Life Balance

Burned-out leaders can’t lead well. Taking care of yourself helps you bring your best self to your leadership role.

Set clear boundaries between work and personal time. Make time for things that fill your cup, whether that’s family, hobbies, or just quiet time alone.

“I will leave work on time at least three days a week for the next month. On those days, I will turn off email notifications after 6 PM and spend at least one hour doing something that recharges me. I will track my energy levels and mood to see how these changes affect my leadership.”

14. Become a Better Coach

Good leaders don’t just tell people what to do – they help team members grow and solve problems on their own.

Practice asking good questions instead of giving answers right away. This helps your team build their own problem-solving skills and confidence.

“I will learn and practice the GROW coaching model over the next two months. In my weekly one-on-ones, I will use coaching questions rather than giving direct answers at least 50% of the time. I will ask for feedback from my team about how helpful they find this approach.”

15. Improve Cross-Department Communication

Working well with other departments helps your team get more done and builds a stronger company culture.

Get to know the leaders of other departments and understand their goals and challenges. Look for projects where you can work together for mutual benefit.

“I will set up lunch meetings with three leaders from different departments in the next six weeks. I will learn about their priorities and challenges, and identify at least one opportunity for our teams to collaborate more effectively.”

16. Learn to Run More Effective Meetings

Meetings take up a lot of time at work. Making them better helps your team get more done and feel more engaged.

Start with clear goals for each meeting. Make sure everyone knows why they’re there and what you hope to achieve. Keep the meeting on track and end with clear next steps.

“I will create and use a meeting template for all team meetings over the next quarter. Each meeting will have a clear agenda sent out 24 hours in advance, will start and end on time, and will finish with assigned action items. I will ask for feedback on meeting effectiveness at the end of each month.”

17. Build a Culture of Recognition

People want to know their work matters. Recognizing good work helps build a positive team culture and motivates people to keep doing their best.

Make a habit of noticing and naming good work. Be specific about what you’re praising and why it matters. Mix public and private recognition based on what each person prefers.

“I will implement a weekly recognition practice over the next three months. Each week, I will recognize at least three team members for specific contributions, using their preferred method of recognition (public or private). I will track the impact this has on team morale and motivation.”

18. Develop Your Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinking helps you see the big picture and make decisions that help your team and company succeed in the long run.

Make time to step back from day-to-day tasks and think about bigger trends and opportunities. Read widely and talk to people with different perspectives to expand your thinking.

“I will block out two hours each week for the next three months to focus on strategic thinking. During this time, I will read industry news, think about long-term goals, and identify at least one strategic opportunity or challenge to bring to my team for discussion each month.”

19. Improve Your Decision-Making Process

Good decisions help your team move forward with confidence. Having a clear process helps you make better choices, even under pressure.

Learn about different decision-making models and practice using them for both small and large decisions. Getting input from others often leads to better choices.

“I will create a decision-making framework for my team within the next month. For all major decisions in the following quarter, I will use this framework to ensure we consider all options, involve the right people, and clearly communicate both the decision and the reasoning behind it.”

20. Learn to Handle Conflict Constructively

Conflict happens in any team. How you handle it can either build stronger relationships or break trust.

Practice staying calm and curious when conflicts arise. Focus on understanding all sides before looking for solutions. Remember that the goal isn’t to win but to find the best path forward for everyone.

“I will take a conflict resolution course in the next six weeks. In the following month, I will use these skills to address at least two ongoing team conflicts. I will follow up with all involved parties two weeks after each intervention to assess whether the solution is working.”

Wrapping Up

Setting good leadership goals is an ongoing process. The goals on this list can help you get started, but the most important thing is to find goals that matter to you and your team. Start with one or two goals that feel most important right now.

Remember that leadership growth takes time. Be patient with yourself as you work on these goals. Small steps add up to big changes over time. The fact that you’re reading this shows you care about becoming a better leader, and that’s the most important first step.

What goal will you start with today?