A company officer's first step in developing leadership skills is to:

• A. A question or criticize policies or orders that they believe to be unfair
• B. Study successful leaders and develop their own list of leadership qualities
• C. Set unrealistic expectations of themselves as leaders or change implementers
• D. Instruct subordinates in the proper method of handling problems through the chain of command

Answer: (B)

When developing leadership skills, a solid first step is to study successful leaders and create your own list of leadership qualities. This approach gives you a concrete framework to model after—seeing how effective leaders think, communicate, and make decisions helps you discern which behaviors to adopt. It also promotes self-awareness, so you can identify which qualities you need to develop and consciously work toward embodying them.

Other options miss the mark because they focus on reacting to or enforcing policies, setting unattainable personal standards, or directing others on how to handle problems rather than building your own leadership foundation. Studying proven leaders and outlining your own leadership qualities creates the baseline from which ethical, credible, and effective leadership grows.