By Tom Myette

From Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War to Steve Jobs during the social media revolution, leaders change the way we live and they change the very world we live in. Undoubtedly, while Lincoln and Jobs are from different eras, they were both able to lead in tough times. Lincoln was able to lead during a civil war and Jobs during a recession while suffering from a life threatening illness.The lingering questions are: What does it take to be an effective leader like Lincoln and Jobs? What type of leadership style is best for you and your organization? If the questions feel like a mystery, they shouldn’t be. In order to truly understand leadership, it is essential you experience and understand it first through your own learning lens. It is a widely held view that most of our experiences shape and mould our views of society. They provide us with real life lessons that we can take away and call our own and in return drive us to think about the world from a different paradigm. Experiences are distinct from other forms of learning in the sense that they provide us with personalized lessons that no amount of books, lectures or stories can teach us. Due to the importance of experiential learning, this learning style should not be limited to our personal lives only, but incorporated into our professional lives as well. Especially when it comes to leadership style, experiential learning is ideal because it equips the leader with an experience that will resonate for years.