The Apprentice Mindset: Mastery Through Practice
Leadership as a Learned Craft
In the confined spaces of a submarine, I spent hours wiring junction boxes and terminating cable ends. It wasn’t glamorous work, but it was necessary, and essential to get right. Completing the technical part was only half the job. As an apprentice I learnt that what mattered just as much, and often more in the long run, was how well I routed, harnessed and labelled each wire. Because someone else, one day, would be relying on that clarity to maintain or troubleshoot that system. It was care, not just competence, that made the job easier for others. A small act of craftsmanship that signalled respect.
That lesson stayed with me, because while I didn’t know it at the time, I was learning something deeper than technical skill. I was learning about mastery - and that mastery comes not in a single moment, but through repetition, refinement, and reflection. It comes through practice.
Leadership Isn’t a Title
Leadership, like a skilled trade, isn’t conferred. It’s not something you switch on the day you receive a promotion. It’s learned - something you work at and build, through exposure to challenges, through listening to feedback, through adjusting your approach. It’s a craft that’s honed over time.
When I moved from Lead Engineer into my first formal management role, I didn’t get it right at first. I found it hard to let go of how I had done the job. I stayed too close to the detail, unintentionally crowding out those stepping into the lead role behind me. I wasn’t creating enough space for them to grow, experiment, and bring their own strengths to the role. It took some honest reflection - and, crucially, some brave feedback from others - for me to realise that holding on too tightly was holding others back.
That experience taught me something essential: good leadership isn’t about control. It’s about enablement. It’s about creating the right environment, not just making the right decisions. And learning to enable others is, itself, a practice.
Practising the Craft
Over time, I’ve found ways to keep practising the craft of leadership:
I use the Bullet Journal Method for regular reflection - a space to capture observations, lessons, things I might do differently.
I’ve learned the value of reverse mentoring: surrounding myself with voices that challenge my perspective, particularly those whose experiences differ from my own; and
I’ve come to value the power of asking good questions - because often, the best insights come from listening.
These habits aren’t rituals for the sake of routine. They’re how I stay grounded in the work of leadership. They are part of how I stay alert to what I don’t yet know, and willing to keep learning.
I remind myself regularly: leadership doesn’t have a finish line. You don’t ever “arrive.” You evolve. You respond. You practice.
You can get better at the craft: how you listen, how you coach, how you make space for others to thrive. But unlike wiring up a junction box, the leadership context doesn’t stay still. Needs evolve. People grow. Expectations shift. What worked yesterday might not be enough tomorrow. And so, the practice never stops.
Staying in Practice Mode
The best leaders I’ve worked with have never stopped practising. They treat every meeting, every one-to-one, every feedback conversation as part of the work. They notice what went well. They reflect on what could have gone better, and they make adjustments, not because they’re unsure, but because they’re committed.
They understand that mastery doesn’t mean getting it right every time. It means staying in the mindset of practice - remaining open, attentive, and intentional.
That’s what mastery looks like in leadership. Not perfection, but purposeful progress. It’s what allows leaders to stay relevant. To lead with purpose, act with integrity, and to care deeply.
If you’re finding leadership challenging right now, maybe the question isn’t whether you’re getting it right. Maybe it’s whether you’re staying in practice.
